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

Jiao Si jolted awake, the effects of the alcohol completely dissipating.

Yu's fingers were still resting on his chest.

The warmth from the fingertips through his thin clothes made him stiffen.

Ever since Jia Zhen publicly said "add another person" in front of the Moon Gazing Pavilion, You Shi has been intent on bringing down Jia Rong, which was exactly what Jiao Si had anticipated.

After all, Jia Rong was not her biological son. Only if she could support her future child to rise to power could Lady You's position in the Ningguo Mansion be truly secure.

Jiao Si never expected that Madam You would guess that Jia Rong would come to him for help in reconciling with Qin Keqing.

Even more unexpectedly, Ms. You would take such a... "self-involvement" approach.

He was faced with a difficult choice.

Jia Rong is different from You Shi.

Although Jia Rong is the eldest grandson of the Ningguo Mansion and has a legitimate status, Jiao Si can clearly see from their time together that he is a simple-minded, lecherous, and foolish good-for-nothing.

He wears his heart on his sleeve, his scheming is written all over his face, yet he is also self-righteous and often ends up shooting himself in the foot.

To ally with this kind of person?

I'm afraid that before he can even defeat his opponent, he'll be killed by his endless stream of stupid ideas.

Ke You Shi...

She is clearly a smart person.

They know how to assess the situation, make good use of their own advantages, and know how to maximize their benefits.

As can be seen from her previous "breaking the deadlock with a hairpin", she is meticulous and skillful.

Following her might lead to success.

but......

Jiao Si knew very well that it was not a good thing for a servant like himself to have this relationship with the Duke's wife.

Otherwise, why would I have kept rejecting Wang Xifeng like that?

While I was struggling with this decision.

But then Lady You spoke again.

"Oh, how anxious I am..."

"If I'm not mistaken, from the very beginning, when you appeared before me, talking about the 'hairpin,' and putting on that worried, pretentious act..."

"Back then, you were already plotting against Rong'er, weren't you?"

Jiao Si was suddenly jolted.

This woman... is indeed formidable.

How come the men in the Jia family are all such incompetent fools, while the women are all so capable?

Wang Xifeng is shrewd and ruthless, Qin Keqing is intelligent and insightful, and this Madam Zhen in front of us... is also deep-thinking and calculating.

Jiao Si remained expressionless.

Let’s go to the outside world.

"My lady, please understand! How dare I... how could I possibly plot against my master?"

"I was truly thinking of my master that day, that's why..."

Yu Shi gave a soft "tsk" and interrupted him.

"Alright, there's no need to pretend in front of me."

She gently tapped his chest with her finger.

"You're a smart person, and so am I."

Let's speak frankly and openly.

She paused, then suddenly moved even closer.

His warm breath almost sprayed onto Jiao Si's face.

"What would happen if I told the master about this?"

Jiao Si's heart sank.

Tell Jia Zhen?

I, as a servant, will likely be made a scapegoat and suffer a terrible fate.

Jiao Si sighed inwardly.

I knew I couldn't avoid it.

This woman has already caught him red-handed.

His mind raced with thoughts.

He verbally agreed to help the You family?

can.

But in my heart, I must never truly help her.

Although Jia Rong is stupid, he is an open enemy.

Yu is shrewd, but in reality, he is a venomous snake in the shadows.

Should we help both sides?

That would mean offending both sides.

The best approach is to emulate Xu Shu's strategy of joining Cao Cao's camp—avoiding involvement from both sides.

make up one's mind.

Jiao Si sighed.

"Since Madam has already guessed, I have nothing more to say."

"That's the wife of the petty gang."

"But Grandma's 'good intentions'..."

He glanced meaningfully at Madam You's hand, which was still pressed against his chest.

"I really can't accept this."

"Isn't your wife just trying to tie me to your warship?"

"Why...do it this way?"

As Madam You listened, her smile deepened.

Instead of withdrawing her hand, she pressed her whole body forward even more.

He raised his other hand and gently stroked Jiao Si's cheek.

She gently and slowly stroked his tightly pursed lips with her fingertips.

This is already a blatant hint.

"Silly boy..."

Yu's voice was as gentle as water.

"Who said... I just wanted to tie you to the boat?"

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes sparkling.

"Well, the other half... is indeed 'well-intentioned,' they want to get you involved."

"But what about the other half..."

She paused, her red lips almost touching Jiao Si's earlobe.

That's my true thought.

Jiao Si was stiff all over and dared not move.

However, Madam You seemed to enjoy his tense and resistant appearance.

"Your strong physique, your features, your bearing..."

"He's far superior to that old fellow in the manor."

"That old man has long been hollowed out by wine and women. He's just a bunch of loose, fat flesh that's disgusting to look at."

Ultimately... it's a win-win situation.

Jiao Si felt his scalp tingle as he listened to these explicit words.

He took a deep breath, forcefully turned his head away, and avoided Yu's fingers.

His voice was stiff, carrying an undeniable refusal.

"Madam, please have some self-respect."

"This humble servant... dares not."

The smile on Madam You's face faded slightly.

A hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.

She stared at Jiao Si for a long time.

A feeling of indescribable frustration welled up inside me.

Even though I've been so proactive, Jiao Si is still completely unresponsive.

Is Jiao Si looking down on her because he thinks she's not pretty enough?

But then he immediately dismissed the idea.

Lady You has always been confident in her appearance.

Although not as strikingly beautiful as Wang Xifeng, she was still gentle and graceful, retaining her charm.

She was well aware of the way the servants in the manor looked at her when they secretly observed her.

Then... could it be that Jiao Si is incapable?

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she suppressed it.

She had already inquired and found out that Jiao Si had close relationships with Wang Xifeng, Qin Keqing, Liu Rushi, and many others.

I heard he was a prominent figure on the Qinhuai River.

How could someone like that be "incapable"?

Mr. You pondered the matter deeply but could not find a solution.

The anger in my heart gradually turned into irritability.

This Jiao Si is unyielding, he won't listen to reason, what exactly does he want?

Finally, she took a deep breath and decided to stop dwelling on it.

Her calm and gentle smile returned to her face, and she slowly withdrew her hand.

He took a step back, widening the distance between them.

It was as if that romantic and ambiguous moment had never happened.

"That's enough."

"Since you are unwilling, I will not force you."

"Let's...get down to business."

Jiao Si secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

But after a moment of contemplation, Lady You spoke:

"Since you've agreed to help me, then do me a favor first."

"In a couple of days, find a way to invite Qin Keqing out of the city to go to Fengyou Temple outside the city."

"I told her that the temple's incense was very effective, and invited her to go and burn incense together, and to relax and have some fun. Coincidentally, I recently acquired some agarwood from the south, and invited her to try it with me."

Jiao Si frowned slightly.

"Madam... what does this mean?"

"Miss Qin is currently in a precarious situation, and Lord Qin is unlikely to allow her to go out freely, much less allow her to travel with me."

Madam You smiled.

That's your problem.

"I only care about the results."

"As for Qin Ye... Ke Qing is a clever girl. If she wants to go, she'll find a way to persuade her father."

Jiao Si remained silent for a moment, then nodded, bowed, and quickly left.

inside the house.

The calm and gentle smile on Madam You's face gradually faded.

Instead, a faint hint of sarcasm was heard.

She gently stroked her still smooth and delicate cheeks, then looked down at her slender figure.

A hint of resentment flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by decisiveness.

"Oh, Jiao Si, oh, Jiao Si..."

She murmured to herself, her voice echoing softly in the empty room.

"I gave you a chance, but you didn't take it."

"Then don't blame me..."