Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

Everyone looked up and saw a beautiful, delicate maid with a beauty mark between her eyebrows standing in front of Aunt Xue, looking bewildered and frightened.

Although she wasn't a stunning beauty, she possessed a natural and elegant charm in every gesture.

Like a newly blossoming water chestnut flower, it is fresh and elegant, untouched by worldly dust, and possesses an outstanding temperament.

Aunt Xue smiled and said:

"This maid has been working at my house for a while now, and she's grown even more beautiful!"

"Especially her good nature, frankness, gentleness, and childlike heart—my unfilial son had always wanted her, but I wasn't willing to give her up!"

"Now is the perfect opportunity, I'll follow the refined ways of scholars and give him to Jing-ge as a personal attendant!"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Xiangling and found her to be quite good; she was indeed a rare and excellent girl.

Even Madam Wang felt that this girl was trustworthy, not a vixen or someone who didn't know her place!

Grandmother Jia liked it very much and smiled:

"She's really good-looking, especially with her clean and pleasant demeanor!"

She was skilled at training maids; she could tell what kind of person someone was at a glance.

Wang Xifeng pretended to be wronged and said:

"Why doesn't my aunt think of me when she has such a good maid? I'm exactly looking for an obedient maid to do things for me!"

Everyone present burst into laughter upon hearing this!

Everyone knows who you, Feng the Hothead, are! If someone dares to send a maid to your room, they'll probably get a severe scolding from you!

Aunt Xue laughed and chatted with everyone else.

She gave Xiangling to Jia Jing because she was inspired by Grandmother Jia's arrangement of a maidservant for Jia Jing.

Returning gifts to build closer relationships is only one aspect.

More importantly, it was for Baochai's sake, to infiltrate one of their own people into Jia Jing's inner circle beforehand.

Perhaps this could give Baochai a better chance of winning in her marriage.

Simultaneously,

Xiangling was the most trustworthy "honest person" to her. If she sent a vixen with impure intentions, she would not only fail to help, but would also easily cause trouble.

That's why she came up with those words in a moment of quick thinking.

…………

The maid's quarters.

After serving Grandmother Jia to help her rest, Yuanyang sat around the stove with several head maids, including Xiren, Qingwen, Hupo, and Sheyue, for a late-night chat.

In the north, the weather is already quite cold in the ninth month of the lunar calendar, especially with a large temperature difference between day and night, and the nights are particularly chilly.

Even though they were wearing thick padded jackets, the group still rubbed their hands and stamped their feet, unable to resist wanting to get closer to the charcoal fire.

"It's so cold! It seems to have gotten cold earlier this year than usual." Musk Moon hunched her shoulders and warmed her hands in front of the fire.

"It looks like it's going to snow soon! I heard that some beggars in the capital city froze to death today!" Amber said, sharing the news she had heard.

Several teenage girls gathered together, chattering and drinking tea, eating snacks, and talking about the news they had heard about inside and outside the mansion.

"Qingwen, what are you thinking?" Yuanyang suddenly asked Qingwen.

"What? What am I thinking?" Qingwen was completely baffled!

"The old lady said today that she's going to send eight head maids to Master Jing's courtyard. Do you want to go?"

Seeing Qingwen's bewildered expression, Yuanyang couldn't help but sigh.

In terms of appearance, Qingwen was the best among them, but her personality was a bit too careless.

She didn't even have any thoughts about such a big matter as Grandmother Jia wanting to transfer maids to Jia Jing's courtyard.

You should know that this is currently the most powerful and promising young master in the mansion, a young master who is much more outstanding than legitimate sons like Master Bao and Master Lian.

He was an outstanding talent even in the entire capital city!

Haven't you seen how many powerful and wealthy families have come to our house wanting to arrange marriages these days?

And what these maids in the mansion longed for most was to serve such men, wasn't it?

Especially for senior maids like them who serve in the household, if they can be taken into the household and have a child or two, they will have someone to rely on for the rest of their lives!

Aunt Zhao in our household is a perfect example!

Ever since she gave birth to Tan Chun and Jia Huan, everyone has treated her with respect.

Even if she causes trouble again, the old lady and the wife still have to tolerate her to some extent.

Even her brother and sister-in-law from her maternal family found stable jobs at the mansion, and they had no worries about food and drink!

So, this is a chance to go to Jia Jing's courtyard or even change the fate of an ordinary maid!

Yuanyang didn't even need to guess; she knew that countless old women and maids in the mansion were already trying to find ways to get on the list of those to be transferred.

If it weren't for the fact that she, Xiren, and Sheyue already had masters, they wouldn't have asked Qingwen for her opinion.

Qingwen hesitated for a few seconds, but before she could speak, Musk Moon spoke up:

"Master Bao has long had his eye on Qingwen and said he would find an opportunity to ask the old lady to take her into his room."

Master Bao!

Before Master Jing appeared, Master Bao's courtyard was arguably the place that all the maids in the Rongguo Mansion most wanted to go.

But now... Master Bao is still a bit childish!

Amber, standing to the side, mentally compared Jia Jing and Jia Baoyu. In terms of power, status, appearance, and future prospects, Baoyu was utterly inferior!

Its only advantage is probably the old lady's preference!

But the old lady is getting old! How many more years can she watch over Master Gu Bao?

Even Amber knew that in the old lady's heart, she was actually quite wary of, or rather, needed to respect, Third Master Jing.

If Amber had a choice, she would definitely want to go to Jia Jing's courtyard.

However, she did not try to persuade Qingwen, firstly because she and Qingwen were not that close, and secondly because she could not offend Jia Baoyu.

Xi Ren, who was standing to the side, straightened up and said:

"It's a rare opportunity like this! Master Bao might just be acting on a whim; it might not even count!"

There was one more thing Xiren didn't say: there were already enough maids in Baoyu's courtyard, and she really didn't want anyone else to come in!

Musk Moon argued:

"But Master Bao is a good person! He never hits anyone! He's also very kind to us maids."

The implication is that Jia Jing beat Wang Shanbao's wife and Lai Da, and that he has a bad temper!

Yuanyang shook her head, straightened her expression, and said:

"Third Master Jing's beating of Wang Shanbao's wife was not without reason. The old lady has already investigated and confirmed that it was indeed Wang Shanbao's wife who acted recklessly. This matter has been settled, so there's no need to say more!"

"Furthermore, Third Master Jing was a hero who fought for the country, and it's not something we, as people of the time, can judge in private."

Seeing that Yuanyang was so serious, Musk Moon stuck out her tongue and giggled:

"This is something we're talking about in private!"

Then he asked Qingwen:

"Qingwen, what are you thinking?"

Qingwen shook her head and said:

"I don't know either! Master Bao and Master Jing are both good! Let's listen to the old lady's arrangements! I'll go wherever she tells me to go!"

Qingwen was sent to the Jia family by the Lai family the year before, and she did not object to going to Jia Jing's courtyard.

However, she also had concerns: firstly, she had never met Jia Jing, and had only heard about him from others, so he seemed somewhat distant and not as close as Master Bao!

Secondly, Jia Jing had beaten Lai Da, and she was sent into the mansion by the Lai family, which posed some obstacles!

Seeing Qingwen's appearance, Yuanyang couldn't help but shake her head.

Opportunities always have to be earned; if you miss them now, you may never have them again!

But Yuanyang didn't say much. If Qingwen was willing, she would be happy to help.

But Qingwen herself didn't waver, so what could she do?

…………

The next day.

The back garden of Longshou Palace.

Agarwood Pavilion.