The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 36 Jinlian Suffers Family Discipline
Everyone thought to themselves: "Our master is notorious as 'Ximen Yama,' a 'haunted rich ghost,' usually so calculating with money he'd practically squeeze water out of every copper coin, and he'd scrape the ground three feet deep. Is this... a sudden change of heart? Or has Yama taken a sudden pang of kindness and decided to give us little devils some treats?"
The hall fell into complete silence; you could hear a pin drop.

Lai Bao trembled inwardly. He was the one who was doing the work, and he was afraid that he had misheard and that he wouldn't be able to withstand the whip from the high-ranking official.

Mustering his courage, he cautiously asked again, "Father... do you mean... give it away for free? Without any money?"

Ximen Qing glared at him, laughing and cursing, "You scoundrel! Didn't I make myself clear enough? Of course, it's free! Not only will it be free, but it will continue for months on end. Give me all 800 shi of rice, and the porridge must be cooked until it's thick enough that chopsticks can't be stuck in it! Let the people of Qinghe City know that our Master Ximen is not just someone who runs a herbal medicine shop and lends money to officials!"

"And then drape a dozen feet of red cloth over me, with my name, Master Ximen, written on it, so that people will know that I am doing good deeds. Doing good deeds without making a fuss is like wearing fine clothes in the dark!"

Lai Bao was now convinced that it wasn't a joke. Although he was full of doubts, he dared not ask any more questions and hurriedly agreed: "Yes! Yes! Father is truly a kind-hearted bodhisattva. We children are accumulating great virtue by following Father! I will go and do it right away, and I guarantee that it will be done in a grand and glorious manner, so that everyone in Qinghe County will know Father's good name!"

Having said that, he hurriedly withdrew to select people to load rice and arrange vehicles and equipment.

The Moon Goddess, who was listening nearby, was taken aback for a moment, then a smile bloomed on her face, and she repeatedly murmured in her heart, "Amitabha! Amitabha! It is truly the Bodhisattva's compassion that has inspired such a kind heart in him!"

She was very pleased: "Although my husband is sometimes... somewhat greedy for making a living, he still has a kind heart. Giving away porridge to help the poor is a great deed that accumulates merit and benefits the community! It is our family's good fortune that he can think this way. I hope he will always keep this in mind, which will be a blessing for our family."

Jinlian, standing nearby, felt a pang of heartache as if the rice wasn't Ximen Qing's, but rather flesh cut from her own body.

He thought to himself, "My God, just how rich is the Ximen family? Even if they sold 800 shi of old rice, it would still fetch several hundred taels of silver. They could give it to the servants in the house to eat and use. Wouldn't that be better? Yet they just throw it away without batting an eye to those poor wretches and peasants who have nothing to do with them?"

"This mistress of the house doesn't even care. If I were in her place, I would definitely hold onto every penny and never let a single copper coin slip through my fingers."

But Ximen Da Guanren figured this was the best place for Chen Mi.

If you want to climb up the ladder, it's not enough to just make people afraid of you!

The superior.

To inspire fear, yet also respect; to inspire respect, yet also remembrance!
The saying goes, "When a thousand people point fingers, one dies without illness!"

Once this "good reputation" is spread, those past troubles seem to be somewhat overshadowed by this "merit."

Subsequently.

Having given the order to settle Pan Jinlian, Wu Yueniang naturally dared not neglect it.

She personally led Jinlian to a secluded side room in the west wing at the back. Although it was not spacious, it was clean and tidy, with all the necessary bedding, tables, chairs, and dressing table.

Before leaving, Yue Niang said gently, "Although you are a maid, the master has taken a liking to you and wants you to serve him. So he has given you a room by yourself and will not mistreat you. After you have packed your things, go to the hall and wait to serve the master and receive guests."

After making the arrangements and exchanging a few words about the rules of the household, Yue Niang returned home.

Pan Jinlian saw her to the door, watching Yue Niang's departing figure. Then she turned back to examine the neat but clearly not master-level residence. Although she was not satisfied, it was far better than her previous residence, like heaven and earth. She couldn't help but secretly feel energized.

After finishing his business, Ximen Da Guanren realized that he hadn't eaten properly all day and felt a bit hungry, so he casually instructed his servant Dai'an to have Sun Xue'e prepare some side dishes.

Before long, Sun Xue'e sent a maid to bring four side dishes and a pot of wine. The master ate some himself, then went to the training ground to practice his staff skills for a while. He broke out in a light sweat and felt completely refreshed.

Just as he was wiping his sweat with a handkerchief, he suddenly heard a servant come to report: "Father, Master Wen has arrived. He said the letter has been written and he has come to present it to you for your review."

Upon hearing this, Ximen Qing perked up, tossed his handkerchief to the servant beside him, and said, "I'll go right now."

He straightened his robes and strode towards the front hall, his mind preoccupied with the "letter of introduction" leading to Cai Jing's residence.

I quickly walked to the front hall.

Stepping into the hall, Ximen Qing saw the scholar Wen sitting calmly, sipping tea, his expression rather unnatural, his eyes darting around as if he wanted to see something but dared not look directly at it. Following the scholar's evasive gaze, Ximen Qing's heart flared with anger.

Pan Jinlian stood gracefully to the side, her head bowed and eyes lowered, looking very respectful.

But beneath her light green pleated skirt, a pointed, upturned lotus flower deliberately peeked out slightly.

The foot seemed to wiggle slightly unintentionally, and beneath the thin silk, five little toes twisted, pushed, pushed, and spread, playing with the silk surface, making it bumpy and uneven.

It's really itchy for those who see it.

Combined with the soft, delicate curve of the instep, its size, barely a handful, possesses an indescribable alluring sensuality that evokes a sense of longing.

Just looking at it makes it seem soft and fragrant, tempting you to hold it up, stick it to your lips, and smell it.

She stood upright, but the way she moved her feet exuded a seductive charm that seemed to seep from her very bones.

Scholar Wen had never seen such a vibrant and exciting spectacle before.

He was already completely mesmerized, his soul practically scattered to the heavens. He held a teacup in his hand but forgot to drink it. His eyes seemed glued to the ground, constantly glancing at those feet. Then he would hurriedly look away, his mouth dry and his body restless.

Ximen Da Guanren immediately realized that the woman's seductive charm had flared up again!

He knew Jinlian's background well; she had been sold twice by her own mother since childhood, and was coveted by the male master but strictly guarded by the female master.

A group of servants, their mouths watering, learned the instinct to save their own lives in that muddy place.

This restlessness stems from her very being, and it's also due to an extreme lack of security. She desperately wants all the men in the world to revolve around her in order to prove her worth.

He suppressed his anger and dismissed the distraught scholar Wen, who kept turning back to look at him every few steps, with a few words.

With no one else in the waiting hall, Ximen Qing's smile vanished instantly, turning ashen.

This woman's awful habits absolutely need to be cured!
In this day and age, women are no longer the little fairies of later times. You can't hit them or scold them, and if you even glance at them, they'll sue you for harassment and taking photos!

He turned around, strode to the entrance of the hall, his gaze cold and sharp.

"You harlot! Kneel down!" came a cold shout.

Pan Jinlian trembled with fright and hurriedly knelt down on the ground.

She looked up at her master's fierce expression, and tears immediately streamed down her face like pearls falling from a broken string.

She didn't wail, but only sobbed softly, her breath coming in short gasps. Two tear tracks slid down her cheeks, making her pink face look like a pear blossom battered by rain. She looked somewhat disheveled, yet all the more charming and pitiful, making her all the more endearing and worthy of pity.

She said in a tearful voice, "Father... I don't know what I did wrong to make you so angry..."

Ximen Qing remained unmoved, turned around and closed the hall door, leaving only himself and her in the room.

He turned around and picked up the smooth, long bamboo strip that was placed in front of the offering table.

Ximen Qing took the bamboo strip in his hand, gently patted his palm, and stared at Pan Jinlian: "Take off your clothes, lie face down on the chair, and tell me, what did you do wrong?"

[Gentlemen, if you're satisfied with this, you'll be rewarded with two months' worth of votes!]

(End of this chapter)