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

Chapter 42 The Dispute Over Concubines
Upon hearing this, she deliberately struggled to sit up, deliberately let the quilt slip off, and deliberately exposed the bruises on her chest that had been nibbled by men.

I'll show you, just to make you furious!

She said in a smug, soft voice, "Thank you, Sister Yuxiao... Could you please hand me a hot towel so I can wipe my hands?"

Seeing her wanton behavior, Yu Xiao felt so angry that his teeth ached!
The young lady's personal maid was called a "tongfang yatou" (通房丫头).

This is an eternal truth!
But I've been living in this household with my aunt for five or six years!

He longed to be taken as a concubine every day!
We look forward to next year! Year after year!
Who would have thought that this new little slut would climb into the emperor's bed first!
Yu Xiao was not particularly afraid of her, having heard his master instruct his wife that he would soon marry the top courtesan of Lichun Courtyard as his second wife.

He's willing to marry even that promiscuous courtesan, yet he makes no mention of marrying this beautiful young lady—clearly, his master doesn't necessarily care about her.

Besides, he was a trusted confidant who came with the old lady, so he had that advantage.

She'll be married into the family eventually, so what can she do to me?

She curled her lip and said sarcastically, "Oh! Little sister, you've got quite the airs! Do you really think you're the mistress?"

She grabbed a cold towel and threw it at him: "Go ahead and wipe yourself! You're destined to be a servant anyway, so stop pretending to be a rich lady!"

Pan Jinlian was hit in the chest with a cold towel, her face turned pale, and she forced a smile:
"Sister is joking... I'm just a lowly maid, how dare I put on airs? It's just that last night I was serving my master..."

"Shut up!" Yu Xiao interrupted abruptly, her eyes red-rimmed. "What are you showing off, you slut! You think you're something just because you slept with someone once?"

She pointed at the lunchbox and sneered, "The master is only giving you a meal out of pity! Does he really think he's going to promote you to be a concubine? Bah! Once the novelty wears off, let's see who remembers this 'tattered mat' of yours!"

Pan Jinlian was so angry that she trembled all over!
He grabbed the jade hairpin beside him, ready to smash it, but Yu Xiao stood with his hands on his hips and chest puffed out: "Smash it! If you've got the guts, smash it in my face! Do you believe your 'new favorite' or me, your 'old flame'?"

These words struck at Pan Jinlian's weak spot—she had no official status or position, so how could she dare to make a real scene?
As for her status, the old lady mentioned when she made arrangements that Yuxiao was the head maid of the household.

He had no choice but to grit his teeth and put down the jade hairpin.

Seeing that she had backed down, Yu Xiao became even more smug: "Hmph! A worthless piece of trash who can't be helped!" He slammed the curtain and left, and another voice drifted from outside the door: "She throws away a tattered mat after one night, and thinks she's got gold trim!"

Pan Jinlian threw herself onto the bed with a fierce cry, but did not shed a tear.

He just kept sneering.

Having been bullied since childhood, I naturally know the principle that it's never too late to settle scores.

Go ahead and bully me! Everyone, come and bully me!
The more ruthless the bullying, the better!

Old scores pile up like mountains, and it's only when they're settled that it feels satisfying!
She struggled to get up to eat, but suddenly froze—

This food is wrong!!
She didn't rush to pick up her chopsticks, only giving the dishes a cold glance—

She had worked as a kitchen maid and a laundry worker;

And how many banquets have been held in the kitchen!

What delicacies haven't I handled? What sneaky tricks haven't I seen?
These dishes have clearly been tampered with!

This braised shad: the middle section of the fatty meat looks intact, but the crescent-shaped tender meat on the side has clearly been cut off!
Then look at the stacked crystal goose feet—the goji berries should be embedded in the indentation of the webbed feet, but now they are scattered here and there, obviously some have been pinched off, messing up the goji berries!
Four crispy fried goose fat rolls were arranged side by side!

Three on top and four on the bottom.

Where did the three above go?
Big spenders always pay attention to how they arrange their food, always displaying odd numbers, never even numbers!

It's absolutely impossible to be so casual.

Not to mention the lotus-shaped pastries, which were originally arranged in a tower shape, with four at the bottom and one at the top, for a total of five, symbolizing "five blessings coming to the door".

Two are missing, leaving only three.

Her heart was pounding!
The rules in the manor are strict; stealing the master's food is a serious crime.
Could it be... that vile woman Yu Xiao?
Absolutely impossible! She's the old lady's confidante, why would she be greedy for this food?
But they didn't believe she didn't understand the principles of plating.

Since she brought it, it must be related to her!
Pan Jinlian let out a cold laugh.

Whether you're a ghost or a thief, I'll catch you by the tail...

We’ll see!
Ximen Qing put down his ebony chopsticks inlaid with silver and wiped them with a snow-white handkerchief.

He stood up and said to Wu Yueniang, "I'll go check out the porridge stall."

The Moon Lady hurriedly handed over a hot towel: "It's windy outside, my lord, please put on a cloak."

Ximen Qing grunted and put on the blue satin cloak.

Just then, the servant Dai'an lifted the curtain and reported: "Father, Mother, the unlucky monk who begged for money at the gate the day before yesterday is now kowtowing at the gate again."

Ximen Qing frowned: "That old bald monk just received two hundred taels of silver for temple repairs, could it be that he's already spent it all?"

Moon Lady, fiddling with her prayer beads, said, "Why not call him in and ask him clearly? It wouldn't look good for the Buddha."

When the monk Daojian bowed and entered, he was no longer in rags as before, but was wearing a brand-new blue satin cassock. He first bowed deeply to Ximen Qing and his wife, then knelt down with a thud: "You two living bodhisattvas have mercy! Please build another pagoda!"

Moon Lady asked in surprise, "I just gave you two hundred taels to repair Anfu Temple the other day, and it's all gone so quickly?"

Dao Jian's face flushed red and then turned pale. He chuckled awkwardly and said, "Bodhisattva, please understand. The glazed tiles of our small temple have not yet been fully laid. It was actually the monks from the Guanyin Temple next door who asked me to come and beg for alms."

Ximen Da Guanren chuckled, "You old monk, you sure know how to play the role of a go-between! Could it be that the nuns in that nunnery have some kind of connection with you, and you're acting as their go-between? Or are you just old but still vigorous, having enjoyed countless springs? You, a monk, know perfectly well the proper separation between men and women?"

Daojian stammered, “Living Buddha Ximen, you are wise. What is male and what is female? Those who wield power are men, and those who curry favor are women. Those who spend money are men, and those who hang around are women. Those who release their desires are men, and those who serve are women. Now, Master Ximen is a man, and I, this old monk, am a woman.”

Upon hearing this, the Moon Goddess closed her eyes and said, "Amitabha!"

Master Ximen laughed and said, "Very well, just based on your claim of men and women, I will pay the money."

Daojian was overjoyed and knelt down again, kowtowing several times with hearty thuds.

Even the powerful Ximen Qing never imagined that his actions today would give him a place to "behold the moonlit willow branches" in the future.

He asked Yue Niang to make the arrangements, and then went to the stable to fetch a chrysanthemum-patterned blue horse.

The fast horse arrived at the city gate.

The soup kitchen was bustling with noise.

Three iron pots, each as thick as a cow's waist, were bubbling away, while refugees, holding broken bowls, lined up in a long, winding queue.

The magistrate yelled at his servant, "Stick the chopsticks firmly in place! Spilled porridge doesn't count!"

Suddenly, Ximen Qing rode up on horseback. He hurriedly tumbled off the bench, rushed to the horse, and bowed deeply, saying, "Father is here! This filthy place, be careful not to get your boots dirty!"

His boots were covered in mud, and his shirt was soaked with sweat, indicating that he had been busy all day.

Ximen Qing reined in his horse, about to speak, when suddenly he heard a deafening roar of battle cries from the distant dock! Looking into the distance, the tips of spears flashed coldly, and shouts and curses drifted in with the wind!

"Where did these soldiers come from?" Master Ximen Qing squinted and peered into the distance.

Lai Bao also stood on tiptoe to look around: "Reporting to Father, the guards of the military governor, Lord Wang, just went by and their formation was quite frightening!"

"Prince Teng, the military governor of the capital? Ha! I'd like to see this spectacle!" The official cracked his whip, and Chrysanthemum Green galloped off towards the dock!

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(End of this chapter)