After the rebellion was successful, I realized that this place was the Red Mansion

Chapter 21 Hengwuyuan Xiangling Baochai

Xiu Yan returned to Zi Ling Island and just arrived in front of Zhui Jin with a lantern in her hand, she saw another person holding a lantern coming out from inside. Upon closer inspection, she recognized that she was the concubine bought by the Xue family who had not yet been born, named Xiang Ling.

"What are you doing here, girl?"

Xiu Yan asked with a smile, Xiangling was a poor girl who was sold by kidnappers when she was young. It was said that when the Xue family wanted to buy her, they had a dispute with others. Both families wanted to buy her, so trouble arose.

Xiangling was indeed pretty, with fair skin, a slim figure, and a dot of rouge between her eyebrows, which made her look even more unique.

Xiangling smiled and said, "Miss Bao sent me here to retrieve a book she lent to the Second Miss. I was just about to go back. Where did Miss Xing come back from?"

"I just went to Longcui Temple."

"So you're going to see Miaoyu," Xiangling said with a smile. "I heard from Miss Bao that Master Miaoyu is also a person of both talent and beauty, but she rarely shows it."

Xiu Yan laughed and said, "Her talent is more than just high, it's almost as high as the sky. There are few people in the garden who catch her eye."

Xiangling smiled but didn't answer, and went back with the lantern.

The girls in the garden sang poems to each other, laughed and played, but she could not do it.

Xiu Yan, who was standing behind her, saw her walking south and asked curiously, "Xiangling, where are you going? Hengwu Garden is in the north."

Xiangling turned around and smiled, "Miss Bao went home to live two days ago and is not in the garden anymore."

"I didn't know it was like this."

Xing Xiuyan watched Xiangling leave, feeling a little puzzled. Baojie had gone back to live, but Qinmeimei was still in Hengwuyuan. Could it be that Aunt Xue's house wasn't big enough? Were the two sisters not used to sleeping in the same bed?

Without thinking much, he went into the house to talk to Yingchun.

Xiangling left the Grand View Garden from the south gate and walked quickly along the path beside the garden wall, holding a lantern.

When he returned home a while later, he happened to meet Xue Pan walking in from the side door of the private alley. He was drunk and his steps were unsteady.

"Master, be careful."

Xiangling hurried over to support him.

"You, who are you... What a pretty little beauty!"

Xue Pan stared at Xiangling with drunken eyes, then leaned closer and inhaled the fragrance emanating from her face and neck, his face full of intoxication: "What a beautiful lady! Come and drink a few cups with me, and I will reward you with silver!"

As he said this, he began to pinch her fair and smooth face.

Xiangling turned her head away, but did not dare to let go. Xue Pan was her future husband, and he bought her to be his concubine.

She should have entered Xue Pan's room to serve him early, but Aunt Xue said that she was still young and needed two years to recover before she could start to grow up. Now two years have passed, and she is almost ready to serve Xue Pan.

Since I'm a concubine, there's no reason for me to hide.

Xiangling hurriedly said, "Master, please go back to the house first!"

Xue Pan refused to leave. His stubborn temper flared up, and he raised his hand and twisted her face fiercely, cursing, "You damned whore, you don't even serve me with all your heart!"

Xiangling's face suddenly became red and swollen, and she cried in pain, but she could only say aggrievedly: "Master, you are drunk! I am Xiangling, not a barmaid in the restaurant!"

"Who said I was drunk? I'm not drunk, bring more wine!"

The noise alarmed the people in the house. Aunt Xue ordered someone to come out and check, and everyone hurriedly helped Xue Pan into the house.

Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai were both in the hall. Seeing how drunk he was, they felt quite sorry for him and helped him sit down.

Baochai ordered Xiangling to pour tea, only to see her covering her face. She asked in surprise, "Xiangling, who hit you? Was it my brother?"

Xiangling covered her face and shook her head, her eyes red. She stood aside, hesitant, and wanted to pour tea, but the other maids had already gone. Aunt Xue angrily said to the drunk Xue Pan, "Why bother! You are drunk, so you are drunk, but you hit someone and made Xiangling so painful."

Xue Pan gradually woke up after hearing his mother's words. Seeing Xiangling's pretty little face become like this, he felt a little regretful for a moment.

Baochai said to Xiangling, "Go find some medicine to apply, and ask the kitchen to bring a bowl of sobering soup."

Xiangling responded and lowered her head, not daring to look at Xue Pan any longer.

Only Aunt Xue, Xue Baochai and Xue Pan were left in the house. Xue Ke also lived in this courtyard, but in the outer study. It was located in the northeast corner of Rongguo Mansion and the southeast corner of Grand View Garden. It was not connected to the garden, but there was a side door that led to the private alley between the Ning and Rong mansions. It was very convenient for Xue Pan, Xue Ke and others to go out on weekdays.

Seeing that Xue Pan had sobered up, Xue Baochai asked him, "Brother, where did you go to drink today? Who did you drink with?"

Aunt Xue couldn't help but scold him: "The Qianwang army will attack the city tomorrow, and you are still restless!"

Xue Pan laughed and said, "I'm going out because we're going to attack the city tomorrow. All the restaurants will be closed tomorrow, so where can I go for a drink? I just happened to see Baoyu, so I asked him to go drink with me. I'm not going anywhere tomorrow, I'll just stay home!"

Xue Baochai laughed and said, "Look, mother, my brother is actually afraid and is willing to hide at home. This is the first time since he came to the capital."

Aunt Xue also smiled, but then she started to worry about what was happening outside the city, and her smile faded. "I don't know what will happen tomorrow. If things change..."

Baochai said, "I've read in some history books that sieges can last a long time, sometimes months or even years. Tomorrow is only the first day, so it won't be that serious... If Prince Qian takes control of the capital, you and your brother will move out and live in our family shop. We can discuss this matter after the capital stabilizes and the situation ends."

"Are only my mother and I moving away? What about my sister?" Xue Pan asked in confusion.

Baochai said quietly, "I've lived in the Grand View Garden for a year. If I move out now, I'm afraid people will gossip about me, saying I'm only concerned about myself when disaster strikes. Besides, moving out might not be all that helpful. When Prince Qian enters the city, he'll investigate every wealthy household."

"If my sister doesn't leave, I won't leave either!" said Xue Pan.

Aunt Xue didn't say much, feeling worried. After a while, she went into the house with her daughter.

The mother and daughter talked for a while.

"Mother, don't worry about me." Baochai comforted her, "It's not necessarily good or bad for me to stay in the garden. The Jia family is on the same side as the imperial court. If Prince Qian enters the city, the Jia family will be doomed. Although my family is still an imperial merchant, it is insignificant. I don't know how Prince Qian will deal with people like us from a small family."

Aunt Xue looked at her and asked after a long pause, "A few days ago, you said that Prince Qian would banish the wives of officials who had been convicted to the Ye Ting Palace... Is this a good thing or a bad thing?"

Baochai shook her head, and Aunt Xue stopped asking questions and sat for a while before leaving.

Baochai sat alone in the room for a long time. When her maid Ying'er came in, she ordered her to take out the mirror and put it on the table.

She looked at herself in the mirror. The woman in the mirror had outstanding looks, with a dignified and round face. Everyone praised her for being like a peony, suitable for home and family.

Baochai took out the necklace hanging from her clothes. There were eight seal characters on both sides:

Never leave, never abandon, and stay young forever.

This happened when she was in Jinling. She went to a temple with her mother to burn incense and met a bald monk. The monk asked her mother to engrave these eight words on a gold object and wear it with her, saying that she would meet a person who was destined to be with her in the future.

When they arrived in the capital, Baochai learned that Jia Baoyu had brought a piece of jade with him from his mother's womb, and that the jade also had eight words on it:
Never lose or forget, and you will live forever.

It just happens to match her eight words!
To form a golden bond.

It really is a wise saying, what a coincidence!

"Since you only talk about the previous alliance of wood and stone, why should I remember the golden and jade marriage?"

After thinking for a long time, Xue Baochai took off the necklace, put it in the box, and never wore it again.

What about gold, jade, wood and stone alliances? When King Qian comes in and kills us, he will smash all of these to pieces. How can there be any match made in heaven or any agreement made in the previous life?

(End of this chapter)