The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 178 Wang Xifeng Comes Back to Life

Leaving aside other aspects, the best thing about Tubishan Villa is that it's unrestrained.

No matter how brave Qingwen was before, there were still rules to follow, so she was somewhat restrained. But at Tubi Manor, she was allowed to act as she pleased. Ping'er, on the other hand, grew up under strict rules and had never experienced the unrestrained freedom of Tubi Manor.

Before coming, I was hesitant and afraid of what people would say, but now I am overjoyed. I just don't know how long I can stay here. Although Qingwen is younger than Ping'er, she is clever and the two of them have endless things to talk about.

After a while of laughter and playful banter, Qingwen, all radiant with joy, finally asked, "Did Second Madam send you here because of Second Master Lian?"

"You guessed it?" Ping'er had exerted a lot of effort to overturn Qingwen, and all her energy from the morning was used up. She lay flat on her back, panting, her chest rising and falling like mountains with each breath.

Qingwen, ever playful, reached out and shook hands with him as she spoke.

Ping'er quickly grabbed Qingwen's hand and tried to push her away. Although she was older than Qingwen, she was not as energetic. She smiled and begged for mercy, "You know everything, aren't you worried? You're still playing."

"I'm not afraid." Qingwen's face was flushed from laughing and joking earlier, and her skin was smooth and delicate. She said bravely, "I've hidden scissors. If anyone dares to mess around, I'll stab them to death."

Upon hearing this, Ping'er was stunned.

"Pfft." Qingwen laughed, "If I'm not afraid, what are you afraid of?"

"You're so brave," Ping'er murmured.

I had a lot of contact with Qingwen before, but not as much as these last two days. The longer I spent with her, the more I admired her courage, something I myself lacked.

When Qingwen heard Ping'er praise her, she seemed to remember something, blushed, and leaned her head close to Ping'er's ear to whisper something.

Ping'er was most afraid of people talking in her ear. She felt a tingling sensation and her face flushed instantly. She had no resistance at all. After listening, she asked incredulously, "Did Master Xin really say that?"

Qingwen was like a little chick with a beak, and Ping'er found it unbelievable, so she wanted to get to know Master Xin again.

The two were having endless private conversations in bed, and before they knew it, it was already broad daylight. It was Ping'er who came to her senses and hurriedly urged Qingwen to get up. After getting up, the two were only wearing their undergarments, their pink little feet standing on the smooth floor as they rummaged through their clothes.

Wang Xin was only half the master of Tubi Manor. With Wang Xin away, Qingwen had nothing to do, let alone the newly arrived Ping'er.

After the two finished breakfast, they strolled around the estate for a while, then took out Wang Xin's thick cotton-padded coat from the trunk to air it out. After airing it out, they prepared to seal the trunk. Looking at the carefree Qingwen, Ping'er felt envious.

I'm left here at Tubi Manor without any explanation. How can this be allowed to continue? Only Grandma can do this.

Fortunately, Lord Xin was not in the manor. If Lord Xin were to return to the manor one day, he would not send anyone to inform me of his return, and besides, he would not know that I was in the manor.

When Lord Xin sees her, how will she face him? Wouldn't she be mortified? The thought of packing her belongings and going back in front of him makes Ping'er feel like she has twenty-five mice in her arms—itching her heart with a hundred claws.

At this moment, Jia Lian did not come from the garden, but instead went through the inner wall, took a detour, and entered the Grand View Garden directly through the back gate. He followed the road down the mountain, passed the Concave Crystal Pavilion, and then arrived at the gate of the manor.

Hesitating, Jia Lian muttered to himself, "I should go and see if Wang Xifeng is in the room." He didn't dare to go in and paced back and forth at the door.

"Why is Second Master here?"

Unexpectedly, several old women carrying food boxes filled with leftovers were seen at the door. These were to be sent back to the main kitchen, where the cooks would clean them up.

"Is Second Madam here?" Jia Lian blurted out.

"Second Madam didn't come today," an old woman replied.

Last time, when that old woman saw Jia Lian acting suspiciously, she knew perfectly well that all the men in the mansion were lecherous wolves who only had designs on the people in the mansion. Not to mention the neighbors next door, just thinking about it made her feel disgusted.

Master Xin was good to them, and Qingwen was also good to them. So she said, "When Master Xin was in the manor, Second Master Lian didn't come. Knowing Master Xin's character, he would definitely be happy to see Second Master Lian."

Upon hearing the name Wang Xin, Jia Lian was startled.

He had met Wang Xin, and Wang Xin didn't seem like the type to back down easily. Thinking about the difference between the two, Jia Lian became even more timid.

As for Jia Lian, he was a cousin of Jia Baoyu. Despite his age, Jia Lian was timid and lacked courage from a young age, far inferior to Jia Zhen next door.

Seeing the gazes of the old women, Jia Lian explained, "Since Second Mistress isn't here, I'll be leaving."

He had initially intended to leave a message: "If Second Madam arrives, please inform her." But then he thought, "Wouldn't everyone already know I'm here? It's better to think things through more carefully," and quickly left.

"Hmph." Several old women snorted and returned shortly afterward to tell Miss Ping'er and Miss Qingwen that Second Master Lian had just come by.

"This man is acting suspiciously." Qingwen had only seen Jia Lian when she was a child and lived in the old lady's room. She didn't remember what he looked like now, and frowned in disgust.

Seeing that Ping'er didn't say anything, Qingwen looked over and saw that Ping'er's little face was sad.

Qingwen asked with concern, "What's wrong?"

"I just feel heartbroken," Ping'er said, suppressing her nausea.

You can make a woman dislike you, even hate you, but you can't make her look down on you. Ping'er used to think she understood her grandmother, like Jia Rui who coveted her grandmother's beauty and even dared to secretly block her grandmother's way in the garden, but her grandmother was extremely disgusted.

And then there's Jia Qiang next door, though timid, he's quite handsome and a gentleman of the Ningguo Mansion. Grandma thinks highly of him, and can even talk to him in the same room. Now she truly understands what it feels like to look down on someone. Thinking about her past with that person makes Ping'er feel disgusted.

I thought he was a decent man, but he turned out to be nothing more than a cowardly thief.

Although he knew that the Wang family had lost power and that Wang Ziteng had lost his future, Jia Lian was still wary of Wang Xin. He was filled with regret and anger all the way, feeling a mix of emotions. He had just come in from the back building and arrived at the old new corridor. Thinking of the woman he was looking for, he couldn't help but feel aroused.

"Second Master, it's easy to find you." The two maids were covered in sweat.

"What are you looking for me for?"

"The old man is calling you."

"what."

Jia Lian was greatly alarmed and inwardly groaned. He dared not disobey, so he went out the door and waited outside the side gate for a steward. When the steward saw Jia Lian, he said anxiously, "My dear second master, we've been waiting for you."

"What brings you here, sir?" Jia Lian asked uneasily.

"I'm not quite sure." The steward pulled Jia Lian along as they walked, saying, "Master invited the eldest son over, and the two of them talked about something. After they returned, the eldest son told us to look for you."

The group entered through a side gate and arrived at Jia She's courtyard, where they were led to the outer study.

When Jia She saw Jia Lian, he gave him a wink, and the steward led the men out. Seeing his father so cautious, Jia Lian became even more nervous, standing with his hands at his sides like a servant, which annoyed Jia She.

Suppressing his temper, he asked, "Where did you go just now?"

Jia Lian quickly explained, "I dare not neglect the task you entrusted to me, but Wang Xifeng keeps avoiding me and often goes to the Tu Bi Villa in the back garden. I tried to intercept her twice, and I did just now, but I didn't manage to catch her."

Fearing his father would beat him again, he hurriedly said, "But I'll go and try to catch them again this afternoon; I'm sure I'll find them."

After hearing this, Jia She was both angry and anxious. It would have been fine if the matter had been handled well, but instead, nothing had been handled well at all. Why did he always encounter bad luck and never good things?

"Can't you just give me a break?!" Jia She stomped his foot in anger.

Jia Lian was truly aggrieved. This grown man, incoherently, said, "What did my son do wrong again?"

Jia She didn't know how to explain.

You can't just say that the Wang family has produced a talented person, and that person is so outstanding that you shouldn't offend them easily. Jia Zheng had told himself long ago that the conflicts among the four major families were conflicts, but they couldn't let them fight amongst themselves.

But there was nothing I could do. I couldn't rely on Wang Ziteng, so I had to step up and be the pillar of support.

Doing things nowadays costs a lot of money. Without money, nothing can be accomplished. You put in a lot of effort, and it's not easy for you. You work hard to earn hundreds or thousands of taels of silver, but before you can even enjoy it, it's all given away as a birthday gift to the Zhu family.

I can't not go. Although I look down on Jiang Zining, even that penniless Jiang Zining knows to squeeze out a few hundred taels of silver as a wedding gift. I can't be more disgraceful than him.

The Jia family is now only keeping on its laurels.

Without this face, there's nothing left.

Thinking of this, Jia She became even angrier, feeling that everything was against him and that he was really unlucky, always encountering bad luck.

After a while.

Jia Lian walked out of the house in a daze, feeling resentful but unable to express it. "I'm really unlucky. I won't do any more favors for you in the future. Let whoever wants to do the job do it."

He couldn't help but envy Jia Zhen next door. Jia Zhen was of the same generation as him. His father had gone to the family temple to cultivate himself and live a secluded life because of past events. When the tiger is away, the monkey becomes king.

Jia Zhen was allowed to run wild in the entire Ningguo Mansion. I used to look down on him a little, but now it seems that he is the one who lives life with great clarity.

"I can't avoid her, and I can't afford to offend her either." Jia Lian spat and made up his mind to go next door to see Jia Zhen.

We've grown somewhat estranged over the years. I'll see if I can rebuild our relationship this time. In the future, I'll spend less time at the Rongguo Mansion and more time at the Ningguo Mansion next door, enjoying myself with Jia Zhen. That would be truly wonderful.

What are you afraid of?

Just as he was about to slip away, Wang Xifeng blocked his way.

Wang Ren came by and talked about Wang Xin's matter. Master Xin had caused quite a stir. As expected of Master Xin, even Uncle Wang felt more confident after hearing what Wang Ren said. Wang Xifeng thought of her previous meeting with Master Xin.

Uncle had never met Master Xin, but he had. Not only had they met, but they had also eaten together, confirmed their relationship, and Master Xin had promised to help him.

Wang Xifeng was very shrewd; she knew that people like them relied on connections.

Nobody should laugh at anyone else. In the novels written by scholars outside, they look down on families like theirs that rely on connections, but they don't know that in the end, everything depends on connections. If they don't even know this, they deserve to be reduced to writing books.

With her mind at ease and her confidence restored, Wang Xifeng, who used to walk with the wind, returned. When she saw Ping'er rushing back from Tubi Mountain Villa and heard that Jia Lian really dared to make reckless plans, especially since it involved Tubi Mountain Villa, she was furious and immediately led her people over in a menacing manner.

(End of this chapter)