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

Jiao Si paced back and forth outside the gate of Ningguo Mansion.

After hearing Wang Xifeng's warning, he finally understood.

This hairpin was not a token of affection at all, but rather a treacherous scheme by Jia Rong to frame him for "seducing the mistress."

A chill ran up from the soles of his feet, but it was quickly replaced by a calm anger.

Trying to scheme against me?

Let's see who schemes against whom.

Jia Rong wanted to use the hairpin as a pretext, so the hairpin... couldn't be given away as he suggested.

We need to think of a way to make Jia Rong shoot himself in the foot.

In a flash, a name popped into my mind.

Yu Shi.

She was Jia Zhen's second wife and Jia Rong's stepmother.

This woman held a delicate position within the Ningguo Mansion.

Although she was the mistress of the house, she was not Jia Rong's biological mother. Although they seemed close, there was always a layer between them.

If we can start with her...

A glint of light flashed in Jiao Si's eyes as he stepped into the Ningguo Mansion.

He first returned to his residence and carefully tidied his appearance.

He changed into a fairly clean and tidy servant's uniform and deliberately styled his hair like that of a scholar from an academy.

Looking at the young man in the mirror again, he was tall and handsome, with striking features. Although he was dressed as a servant, he could not hide the air of someone who was different from ordinary servants.

After tidying up, he took a deep breath and walked out of the room.

He deliberately slowed his pace and paced back and forth near the inner courtyard of Ningguo Mansion.

His face wore a worried and sighing expression.

It was as if we had encountered an insurmountable problem that we couldn't solve.

Not long after.

A soft sound of footsteps, accompanied by the rustling of clothes, came from the other end of the corridor.

Jiao Si's heart skipped a beat; he knew they had arrived.

But he kept his head down, pretending not to see, though his sigh seemed to grow heavier.

"Which department are you from? What are you doing loitering around here?"

A slightly authoritative female voice rang out.

Jiao Si was startled and looked up, then quickly bowed.

He saw a woman who looked to be in her early thirties standing not far away, watching him.

The woman was wearing a light purple brocade dress with a dark blue vest over it.

Her hair was styled in a neat bun, adorned with several gold and kingfisher feather hairpins.

She had a beautiful face, fair skin, and an air of composure born of privilege, as well as the dignified presence unique to those who had long held positions of power.

She was You Shi, Jia Zhen's second wife and the mistress of the Ningguo Mansion.

Unlike Wang Xifeng's alluring charm, which was both dazzling and shrewd.

Yu's beauty is a more restrained, gentle, and mature charm.

Like a pearl polished smooth by time, it is not dazzling, but it has its own brilliance.

At this moment, she was scrutinizing Jiao Si with her eyes that held a mixture of scrutiny and curiosity.

She had never met Jiao Si.

There were quite a few new servants in the manor, and she couldn't possibly know them all.

But the young man in front of her gave her a different feeling.

Although he was dressed in servant's clothes and bowed respectfully, his stature and demeanor... did not resemble those of an ordinary servant doing rough work.

Moreover, his gloomy expression had caught her attention.

"I'm asking you a question." Madam You's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable air of command. "Which courtyard are you from? What are you doing here?"

Jiao Si immediately bowed even deeper, his voice respectful.

"Replying to Madam, I am Jiao Si, a newly recruited servant in the household, working in Master Rong's courtyard."

"Just now... I was thinking about something and got distracted. I offended you, madam. Please forgive me."

His tone was simple and direct, and his attitude was respectful, yet he did not appear overly humble.

Ms. You responded with an "Oh".

Jiao Si?

This name... seems familiar.

She thought about it carefully and suddenly remembered that Jia Zhen had mentioned a few days ago that a new servant named Jiao Si had come to the mansion. He had a special identity and had been sent to the mansion by imperial decree.

It seems to be related to Plum Blossom Mountain in some way?

"Jiao Si..." Madam You repeated the name, her gaze sweeping over him again. "You're the one... Jiao Si who saved people on Plum Blossom Mountain?"

Jiao Si's heart stirred slightly.

It seems that Lady You knows something about him.

He nodded, his eyes still downcast.

"Yes. I once fought alongside others to defend against Japanese pirates atop Plum Blossom Mountain."

"Later, he participated in the provincial examination... but his essay was inappropriate and offended the emperor, so he was punished by imperial decree to be sent to Ningguo Mansion as a slave."

"Now I am in the manor, on the orders of Master Zhen and Master Rong, assisting with all the miscellaneous matters related to Master Rong's wedding."

Ms. You listened quietly.

Rescuing someone atop Plum Blossom Mountain... Convicted in the imperial examination... Ordered to become a slave... Assisting with Jia Rong's marriage...

These events, when strung together, outline a rather complex and even somewhat legendary picture.

Since ancient times, beauties have loved heroes.

Even though Madam You was already married and had lived a secluded life in her mansion, upon hearing about her experience of "rescuing people on the top of Plum Blossom Mountain," her gaze towards Jiao Si unconsciously took on a slightly different quality.

In those eyes, there was curiosity, scrutiny, and a hint of... indescribable, mixed with admiration.

This young man certainly looked different from those obsequious servants.

"So it was you." Madam You's voice softened a bit. "Get up, there's no need to keep bowing."

Mrs. Xie.

Jiao Si straightened up, but still kept his head slightly lowered, maintaining a respectful posture.

Madam You looked at him and asked, "You were here just now, looking worried and sighing all the time. What was wrong?"

"But you've encountered difficulties with your job?"

Jiao Si was certain in his heart.

The opportunity is here.

He showed a perfectly timed look of embarrassment and distress, and sighed.

"In reply to Madam, it is indeed... somewhat difficult."

"Today, Master Rong instructed me to go to the market to buy a fine hairpin to give to Miss Qin of the Qin family, as a token of Master Rong's affection for Miss Qin."

Yu nodded.

It's normal for Jia Rong to give his future wife a hairpin.

"What's so difficult about that? The manor isn't short of money; you can just go and buy it."

Jiao Si shook his head, his brows furrowing even more deeply, his tone sincere.

"Madam, you are wise. Buying the hairpin was not difficult, and Master Rong also provided the silver notes."

"The difficulty is... I always feel that a hairpin bought with silver is ultimately a vulgar item, and the Qin family surely has no shortage of gold, silver, and jade."

"Master Rong has such deep feelings for Miss Qin; wouldn't it be better if he could express them in a way that is more heartfelt and less conventional?"

He paused, lowered his voice, and spoke with a sincere concern for his master.

"As a servant, I am deeply grateful to Master Rong for assigning me this task. I always thought that I could do my best to share Master Rong's burdens within my own capabilities."

"But after much thought, I still don't know what to do. That's why I was worrying here just now and offended you, Madam. I'm really... a foolish person."

A slight thought crossed Yu's mind.

Looking at Jiao Si's sincere yet somewhat "blindly loyal" appearance, and recalling his earlier experience of "saving people on the top of Plum Blossom Mountain," she felt even more favorably disposed towards him.

This is a loyal servant; he even knows to think one step ahead for his master.

and......

Lady You's thoughts turned to her relationship with Jia Rong.

She is Jia Rong's stepmother.

On the surface, the relationship between mother and son was relatively harmonious, and Jia Rong was quite respectful to her "mother".

But Yu knew in her heart that the barrier would always exist.

Jia Rong's biological mother died early, and although he was a second wife and managed the internal affairs of the Ningguo Mansion, she was ultimately not his biological mother.

Jia Rong's respect for her was more of a superficial gesture than a genuine affection.

Now Jia Rong is getting married; he is marrying Qin Ye's daughter.

If this marriage can be arranged successfully, and Jia Rong and his wife live in harmony, it will naturally be a good thing for the Ningguo Mansion and for her, the matriarch of the household.

If we can take this opportunity to get closer to Jia Rong...

Yu was quickly calculating in her mind.