The Red Mansion in its bustling glory

Jia Jue disagreed with Fairy Jinghuan's words. Perhaps there were ordinary people among the immortals, at least that's what he thought.

He asked the Fairy Disenchantment, "May I ask why you have summoned me here?"

Fairy Jinghuan said, "You'd have to ask your ancestors for that."

"My ancestors?"

Fairy Jinghuan nodded and said, "Because the ancestors of the Jun family had made great contributions in battle and protected the peace and tranquility of the region, when they passed away, the Great Heavenly Venerable was moved by their spirit and integrity and made them gods after their death. That day, the Dukes of Ning and Rong came to me and said that after observing everyone in the Ning and Rong mansions, only you and Baoyu were capable of great things and could bring glory to the family again. However, Baoyu prefers to mingle among women and has no ambition, so he came to ask me to help him come to his senses."

Jia Jue said, "Since that's the case, then let Baoyu come. Why must I come as well?"

Fairy Jinghuan looked at him and smiled: "Since they are twin brothers, they should naturally be together."

As he spoke, he nudged Jia Jue and said, "Let's go."

Before long, the two arrived at a memorial archway. Inscribed on the archway were four large characters: "The Realm of Illusion," and a couplet: "When falsehood is taken for truth, truth becomes falsehood; when nothingness is taken for existence, existence becomes nothingness."

Jia Jue glanced at the famous couplet, said nothing, and continued to follow Fairy Disenchantment.

The two arrived at another palace gate, on which were written the words "A Sea of ​​Sin and a Sky of Love" in gold lettering, along with a couplet. When Jia Jue looked at it, he saw that it read: "The earth is vast and the sky is high, how lamentable that love has never ended throughout the ages; foolish men and resentful women, how pitiful that the debts of love are hard to repay."

As the two walked, Fairy Jinghuan said to Jia Jue, "You must know that the love between men and women is the most unreliable emotion throughout history. I had a fellow Daoist who composed a song called 'The Song of Good Things,' in which there is a line that goes like this: 'Everyone knows that immortals are good, but only their beloved wives are unforgettable. While you are alive, they speak of love and affection every day; when you die, they go with someone else.'"

Jia Jue said, "Isn't the fairy in charge of human affairs and romantic entanglements? Why are you saying such things?"

Fairy Disenchantment said, "That is precisely why I say such things. Since I came to the Land of Illusion and took over the power over love and romance, more than eight thousand years have passed—eight thousand years, from the struggle between the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor to the present day. How many stories of lovesick men and women who cannot be together have I witnessed and heard? There have been men who have been unfaithful and women who have been promiscuous. It always makes people sigh with emotion."

Jia Jue said, "Could it be that there have never been men who were faithful and women who were chaste?"

Fairy Disenchantment said, "There are some, but they are too few."

The Fairy Disenchantment continued, "Before Fuxi established the rules of marriage, there was no such thing as 'love between men and women' in the mortal world. At that time, it was nothing more than promiscuity and incest. People only knew their mothers and not their fathers. After Fuxi established the rites, there came the matter of marriage and the virtue of fidelity. Therefore, this is not human nature. To love one person after another is human nature. However, there are those of high moral character and upright intentions who can devote their lives to one person without changing. Such people are ultimately few, and those who meet and fall in love are even fewer. Therefore, love is often bitter."

As they spoke, the two finally arrived at a hall. Before entering, Jia Jue had already seen the words written on it—the three characters "Department of Ill-fated Men".

Fairy Disenchantment said, "Why don't you go and take a look? Your brother has already seen it."

Jia Jue laughed and said, "Does the Records of the Ill-fated are indeed the fates of a person's life?"

Fairy Disenchantment said, "That's natural."

Jia Jue then asked, "Can this fate be changed?"

Fairy Disenchantment said, "It cannot be changed."

Jia Jue said, "Then I won't watch it."

The Fairy Disenchantment asked, "Why is that?"

Jia Jue said, "If I've already seen it, wouldn't my fate already be decided? If I haven't seen it, then countless possibilities remain! Besides, seeing it can't change my fate, so what's the point?"

Jinghuan laughed and said, "Your brother has already seen it, and so have I."

Jia Jue said, "My brother is my brother, you are you, and I am me. Since I haven't even seen it yet, it's a variable, and there might be a chance to change my fate."

The Fairy Disenchantment laughed and said, "How many people in the mortal world haven't seen this booklet? According to you, aren't they all variables? In the past eight thousand years, no one has ever been seen to change their fate."

Jia Jue said, "That is still unknown."

Jinghuan could only shake her head helplessly and said, "Since you don't want to watch, I won't force you. Come here, I have two jars of good wine here, just enough to entertain you."

With that, Fairy Disenchantment led Jia Jue to another hall.

Many beautiful fairies were already waiting there, some called "the Fairy of Dreams" and others "the Golden Maiden of Sorrow." These fairies all had beautiful faces and graceful figures.

The Fairy Disenchantment then sent someone to pour Jia Jue two cups of wine, one called "The Essence of a Hundred Flowers" and the other called "A Cup for Ten Thousand Beauties".

"What a fine name," Jia Jue said to Jinghuan with a smile, then picked up the cup of "Marrow of Flowers" and took a small sip.

The celestial wine is indeed celestial wine; it is different from the wines of the mortal world.

This wine is exceptionally crisp and refreshing, and has an exceptionally smooth texture on the palate.

The flavor is also exceptionally complex.

Before he knew it, Jia Jue had already drunk more than a dozen cups of wine.

He started to get drunk.

When his face flushed and his eyes became glazed, Fairy Jinghuan dismissed the other fairies.

Jinghuan helped Jia Jue walk slowly towards a room.

Jia Jue hadn't completely lost consciousness yet, and he asked, "Where is the fairy taking me?"

The Fairy Disenchantment did not answer his question, but instead said, "I have a younger sister named Keqing."

"Keqing?" Jia Jue murmured to himself, "Isn't that Rong'er's wife's name?"

Fairy Disenchantment continued, "I have betrothed Qin Keqing to your younger brother, Baoyu."

Jia Jue's mind was still foggy. He said, "You betrothed your sister to my brother?"

Jinghuan said, "That's right."

Jia Jue asked, "Are we going to a wedding?"

The Fairy Disenchantment said, "No."

Jia Jue asked, "Then what are we going to do?"

Jinghuan smiled and said, "I have already betrothed my sister to your brother, so naturally I cannot forget you."

Jia Jue asked, "What do you mean?"

The two had arrived at the door of the house. Jinghuan helped Jia Jue inside, placed him on the bed, and said with a smile, "I am going to give myself to you."

"What do you mean by 'giving yourself to me'?"

Before Jia Jue could react, Jinghuan had already kissed him.

As the saying goes, "Jade censer, ice mat, mandarin duck brocade, powder melts and fragrant sweat flows onto mountain pillow."

As the saying goes, "A single blooming flower, glistening with dew and fragrance, makes the clouds and rain of Wushan seem like a vain heartbreak."

It was already night outside, and a single lamp flickered dimly inside. The curtains hung low, filling the room with a warm, fragrant mist.

The lamplight flickered, and the two people's faces were flushed.

At first, she whispered softly, then her breath grew labored, her fingertips seemed to pluck the strings of a zither, but instead, they plucked the strings of her heart.

Like spring water flowing over the embankment, it spreads gently. Inside the tent, fragrant sweat steams, creating a misty white haze.

Jia Jue felt his head becoming increasingly dizzy and disoriented.

The woman before him did not appear to be a noble fairy, but rather a devil, a vixen.