The Red Mansion

Chapter 74 Keqing sends shoes, Baochai is alert

That day, when Jiang Nian went to the Qu family, Peng Jizhong came to the door of the Jiang family's house with a package. He came here not to ask Jiang Nian for help because Qin Keqing had something wrong.

The gatekeeper, Dong Feng, pushed open the door and saw Peng Jizhong. He subconsciously asked, "Butler Peng, are you here to see our master?"

Peng Jizhong nodded: "Exactly."

Dong Feng shook his head and said, "Master is not at home at the moment. He went to Mr. Qu's house."

Peng Jizhong frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and asked, "Is Steward He here?"

Dong Feng nodded: "Yes."

He Yunzheng and his son He Zhong were practicing martial arts in the inner courtyard.

Peng Jizhong walked into the inner courtyard and saw He Yun standing there in a majestic and imposing manner. He stepped forward and handed the package to He Yun, looking a little furtive. He whispered, "This is a pair of shoes made by my daughter. It's for Master Jiang. Thank you for helping Master Jiang with Jia Zhen's matter."

Previously, Qin Keqing had said she should thank Jiang Nian for what happened to Jia Zhen. After much deliberation, she decided to make a pair of shoes herself, which would both show her sincerity and allow Jiang Nian to initially feel her affection for him.

After spending nearly ten days, Qin Keqing finally finished making the shoes and handed them to Peng Jizhong for delivery.

The package in Peng Jizhong's hand is not only a pair of shoes, but also an emotion, an unspoken feeling.

At this time, in the west wing, Xue Baochai and Ying'er were standing by the window.

Ying'er climbed through the window lattice and saw Peng Jizhong handing a package to He Yun. She asked curiously, "What did Butler Peng from next door send Butler He? Why is he so sneaky?"

Xue Baochai frowned slightly, having guessed something, thinking to herself, "Perhaps this is something that Miss Qin next door gave to you..."

Xue Baochai gazed quietly at the inner courtyard through the carved window lattice. After Peng Jizhong left, He Yun handed the mysterious package to Xiangling.

Xue Baochai tilted her head slightly and whispered to Ying'er, "Ying'er, go find Xiangling and see what's in that package."

Ying'er could no longer suppress her curiosity. She nodded immediately after hearing the words, looking a little excited, like a butterfly that smelled the fragrance of flowers, and flew towards the main room.

Ying'er came to the main room and saw Xiangling carefully opening a package. Inside the package was a pair of exquisite shoes with patterns embroidered on the uppers and fine stitching.

Ying'er leaned in for a closer look and praised, "Who made these shoes? Such elaborate stitching and patterns!"

Xiangling raised her head and smiled, "Miss Qin next door made this for you."

Ying'er nodded, hurried back to the west wing, and told Xue Baochai what she had seen and heard.

Ying'er couldn't help but say, "It's reasonable for a young lady to give Master a pair of handmade shoes, but Miss Qin next door also gave Master a pair. Could it be that she has fallen in love with Master? If so, that's reasonable. Recently, Master had a quarrel with Master Zhen of Ningguo Mansion to protect her. As a result, Master Zhen was severely punished by order of the Emperor Retired, and Ningguo Mansion was even lost."

Xue Baochai and Ying'er both learned in detail about Jiang Nian's punishment of Jia Zhen.

Xue Baochai listened quietly with a calm expression, but her heart was in turmoil.

She turned around and sat in front of the dressing mirror, looking at herself in the mirror. She was silent for a moment, a moment that passed quietly between her thoughtful brows. Then she turned to Ying'er and asked, "Is that Miss Qin really as beautiful as a fairy?"

Ying'er had met Qin Keqing at the Qin household, but Xue Baochai had never met her. Ying'er was slightly startled, then nodded gently, unable to help but exclaim, "She is truly as beautiful as a fairy."

After hearing this, Xue Baochai remained silent for a moment, then asked softly, "How does he compare to me?"

Ying'er lowered her head, a look of embarrassment on her face. She felt that Qin Keqing was prettier than Xue Baochai, but she couldn't say this directly to Xue Baochai, and she didn't want to lie.

Xue Baochai asked, "Why don't you answer?"

Ying'er suddenly had an idea. She looked up and smiled at Xue Baochai, saying, "Your beauty is different from Miss Qin's. Yours is like... like a peony, born into a wealthy family like our Xue family, dignified and elegant; while Miss Qin is like... like a crabapple, gorgeous and dazzling."

Xue Baochai smiled faintly: "It is difficult for you to make such a comparison."

She already knew in her heart that in Ying'er's heart, Qin Keqing was more beautiful than her.

She deliberately maintained a faint smile and turned to look out the window, at the half-dead pear tree in the inner courtyard. It was the season for pear blossoms to bloom, and the tree was only half-dead to begin with, but with the careful care it had taken recently, a few flowers had already bloomed. Although not many, they were as white as snow.

However, at this moment, Xue Baochai, who always loved pear blossoms, felt that the pear blossoms looked dull and lifeless.

Xue Baochai looked at Ying'er and suddenly said, "Make me a bowl of Huangbai decoction. I want to take Lengxiang Pills."

Ying'er was puzzled: "Why would the young lady suddenly want to take Lengxiang Pills?"

Xue Baochai was born with a congenital "heat poison" condition. Fortunately, she was born strong, so it wasn't a major issue. Ordinary medicine was ineffective, but she needed to take "Lingxiang Pills," which she took once at the onset of symptoms. Her symptoms weren't serious, just a slight cough and wheezing. When taking Lengxiang Pills, she had to drink a decoction of Phellodendron amurense.

Now Xue Baochai did not have any asthma or cough, but suddenly wanted to take Lengxiang Pills, so Ying'er was naturally puzzled.

Xue Baochai said calmly, "There are signs of illness. Take a pill first as a precaution."

Ying'er, though innocent and naive, had a mind as lively and clear as a spring brook. Suddenly, a thought stirred within her, as if ripples had formed. She thought to herself, "The girl sometimes takes Lengxiang Pills when she's feeling down. Could she be jealous?"

This thought made her smile, and a cunning gleam flashed in her eyes.

Xue Baochai was indeed a little jealous, but compared to jealousy, she was more wary.

Xue Baochai believed that since Qin Ye had passed away and Qin Keqing was adopted from Yangshengtang, even if Jiang Nian and Qin Keqing were paired, Qin Keqing would not become Jiang Nian's wife, but would become a concubine.

Although Xue Baochai had been promised to Jiang Nian as his concubine, she had her own agenda. She sought a high rank and sought to profit. If a woman as beautiful as Qin Keqing, born into a family of officials, became Jiang Nian's concubine, she would undoubtedly be a formidable competitor. A sense of crisis welled up in her.

Seeing that Xue Baochai remained silent, Ying'er tiptoed to the kitchen.

She boiled water and added the phellodendron chinense to the water. The bitter aroma of the phellodendron chinense spread with the steam. After a while, the phellodendron chinense decoction was ready. She poured the soup into a celadon bowl and carefully carried it into the west wing.

When the temperature of the Huangbai decoction had cooled, Ying'er took out a Lengxiang Pill and handed it to Xue Baochai. The Lengxiang Pill emitted a cool and sweet fragrance.

Xue Baochai put the Lengxiang Pill into her mouth, then took a sip of the Huangbai decoction. The bitterness of the decoction blended with the sweetness of the Lengxiang Pill. She closed her eyes for a moment, as if feeling the medicinal effects coursing through her body. Then she slowly opened them, her gaze as calm as water, though her heart was still turbulent...

(End of this chapter)