Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 674 The Lady is Ready
Baolinghou Mansion,

Shuizhu, the personal maidservant of Marquis's wife Lang Shuhui, walked in the courtyard of the Marquis's mansion with two little maids, holding lanterns.
Walking along the bumpy path, Shuizhu was kindhearted. Before she came, she specially took a bag of cakes from the outer room. Although the treatment of the young lady in the Marquis' Mansion was not very good, the Marquis' Mansion was not well-off. Everyone, except the wife and the master, was about the same. In particular, the Marquis's wife was not harsh to the servants, and they lived a stable life.

However, some of the gossip outside the mansion had leaked in. After all, the lady was born in the family of Prince Lang of Nan'an, so there was some jealousy in her.

After passing the courtyard,

Just walk along the path to the west, which is winding and tortuous. It seems that no one has swept the ground for a long time. Green moss can be seen everywhere, and it is extremely slippery, but water droplets have long been common. The mansion is so big, there are not many servants and slaves, and there is always a lot of work to do, so the secondary courtyards and the paths to the side courtyards are only simply cleaned once a month, so it is not surprising that they look like this.

Besides, the Marquis usually doesn't have many visitors, so his place is always quiet, so there is no need for it to be so formal. Only the lady's courtyard is the important place on a daily basis.

As for Miss Xiangyun, she was also sent here by the master. After all, the lady gave her a monthly calendar and a small amount of money, and she never made things difficult for her.

After walking for a while,
We arrived at the gate of a somewhat dilapidated courtyard. Moss could be seen everywhere on the walls, making it look like an old house.

Pushing the door open, there was a small vegetable garden in the yard, but nothing else. Shuizhu called two maids, holding lanterns to illuminate the yard, and shouted inside with the light,
"Miss Xiangyun, is Miss Xiangyun here?"

The voice sounded a little crisp and anxious.

Shi Xiangyun and her maid Cuilu were sitting on the kang chatting. When they heard the shouting from the yard, they quickly put away the snacks on the table.
"Miss, Miss, it seems someone is coming. It's Shuizhu, the personal maid in the Madam's courtyard. How did she get here? Will she come to cause trouble for you?"

Cuilu was a little scared and shrank her neck. In the Marquis' Mansion, even though Shuizhu was also a maid, her words were much more effective than those of the housekeeper and the young lady. She just didn't know if the lady was going to scold the young lady for coming here so late.

"Go and bring her in quickly. I think something's wrong with the Madam. Hurry up."

Shi Xiangyun was also surprised. It was already late, so why did she come to visit? She had doubts in her mind, thinking that something must have happened with the lady. As for whether she would be scolded, it seemed that this had never happened before. It was just a few old women who said some sarcastic words.

"Yes, miss, I'll go right away."

Cuilu put down the things in her hands, nodded, stretched out her legs to put on her shoes, ran to open the door, walked into the house with Shuizhu, and bowed;

"Sister Shuizhu, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Why are you here at this time? Is it Madam's place?"

Cuilu asked with some concern,
Shuizhu smiled slightly, then stepped into the inner room and looked around. There were some old furniture all around. In fact, the few pieces of furniture were all shabby.

After a pause, he walked towards the east room. The side room didn't even have a wooden door, only a faded curtain. He opened the curtain and entered the room. He saw Miss Xiangyun sitting on the kang in the room. There was an unfinished embroidery on the small table on the kang.

Shuizhu knew the etiquette, so she bowed and said:

"Greetings to the young lady. I came here today because I have something to say. There are some matters that require the young lady to make her own decision."

While speaking, he observed Shi Xiangyun's expression, and seeing that she only looked puzzled, he continued;

"Has the young lady ever resented the lady?"

"How can you say that? Madam treats me very well. I have plenty of food and supplies. Xiangyun is very satisfied and has no complaints. Sister Shuizhu, just tell Madam what's the matter. If Xiangyun can do it, she will do it without hesitation."

Shi Xiangyun was also a little uneasy. Although the Madam didn't care much about her, she was quite strict with the servants. She didn't know whether Shuizhu asked this question herself or from the Madam. Could it be that the Marquis didn't like her and wanted to marry her off?
Fear in my heart made my face pale.
"It's nothing, it's not a big deal, Miss Xiangyun, do you still remember the Rongguo Mansion, that is, the old lady Shi, your aunt?"

Shuizhu did not speak first, but asked the young lady if she remembered the events at Rongguo Mansion, especially Old Lady Shi.
When Shuizhu mentioned Rongguo Mansion and the old lady,
How could Shi Xiangyun not remember that when she was little, she often went to Rongguo Mansion and played with her second brother Jia Baoyu. At that time, her parents were still alive. Unfortunately, it has become a memory. So much time has passed, and she doesn't know what her aunt is like. Looking at the water drops in front of her, she asked these questions and said;
"Of course I remember, but it's been so long that some things are indeed a little vague. Why did you say that, sister? But did something happen at Rongguo Mansion?"

"No, nowadays, Rongguo Mansion is very prosperous in the capital, and it is the envy of others. Madam's intention is not anything else, but she wants Miss Xiangyun to go visit her relatives and spend a few days in Rongguo Mansion to relax and show her filial piety to the Marquis' Mansion. Of course, Madam also specifically told Miss Xiangyun not to be too stingy when she goes there, and to spend some money where it is necessary."

As she spoke, Shuizhu took out the purse from her waist, poured out a few silver ingots and placed them on the table, pushing them forward.
"This money is what Madam prepared for Miss Xiangyun. Take it all with you. Miss Xiangyun also knows that the Baoling Marquisate and the Rongguo Mansion are old relatives. As the saying goes, even if the bones are broken, the tendons are still connected. After all, you and the old lady have the same ancestor. Miss Xiangyun, don't forget the Marquisate when you go there."

Shuizhu was afraid that Miss Xiangyun might not understand, so she simply made it clear.
Shi Xiangyun suddenly realized that this was the case. Thinking of the old ancestor of Rongguo Mansion, Shi Xiangyun missed him from the bottom of her heart and nodded in response;
"Don't worry, sister. I certainly can't forget the Marquis' Mansion. After all, I am also a lady from the Marquis' Mansion. Although the Rongguo Mansion is good, it is also the Jia family. How can I forget it? Apart from these, what else does Madam have to say?"

"That's all. Miss Xiangyun can stay for a few more days. If anything happens, please let Cuilu come back and tell her. Of course, if Madam has something to tell you, she will also ask me to send someone to let Miss Xiangyun know. When the time comes, please bear with me."

Shuizhu thought about it. The lady didn't have any other instructions except these. In fact, Shuizhu hoped that Miss Xiangyun would stay in Rongguo Mansion for a few more days. After all, it was lonely here, and there were some things that a servant would not dare to say. The Shi family had two marquises, so they should be in great glory, but the lady did not expect it to be like this now.

Shi Xiangyun's eyes widened, she couldn't believe that the Madam would let her stay in Rongguo Mansion for a few more days and even gave her some money. She didn't know what was going on, but she was still happy in her heart, and her face showed joy.
I agreed with some doubts.
"Thank you Miss Shuizhu for telling me. Madam, please rest assured. I will remember it."

"Okay, in that case, I will not disturb you from resting. Tomorrow morning, the Marquis's carriage will be waiting outside. You can pack up and go. You don't need to pay your respects to the Madam, so please do as you please."

When Shuizhu saw that Miss Xiangyun agreed, she told her about tomorrow's arrangements and even changed the address. She also knew that some things did not need to be spread out, as there were always some troubles at the Marquis Zhongjing's Mansion.

"understood."

After seeing the young lady's agreement, Shuizhu did not linger any longer, but bowed and left, leading the people out of the house and out of the yard.
inside the house,

Cuilu opened the window with her foot and saw the water droplets going away. She immediately ran over to bolt the door, then turned around and ran back to the inner room, shouting excitedly,

"Miss, Miss, can we go to Rongguo Mansion tomorrow? The old lady is very kind to you. This time, you will always have a good life."

Seeing the little girl so happy, Shi Xiangyun felt much better. She could go there tomorrow. Thinking of her second brother whom she hadn't seen for many years, Xiangyun blushed. She didn't know how her second brother Baoyu was doing now.
The main house of the Marquis's Mansion,

Mrs. Shi was sitting in the house, embroidering with her hands. Under the light of the oil lamp, her mind was wandering to who knows where.
The screen,
The water drops slowly stepped inside,

"Madam, I went to Miss Xiangyun's room and told her that I would arrange a carriage for tomorrow morning. We can go there after breakfast."

Lang Shuhui put down her needlework, raised her head and thought to herself, as long as Xiangyun went over, the first step would be accomplished. It would depend on how the old lady treated her. If she was fine, she could visit her. If Xiangyun was not happy, it would be difficult to enter.

Looking at the girl Shuizhu, the matter in my heart has been resolved.

"Okay, it's getting late, go to bed,"

"Yes, ma'am."

Outside Rongguo Mansion, after Lord Meng Li left, at the east end of Ningrong Street,

In the tavern on the street corner,
Xue Pan was still wearing his flashy purple coat, not caring about the sweat on his head, and was entertaining a group of Jia family members while they were having a banquet.

The atmosphere was warm and a little weird.

Looking closely, everyone present had bruises on their faces and bodies. Xue Pan, with a pair of black eye sockets, was eating meat in big mouthfuls while mumbling unceremoniously,

"Everyone, thank you for your help a few days ago. This young master will remember it in his heart. Give each of you five taels of silver. Take it back to recuperate. When you are well, I really don't believe that we can't go to the brothel. After the Enke, there will be a courtesan election and poetry gatherings from time to time. Let's go and take a look. We will go again after all."

Xue Pan spoke passionately and with great vigor. Thinking about how he had come to the capital and had some conflicts with brothels, and how he could not even touch the hand of a prostitute, how could he be willing to accept this?

However, Jia Qiang and the others were enjoying their meals, and were delighted to hear that there was money to be won. But when they heard that Master Xue actually wanted to go to Yanchun Tower, they were all stunned, and subconsciously touched the place where they were hit, feeling a little painful. Unfortunately, looking at Master Xue's appearance, it was obvious that he did not learn from his mistakes.
Jia Qiang beside him swallowed the food in his mouth and advised;

"Master Xue, this year's Oiran election will be held at Yanchun Tower. There will definitely be many dignitaries there. Also, the poetry meeting is jointly held by the six major academies. Now that the imperial examination is held in the capital, there are many students. It will attract the attention of people all over the world. We are a little nervous if we go there like this."

Xue Pan's eyes lit up when he heard Jia Qiang's words. Xue Pan cared about his reputation the most in his life and he loved excitement. How could such a grand event be without him?
"What's the point of being nervous? You can't say that those prostitutes won't receive men. They are just waiting for a higher price and asking for more money. As for those poems, we are mainly here to see the courtesans, they don't write poems, so what does it have to do with us?"

What he said made sense. The others thought about it and nodded. They also said that there should be many people going to take a look. Since they didn't want anything, how could they attract attention? Therefore, many people nodded in agreement.

"Yes, what Boss Xue said is right. We are not participating in the poetry meeting. Can they force us to write poems? That's too rude."

"That's right. There's nothing to gain from taking a look."

"If that doesn't work, then you can find a corner to watch. I think you can even see the eight famous prostitutes from the four major brothels in Dawu dancing on stage at the same time. That's a lost forbidden dance."

"yes,"

The Jia family members were talking to each other, talking excitedly, their faces flushed, discussing what dances those courtesans knew. The more Xue Pan listened, the more he became itchy, thinking how nice it would be if he could keep all those eight famous prostitutes by his side.
Jia Qiang couldn't help but smile bitterly when he saw this.

"You can go, but Brother Xue, today's poetry gathering may be different. If you want the eight famous prostitutes to accompany you for drinking, you need to have amazing poems and articles that will be passed down through the ages. I heard that on the day of the poetry gathering, the heads of the six major academies will come prepared. Everyone else will need to register to enter and prepare poems."

Jia Qiang's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over everyone's heads. Xue Pan even had a sullen face, full of displeasure.

"What kind of a crappy poetry gathering is this? You need to write a poem just to get in. Damn, it's just a bunch of nonsense. By the way, what kind of poem do you need?"

"Well, that's not the point. As long as it's poetry, it's fine."

Jia Qiang thought about it and it seemed that he had no request.

"This is not easy. You all should start now. Everyone should think about the poem and put it together. As long as you can read it, it doesn't matter whether it is good or not. Let's go in. This trip to Yanchun Tower will be paid by me."

Xue Pan was still so heroic. The children of the Jia family were all very excited and agreed one after another. Some impatient people asked the shopkeeper for writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstone. Several people started discussing. Although the Jia family's academics were not very good, they could still write some folk poems.
After a while,
Many people actually wrote down their poems, and they are quite catchy when read aloud.
"Brother Xue, look at this poem I wrote. The mountains are covered with green in spring, and the birds are singing sweetly in the bright sunshine. I am sitting in the East Pavilion with my heart full of emotions, and my deep feelings are boundless. The clear sound enters the silk strings for no reason, but who can sympathize with my myriad feelings? The mountains are covered with moss and the trees are full of gardens, and my heart is so happy that I don't know where the beauty is. This poem is specially for Brother Xue."

Everyone was shocked and looked at Jia Qing who was sitting at the bottom. They had never thought that he could write such a poem.
Xue Pan repeated it several times, and it was indeed good. As expected, money makes the world go round. Xue Pan was overjoyed, picked up the wine cup, and said to everyone,

"Everyone, Brother Qing, I won't say much. I appreciate your friendship. The poem is also a good one. Everyone, please drink this cup of wine. I am honored to meet you all. Loyalty comes first. Cheers."

"Dry,"

Everyone stood up and drank it all.

After drinking, everyone was tipsy, and suddenly a feeling of worry came to their mind. It has been a long time since they felt so happy!

Rongguo Mansion,
The courtyard of the green gauze cabinet, on the side of the study,
Jia Baoyu sat in front of his desk, looking at the sutras on the table by the light of the fire, with a tired look on his face. It was a pity that he had not finished reading the thick sutras yet, so how could he sleep?

When you are feeling depressed,
Xiren came over with a bowl of lotus seed soup.

"Master Bao, why don't you take a rest first? This is what I brought from Sister Liu. Drink some to warm your body."

After that, he placed the soup bowl on the table. The crystal clear soup exuded the mellow fragrance of lotus seeds.

Jia Baoyu smelled the fragrance and came back to his senses. He looked at Xiren beside him. She had bright eyes, white teeth, snow-white skin, and a look of concern on her delicate face. His heart softened.
"Sorry to bother you, sister. I'm a little hungry."

Jia Baoyu picked up the soup bowl and took a sip. It was indeed Mrs. Liu's cooking. At this moment, Sheyue came in with a plate of cakes. Seeing Xiren had arrived first, she raised her eyebrows and looked unhappy. She twisted her body and walked over. She stretched out her slender jade fingers to pinch a piece of cloud cake and put it into Jia Baoyu's mouth.
"Master Bao, don't just drink the soup, eat something to fill your stomach first. I bought this cloud cake specially, and then went to Sister Liu to steam it for you before bringing it here."

Musk Moon talks a lot, but her figure is more charming than Xiren, with a curvy figure. She sticks to Jia Baoyu's side, feeling soft and gentle in his arms. Jia Baoyu's face turns red, and he can no longer taste the cloud cake.

Xiren couldn't bear to watch, so she grabbed Sheyue's sleeve and pulled her over.
"Look at you, Master Bao needs to review his lessons after he finishes eating, so get out of here quickly."

Xiren dragged and tugged Musk Moon out of the study, leaving the room full of fragrance, which made Jia Baoyu distracted. How could he concentrate on reading? He simply closed the book and looked out the window. He couldn't help but think of Lin Daiyu in the West Garden. After all, she was familiar to him, but he was under strict surveillance and could not see her even if he wanted to. He felt melancholy and thought that things would be better after the imperial examination.

Thinking about how Lin Daiyu looked when she first came to the mansion, a figure suddenly appeared in his mind. Looking carefully, it was Xue Baochai. Thinking of Xue Baochai, Jia Baoyu was moved again. He wondered how Sister Bao was doing.

outside the house,

Xiren and Sheyue pulled each other to open the door, then turned back and stood outside the door, listening to the noise inside with their ears perked up. It seemed much quieter.

"Xiren, it's all your fault,"

Sheyue stood up straight, with a face full of complaints, Xiren didn't care, and replied,
"If you hadn't gone too far, I would have pulled you out. Master Bao needs to review his lessons. Madam Second is watching you."

Speaking of the second wife, both of them were obviously uncomfortable. They looked at each other and then quietly retreated.

(End of this chapter)