Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting with a Chronicle of Tragic Love

On the third day of the eighth lunar month, it was Grandmother Jia's birthday.

Grandmother Shi (also known as Jia Mu) was a devout Buddhist who lived her whole life, and it seems that Buddha truly bestowed blessings upon her.

She endured it all, from a young woman of seventeen or eighteen, to the most senior and highest-ranking old lady in the Ning and Rong mansions.

As descendants of the Duke of Ningguo and the Duke of Rongguo, both of whom were military heroes, very few of the second, third, or even multiple generations of the Jia family chose to follow the path of military heroes. Instead, they all became civil officials.

Scholars often emphasize that "filial piety is the most important of all virtues".

Therefore, this is the time for these younger generation members to perform.

The same is true today.

The colorful silk stage, several meters high, was spacious and magnificent;

The glass lamps were bright, shining directly into people's eyes.

Eighteen eminent monks invited from Daxiangguo Temple sat upright on prayer cushions, chanting incessantly and offering prayers for blessings.

The aroma of sandalwood mixed with borneol permeates the air, almost making one's head spin.

With ample gifts and a grand display, a large entourage is naturally indispensable.

The four great families of Jia, Wang, Shi, and Xue were closely related;

In addition to these four families, the four princes, the other six dukes, the heads of various academies, and prominent figures in the court with whom they had good relations also sent invitations.

Such a scene can only be described as grand.

If someone makes a fool of themselves in this situation....

Tsk tsk, I can't even imagine...

Let's take another look at the Rongguo Mansion.

Jia She and Jia Zheng had to entertain guests at the mansion, the eldest son Jia Zhu had died young, and Bao Yu was too playful at the moment.

Therefore, the task of greeting guests outside the door fell to Jia Lian and his wife.

At this moment, Jia Lian counted on his fingers and muttered to himself.

"The sister of Prince Bei Jing, the Princess of Chang Le County, the son of Prince Nan An... all four princely families have arrived."

"The grandson of Duke Zhenguo Niu Qing, the grandson of Duke Liguo Liu Biao... Of the eight dukes, apart from ourselves, the other six families have all arrived."

"Wait a minute... why isn't that member of the Wang family here? This play can't do without him!"

As he spoke, Jia Lian looked into the distance.

Instead of seeing the person I wanted to see, I spotted an unexpected figure.

An exceptionally robust old man with white hair, wearing an incongruous scholar's cap, strode over;

Behind him, a young girl followed closely, her face covered by a white veil, her figure slender.

This old man always had such an aloof demeanor in previous years, why is he here today?

Jia Lian frowned slightly.

His constant travels have instilled in him an instinctive habit of wearing a smiling face.

"Headmaster Xin! What brings you here?"

It is Xinli disease.

Behind them was a veiled girl.

Xin Li Ke snorted coldly.

"Where else could this wind come from? Of course, it's the wind from your Jia family. It's just that this wind never blew in previous years. If it weren't for... humph."

Having said that, he led the veiled girl inside, ignoring Wang Xifeng who came up to greet him.

As he walked, he turned back to give instructions to the veiled girl.

The voices were not deliberately kept away from people, and they were not far away at the moment, so Jia Lian and his wife could hear them very clearly.

"Little Qin'er, I told you I wouldn't come, but you insisted on coming ahead of time. This stench of cosmetics is unbearable!"

The Jia Lian couple exchanged a glance, feeling extremely embarrassed.

But then a deep, slightly hoarse voice came from behind.

"Feng'er, Lian'er, why has even Xin Li come? What's the point of inviting this old dog who hates both literary and martial arts?"

"It must be Zheng Erge's idea again."

"Second Brother Zheng admires this old dog all day long for his 'compassion for the people and putting their needs first,' but he forgets that he himself is now a member of the civil service. How can he, so blind to his own limitations, ever win the Emperor's favor and rise to a higher position?"

Wang Xifeng turned around in surprise and saw that the man was a middle-aged man with a robust build.

Wang Ziteng, the head of the Jinling Wang family and the military governor of the capital garrison.

That is, Wang Xifeng's maternal uncle.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jia Lian and his wife led Wang Ziteng inside.

Upon entering the main hall, Wang Ziteng and Xin Like exchanged a glance, each letting out a cold snort before turning their heads away and sitting down on opposite sides.

A gong rang out.

"Wow!" The actors, including the male, female, painted-face, old man, and clown, all headed towards the stage.

On Grandmother Jia's birthday, a good show begins.

-----------------

After greeting the guests, Wang Xifeng quietly returned to her room, took off the robes she wore when greeting them, and changed into a bright red dress.

Applying floral decorations to one's reflection in front of a mirror inevitably leads to self-pity.

She was only in her early twenties. Although she had already given birth, she was still in the prime of her youth, and the vitality on her face was hard to hide.

Furthermore, with his newfound authority over the Rong Mansion's internal affairs, his mind was in turmoil, and his face displayed a maturity and shrewdness beyond his years.

It blends girlishness and maturity, possessing not only three parts coquettishness but also seven parts allure.

With a gentle touch, she picked up a piece of ink and lightly drew a few lines, making her already alluring phoenix eyes and willow-leaf eyebrows even more captivating.

Looking at herself in the bronze mirror, Wang Xifeng couldn't help but feel smug.

With such a beautiful woman, how much self-control did Jiao Si have to resist making a move?

But it doesn't matter. I've already made my move, sending Wang'er to Chongzheng Academy to ruin that kid's reputation and cut off his path to success in the imperial examinations.

I'm afraid that now, no student would dare to vouch for him.

Even if he still didn't want to become a slave in the mansion, he had another "good plan".

I gently pressed down on my sleeve, and a packet of medicine powder in paper felt slightly rough.

It was a fine medicine that his trusted servant, Laiwang, personally purchased from outside.

Jiji Jiaotai San.

It sounds impressive, but it actually has another name, which is relatively simpler.

Her voice trembled softly.

When the time comes, I'll put this powder into Jiao Si's tea. I wonder if this kid will be able to make me tremble and moan softly.

Thinking of this, Grandma Lian couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

Essentially, she and Duo Gu Niang were the same kind of people—people who would sacrifice their own bodies to achieve their goals.

However, because of her humble origins, even if she sacrificed her body, she could only extract a few taels of silver from those filthy male servants in exchange for an easy job.

And she, the mistress of a duke's mansion, must have been willing to exchange her body for something extraordinary. For example—ten thousand taels of silver, and a miraculous medicine that could cure her serious illness.

Even if we take a step back and assume it still doesn't work today, so what?

This redness shouldn't be a big problem for the time being;

As for the issue of bad loans, it's even less likely to be exposed.

There are only a handful of people who know the truth.

Laiwang and the other servants were all brought with them as part of their dowry; they would never betray them.

Lady Wang (Jia Zheng's wife) will certainly cover for him since she is enjoying her share of the profits;

Ping'er...

Wang Xifeng's eyes dimmed.

Ping'er is dead, so naturally she won't reveal this matter.

For this to be exposed, someone would have to find the IOUs that Ping'er had left outside.

But that IOU...

Even when Laiwang personally led the team, they were unable to find it.

How could anyone else have discovered it?

With a smug smile, Wang Xifeng pursed her lips a few times, making the bright red lipstick distribute more evenly.

She tightened her dress and cinched her waist, revealing her cleavage, and then prepared to head to Fengping Courtyard to tame the unruly "Jiao Si".

"Grandma Feng, it's the old lady's birthday, a time for celebration. Where are you going in such a brightly colored outfit?"

Wang Xifeng turned around and saw a familiar figure.

It is Jia Lian.

Wang Xifeng curled her lips into a smile, but instead of stopping, her eyes flashed with daggers.

"Second Master Lian, what's wrong? You're allowed to steal many girls, but I'm not allowed to go out for a stroll?"

"To be honest, I've found a 'young rascal' outside right now, and we've arranged to meet on the Qinhuai River. We're about to go out and have some fun!"

Jia Lian remained unfazed, wearing a fawning smile.

He pulled out a scroll and handed it to Wang Xifeng.

"Grandma Feng, today is the old lady's birthday, a joyous occasion. All these younger generations and servants are rushing to present gifts, hoping to win some favor with the old lady."

"How could you miss such a great opportunity?"

"The more you hold a place in the old lady's heart, the more generous your daughter's dowry will be when she grows up!"

"I spent a full hundred taels of silver to find this picture of the Buddha preaching the Dharma. Although it is not a treasure, the Buddha in it is indeed majestic and dignified."

"If you present this picture to the old lady, you're sure to earn her praise!"

Wang Xifeng accepted the scroll with some skepticism.

I know my husband well.

After causing such a scene at the Qinhuai River last time, she's probably still holding a grudge. Why would she kindly buy a painting and ask me to present it as a gift?

With doubts, she untied the ribbons and slowly unrolled the scroll.

Unfolding it halfway, a meticulously painted picture of the Buddha preaching appeared before her.

Strange, could it be that my own Master Lian has truly turned over a new leaf?

If that's the case, then... we should still give him a chance.

Wang Xifeng did not open the remaining half.

She slowly closed the scroll, raised an eyebrow, and walked towards the main hall.

Completely unaware, Jia Lian behind him breathed a slight sigh of relief.