Prince Bei Jing of the Red Chamber, starting from saving Qin Keqing

As the banquet ended, the sky outside the window had darkened to an inky black, and fine snowflakes began to fall from the lamplight hanging from the eaves, gently settling onto the green tiles, adding to the chill of the winter night. Inside the flower hall, cups and plates were scattered about, the aroma of leftover food still lingering. Maids and servants were filing in, preparing to clean up the mess.

Shui Rong stood up, her gaze sweeping over the cups and saucers scattered across the table. She reached out to steady the food box beside her, smiling, "So much stuff, it must be a bit much to handle. Let me lend a hand..."

Before he could finish speaking, Grandmother Jia quickly raised her hand and pressed down on his wrist, scolding, "My Rong-ge'er, rest now! How can you let the Prince do all this work? These rough tasks will be taken care of by the servants. Come, let's go to the inner chamber and sit down, have some hot tea to cleanse our palates, and rest for a while."

Jia She, who was standing nearby, also came forward. He was already somewhat of a libertine, and at this moment he didn't care much about etiquette. He reached out and grabbed Shui Rong's sleeve, laughing heartily:

"Your Highness, listen to the old matriarch. These trivial matters are unnecessary for you. The charcoal fire is burning brightly in the inner room. Let's go and chat for a while. It's more comfortable than standing here."

Seeing the two's warm hospitality, and knowing he couldn't refuse, Shui Rong nodded and said, "In that case, I'll trouble you, Ancestor and Master."

Grandmother Jia and Jia She then led Shui Rong into the inner room, followed closely by Lady Wang, Aunt Xue, and other female relatives. A group of maids, carrying tea trays and hand warmers, crowded around them as they made their way to the warm pavilion. The remaining affairs in the flower hall were to be handled by the old women and daughters-in-law, so there's no need to go into details.

Inside the warm pavilion, the charcoal fire roared, creating a cozy atmosphere that contrasted sharply with the chill outside the window.

The maids quickly laid out felt mats, set up a tea table, served freshly brewed maple dew tea, and brought over several plates of exquisite sugar cakes and chestnuts, arranging them neatly.

Everyone took their seats in order. Grandmother Jia sat at the head of the table, Shui Rong sat to her left, Lady Wang and Aunt Xue sat to her right, and Daiyu, Tanchun and her sisters stood behind Grandmother Jia, listening quietly with their hands at their sides.

During their casual conversation, they talked about mundane matters such as year-end preparations or the recent snow scene in the capital. Their words were always polite and gentle, befitting a noble family.

Suddenly, a servant from the Ningguo Mansion rushed in and whispered a few words to Jia She and Jia Zheng.

Upon hearing this, both of them showed joy on their faces, and immediately stood up and bowed to Shui Rong to apologize.

Jia She smiled and said, "Your Highness, please forgive me. Just now, Zhen'er sent someone to report that she had found a rare ancient jade and specially invited Brother Zheng and me to come and take a look. We will have to excuse ourselves for a moment. Please have a seat here, Your Highness."

Jia Zheng quickly echoed, "We apologize for disturbing Your Highness's refined enjoyment. We'll be right back."

Shui Rong raised his hand to indicate that the two men should dispense with formalities, and said gently, "Please make yourself at home, gentlemen. I am a guest, so please follow my lead. Just go ahead."

Jia She and Jia Zheng thanked them again and then hurriedly took their leave.

Once the two left, only the women and Shui Rong remained in the warm pavilion. Aunt Xue's eyes darted around, and she quickly beckoned Xue Baochai, who was standing behind her, to come over, and said with a smile, "Baochai, come and serve tea to the Prince."

You stay cooped up in your room all day; you should learn to see the world and talk to the prince.

Xue Baochai stepped forward as instructed. Her fair skin and radiant figure were accentuated by her moon-white silk jacket. She walked with graceful steps, knelt and curtsied before Shui Rong, offering him a teacup with both hands. Her voice was gentle and sweet: "Your Highness, please have some tea."

Shui Rong looked up and saw that Xue Baochai was only fifteen or sixteen years old, in the prime of her youth. She was well-proportioned and plump, with a dignified and elegant air between her brows and eyes. Her skin was radiant and her lips were red without any makeup. She was indeed the appearance of a lady from a prominent family.

In terms of figure, although she is not as voluptuous and exquisite as Wang Xifeng, nor as gentle and graceful as Qin Keqing, she still has a youthful fullness, with curves in all the right places, exuding a just-right charm.

Shui Rong thought to himself: This Xue family girl is quite a rare beauty.

He had long known that the Xue family was obsessed with currying favor with the powerful and wealthy, and he had never liked this kind of family atmosphere.

Her younger sister, Xue Baoqin, was only eleven years old and had not yet been tainted by the mundane affairs of the family. Her eyes still held a clear and innocent charm. She appeared quite late in the original story, but this time she was introduced early. She was a lovely child.

He took the teacup, and his fingertips inadvertently touched Xue Baochai's fingertips. He saw her quickly lower her eyes, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. She hurriedly retreated to Aunt Xue's side, standing with her hands at her sides, displaying her shyness and reserve.

Shui Rong took a small sip of tea, put down the teacup, looked at Aunt Xue, and said in a gentle tone, "Aunt Xue, your daughter is indeed very lovely and dignified. She is so beautiful that it makes one want to cherish her. I heard that you have already betrothed Miss Bao to Brother Bao. Such a perfect match is truly a golden union, and it will be a beautiful story to tell."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Xue's smile froze for a moment, and her expression changed slightly.

She sighed inwardly: If she had known she would have such a connection with Prince Bei Jing, why would she have promised Baochai to Baoyu?

Although the Jia family is noble, how can they compare to the prestige of Prince Bei Jing, a hereditary prince? If Baochai could become a princess, the Xue family would become a prince's maternal relatives, and their power would surely be immense.

But now that the engagement has been arranged, wouldn't it be unfair to go back on her word in public? She suppressed her regret, put on a smile, and nodded repeatedly: "Your Highness is too kind. It's all the children's destiny."

Hearing this, Madam Wang sighed inwardly.

She had always admired Xue Baochai's composure and maturity, and wholeheartedly wanted her to become Baoyu's wife to solidify Baoyu's position in the household.

Hearing Shui Rong's words, however, she couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion—if Baochai could marry the prince, it would be a tremendous help to the Jia family. It's a pity that the emperor has already betrothed the princess.

Her mind was racing, but her face remained impassive as she slowly sipped her tea.

Shui Rong took in the changes in their expressions and understood the situation. He then used the act of drinking tea to conceal the thoughts in his eyes.

Aunt Xue composed herself, then suddenly remembered something and said with a smile, "Your Highness, although Baochai has found a husband, I have a younger sister's daughter named Baoqin. She's only eleven years old this year, and she's very well-behaved and adorable, her looks no less than Baochai's. Shall I have a maid summon her so Your Highness can take a look?"

The probing intent in those words couldn't be clearer. Shui Rong knew perfectly well that Aunt Xue wanted to use Xue Baoqin to further her relationship with him.

He set down his teacup, chuckled softly, and said in a gentle yet firm tone, "Auntie, there's no need for such formality. Baoqin is still young, in the prime of her innocent and carefree life. Wouldn't it be a waste to discuss marriage with such a charming and adorable child so early? Besides, marriage is a serious matter that requires mutual affection and consideration for the child's wishes. Why rush things?"

His words both politely declined Aunt Xue's probing and humbly smoothed things over, preventing the situation from becoming too awkward.

Upon hearing this, Aunt Xue looked somewhat embarrassed, but she knew that the prince was unwilling to talk about the matter, so she quickly followed up with a smile and said, "Your Highness is absolutely right. I had not thought this through."

Xue Baochai stood beside Aunt Xue, unsure whether to advance or retreat.

When the prince mentioned her engagement to Baoyu and then politely declined Baoqin's offer, she felt a mix of shyness and inexplicable disappointment. She felt extremely uncomfortable, her hands tightly clutching her handkerchief, wishing she could disappear into the ground.

Just at this slightly awkward moment, the curtain of the warm chamber was suddenly lifted, and a gust of cold wind carrying snowflakes drifted in, followed by Wang Xifeng's hearty laughter: "I could hear the constant laughter coming from the warm chamber from outside. I wonder what lively things you all are talking about that I missed?"

Everyone looked up and saw Wang Xifeng walking in, supported by Ping'er.

She had just rested for a while and her complexion had improved a lot, but her legs were still a little sore and her steps were slightly slow.

Wearing a pomegranate red brocade jacket and skirt, her face looked rosy, and although the languor in her eyes had not yet faded, her shrewdness and competence were still undeniable.

When Grandmother Jia saw her, she immediately laughed and scolded, "You little rascal Feng! You've rested enough but didn't come to serve us earlier. Instead, you're listening to us talk outside. You're getting worse and worse!" The doting tone in her voice was impossible to hide.

Wang Xifeng quickly stepped forward, sat down next to Grandmother Jia, and reached out to take her arm, saying coquettishly, "Grandmother, you've wronged me! How dare I eavesdrop on your conversation? I just woke up and was afraid that the chill in my body would offend the Prince, so I warmed up outside before coming in."

As she spoke, her gaze inadvertently swept over Shui Rong, a hint of allure and dependence flashing across her eyes. Recalling the tenderness of the day, the parts of her body that were not in pain before suddenly felt a little weak again.

Seeing this, Shui Rong felt helpless and could only awkwardly touch his nose and look away.

Wang Xifeng's arrival was like a breath of fresh air, instantly dispelling the awkward atmosphere. Laughter and chatter gradually returned to the warm pavilion, and Daiyu, Tanchun, and the other sisters began to speak, chatting about everyday matters and interesting stories.

After chatting for a while, Grandmother Jia felt a little tired, so she instructed a maid, "Go and bring the snacks we prepared earlier to help the prince and the young ladies pass the time."

The maidservant was about to leave when Shui Rong suddenly stood up, yawned, and said apologetically, "Grandmother, I'm truly sorry. It's getting late, and I have to get up early tomorrow to attend the court assembly, so it's inconvenient for me to stay here any longer. I'll take my leave now."

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia quickly stood up and urged her to stay, saying, "Sit a little longer. The snow is falling heavily outside. It's not too late to leave when the snow subsides." Lady Wang and Aunt Xue also chimed in with their own words of encouragement.

Shui Rong smiled and shook his head: "Thank you for your kind invitation, Ancestor and everyone. However, I dare not delay due to the court assembly. I am already very sorry for bothering you all today, and I will definitely come to visit again another day."

Seeing that he was determined to leave, no one tried to persuade him to stay. Grandmother Jia instructed Yuanyang, "Quickly, have the servants prepare a carriage. Use the blue-curtained carriage from the manor. Also, fetch a prince's cloak. It's snowing and cold outside; don't let him catch a cold."

Before long, a maid brought a dark blue fox fur cloak and carefully draped it over Shui Rong. The head steward of the Jia family also came to report that the carriage was already waiting outside the mansion gate.

Shui Rong bowed to Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, and the others to take his leave, and then, surrounded by servants, walked out of the mansion gate, stepping on the fine snow.

The Jia family's blue-curtained carriage was already prepared, with the curtains tightly closed, thick felt pads laid inside, and a brazier burning brightly. The coachman stood respectfully beside the carriage, waiting.

Shui Rong bent down to get into the carriage, and the driver quickly stepped forward to help her. The carriage moved slowly, crunching over the snow.

Shui Rong lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, watching the vermilion gates of the Rongguo Mansion gradually recede into the distance. She then glanced at the falling snowflakes and pondered to herself: Today's trip has not only probed the Jia and Xue families' intentions but also revealed some clues. These four great families each have their own plans and schemes; the road ahead will likely require careful planning at every step.