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

The atmosphere inside the main hall was tense, with the invisible smoke of battle almost solidifying into a tangible form.

King Chungshun did not speak, but instead threw his head back and laughed loudly, a hearty laugh that carried a hint of deliberate arrogance.

He strode towards Shui Rong, the hem of his brocade robe sweeping across the ground, exuding an undeniable aura; clearly, he intended to use the previous conversation to further escalate the situation.

But just as his lips parted slightly, about to speak...

A young boy's voice, filled with urgency and worry, suddenly burst in from the doorway, abruptly shattering the tense atmosphere in the room:

"Brother Rong!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a noble young man wearing a bright red floral soft satin jacket and a dark blue Japanese satin jacket with eight floral patterns and tassels striding in.

His face was as beautiful as a spring flower, and his eyes were as clear as autumn water. Although he was only twelve or thirteen years old, he was handsome and refined, and his whole body was surrounded by an air of nobility. He was none other than Jia Baoyu, the second son of the Rongguo Mansion.

He had clearly rushed here; a fine layer of sweat glistened on his forehead. His gaze swept over the crowd before fixing on Shui Rong, his tone filled with anxiety:

"I heard in the inner courtyard that my brother was attacked by assassins. Is he alright?"

Shui Rong was concentrating on dealing with Prince Zhongshun's difficult demands, while secretly pondering whether he should use Prince Zhongshun to suppress the Jia family and make them obedient to him.

But his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the clear call, and he was momentarily stunned.

He and Baoyu had known each other since childhood, and he often accompanied his mother to visit relatives at the Jia family mansion.

Although the boy was naive and mischievous, he always carried a pure innocence that made him genuinely close to him.

Seeing Baoyu disregard etiquette and barge into the hall, his heart and eyes filled with worry for her, the coldness in her eyes caused by the power struggle instantly softened.

Conflicting emotions surged within him.

King Chungshun's face suddenly darkened.

He already looked down on the Jia family, a once-powerful but now declining family, and now he was being interrupted in public by a mere child.

This brat even addressed Prince Bei Jing as "Brother Rong," completely disregarding the hierarchy!

A surge of anger rushed to his head, and he was about to shout at them:

"Where did this brat come from, daring to appear at the Prince's banquet..."

"Swish"

Before Prince Zhongshun could finish speaking, Shui Rong had already taken long strides and strode towards Jia Baoyu.

The black sable fur coat drew a clean arc behind him, completely ignoring the Prince Zhongshun beside him.

She walked straight up to Baoyu, gently took his slightly cool little hand in hers, and spoke in a completely gentle tone:

"Silly boy, what's the panic? Your brother Rong is fine. They're just some clowns, how could they hurt me?"

His fingertips carried a steady warmth, and his gaze was gentle, completely devoid of the coldness he had shown when facing King Chungshun.

Jia Baoyu felt the warmth of Shui Rong's palm, and his tense shoulders instantly relaxed. The anxiety in his eyes faded, leaving only the relief of surviving a disaster. He looked up at Shui Rong and whispered:

"I was just overheard the maids gossiping about my brother being assassinated, and it really scared me."

This scene came so suddenly that everyone in the room was shocked.

Grandmother Jia's heart tightened, and she quickly stepped forward to apologize to Prince Zhongshun, her tone respectful yet protective:

"Your Highness, please calm down. This is my grandson, Baoyu. He is young and, upon hearing of Prince Shuirong's accident, he became flustered and lost his manners. I hope Your Highness will forgive him."

Only then did Shui Rong slowly turn around, take Bao Yu's hand, and fix his gaze on Prince Zhongshun, his tone now somber:

"Brother, what do you mean by that?"

He stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his aura radiating power. Though he wasn't angry, he exuded an undeniable authority.

"The Jia family is, after all, a founding family of the nation. Their ancestors made great contributions to the country and the people. Even though things are not what they used to be, they cannot tolerate such disrespect from others."

"Your words just now, haven't they chilled the hearts of all the founding heroes of the nation?"

Prince Zhongshun's pupils contracted slightly as he watched Shui Rong protectively shield Bao Yu by his side, and then heard him invoke the title of "founding hero." He instantly understood the situation.

Prince Bei Jing and the Jia family already had a deep connection, and now that Bao Yu was so close to him, if he insisted on pursuing the matter, it would seem like making a mountain out of a molehill and would earn him a reputation for mistreating meritorious officials and bullying children.

His mind raced, and he immediately suppressed his anger, bowing slightly to Shui Rong, his tone sincere:

"Thank you for reminding me, Your Majesty. I was confused for a moment and lost my sense of propriety."

Having said that, he turned around, picked up the wine pot on the table, poured himself three full cups, and said loudly:

"Your Majesty, I will punish myself by drinking three cups of wine to apologize to the Jia family and also to my brother, the King."

As soon as he finished speaking, he tilted his head back and drank the three glasses of wine in quick succession, a swift and decisive action that both saved Shui Rong's face and allowed him to gracefully back down.

The tense atmosphere instantly dissipated after Jia Baoyu's outburst.

Grandmother Jia breathed a sigh of relief and quickly ordered people to add more wine and serve more dishes. The music resumed and the insincere laughter filled the room once again, but everyone knew in their hearts that this was just a facade of calm.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Shui Rong took Bao Yu's hand and led him back to his seat.

His fingertips had just returned to the rim of the cup when his gaze inadvertently swept across the table and caught sight of Qin Keqing sitting in the corner.

Shui Rong's eyes shifted slightly, and she said gently to Bao Yu beside her, "Brother Bao, go and call your Sister Qin over."

Baoyu looked up at him, nodded obediently, and gave a crisp "Mm" before walking over with light steps.

He familiarly took Qin Keqing's hand, whispered a few words in her ear, his tone intimate and natural.

Qin Keqing's tense expression relaxed slightly. Following Baoyu's lead, she got up and followed him step by step. She and Baoyu were always close, and their interaction did not seem abrupt to others.

All of this was within Shuizhong's expectations.

He knew perfectly well that Qin Keqing had been living in fear all night and had barely touched her food during the meal. However, if he were to call her directly to him, it would inevitably attract gossip and damage her reputation.

By having Baoyu summon her, it was both in accordance with etiquette and preserved her dignity. Even if others had ulterior motives, they could not find any fault with it.

As the two approached, Shui Rong looked up at Qin Keqing and casually instructed, "Keqing, pour Brother Bao a cup of wine."

Qin Keqing lowered her eyes and answered "Yes," her fingertips still trembling slightly as she picked up the wine pot.

She was slender, and the way she bent slightly to pour wine showed just the right amount of soft lines in her shoulders and neck.

The usual unease dissipated somewhat, perhaps sensing Shui Rong's subtle protection.

When she looked up, a hint of warmth flashed in her eyes, and the corners of her lips unconsciously turned up slightly. A subtle, alluring charm quietly spread between her brows, understated yet perfectly captured in Shui Rong's eyes.

Baoyu took a sip from the wine cup she offered and said with a smile, "The wine that Sister Keqing poured is sweeter than usual."

Qin Keqing blushed slightly at his words and gently stepped aside, but her gaze couldn't help but drift towards Shui Rong.

She was about to step back when Baoyu gently pulled her wrist, his eyes crinkling with a smile.

"Sister Keqing, don't rush off, sit with me for a while."

Qin Keqing paused, instinctively glancing at Shui Rong. Seeing a faint smile in his eyes and no objection, she relaxed slightly, her fingertips gently twitching as she whispered:

"Brother Bao, this is against the rules."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Shui Rong stepped in to defuse the situation, her tone calm yet carrying an undeniable gentleness: "It's alright, you two are family, no need for formalities."

After saying that, he turned to look at Baoyu and began to chat casually, talking about his recent poems and the scenery in the garden, his words full of ease.

After receiving permission, Qin Keqing carefully sat down next to Baoyu, her posture still somewhat tense.

Seeing that Shui Rong was focused on chatting with Bao Yu and hadn't noticed them, her tense nerves relaxed slightly. She glanced at the exquisite pastries on the table, and the hunger in her stomach became even more pronounced.

She glanced around discreetly, and seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she turned slightly to the side, stretched out her slender fingers, and gently picked up a small piece of osmanthus cake.

She opened her pink little mouth and took small bites, her cheeks puffing out slightly as she chewed, like a cautious little animal.

Her long eyelashes drooped, obscuring the expression in her eyes, revealing only her delicate jawline. Her movements were so gentle that she was afraid of disturbing anyone around her.

And so, as time slowly passed, the music gradually faded, and the guests began to feel the urge to leave. The noisy banquet finally came to an end.

Qin Keqing followed closely behind Prince Bei Jing, with Bao Yu by her side, and the three of them walked out of the main hall together.

A gentle evening breeze ruffled the stray hairs at her temples. She looked up at Shui Rong, who stood tall and straight beside her, her eyes revealing a hint of unconcealed reluctance.

She dared not think too deeply about how she would survive after Prince Bei Jing left and she returned to the Jia family mansion.

Her father-in-law Jia Zhen's covetousness was like a thorn in her side, and the laughter and mockery of the ladies in the mansion were like needles pricking her heart. Every inch of this mansion was torture for her.

Amidst their chaotic thoughts, their steps did not falter, and the group was already close to the gate of Ningguo Mansion.

Just then, Jia Zhen hurried over from the side, a fake smile plastered on his face. He first bowed to Prince Bei Jing, then glanced at Qin Keqing and Bao Yu, gesturing as he said:

"Your Highness, there are a few things I would like to say to you privately."

"Brother Bao, and Rong's wife, please wait a moment."

Qin Keqing paused slightly, her fingers tightening around her skirt. She glanced at Prince Bei Jing instinctively, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes.

Seeing this, Baoyu gently tugged at her sleeve and whispered, "Sister Keqing, let's wait aside first."