The Red Mansion

Chapter 196 Lord Jiang and Lin Daiyu

Yuan Chun returned from the Rongguo Mansion.

The jeweled carriage with its emerald canopy and pearl tassels slowly came to a stop in front of the Jiang residence, its wheels crunching over the remaining snow.

Baoqin lifted the carriage curtain, and Yuanchun stepped down on a footstool, suddenly feeling a surge of warmth in her heart. Looking up at the plaque above her own door, she felt even more at home than the plaque above her maiden home that read "Imperial Construction of Rongguo Mansion".

Yuan Chun thought to herself, "It's been less than a year since I got married, but now I feel like this is where I truly belong. Although the Rong Mansion is my maternal home, it feels more like I'm staying as a guest."

Upon reflection, firstly, "a woman follows her husband" is the proper way; secondly, Jiang Nian treats her with deep affection and loyalty; thirdly, in this Jiang family, she is the rightful mistress; and fourthly, seeing the Jiang family rising like the sun in the east while the Rong family is like the setting sun in the west, becoming increasingly decadent.

As she pondered this, she stepped through the hanging flower gate and suddenly saw a familiar figure standing under the eaves of the main house—Jiang Nian was smiling at her.

Yuan Chun felt a surge of warmth in her heart and quickly stepped forward.

Jiang Nian reached out and brushed her temple, smiling slightly as she said, "You're back?"

Yuan Chun gave a soft "hmm," her bright, clear eyes sparkling with a gentle smile.

The two entered the study together. Xiangling served hot tea and then withdrew. Yuanchun then recounted everything that had happened during her trip to the Rong Mansion. When she mentioned that Grandmother Jia wanted to send Jia Lian to escort Lin Daiyu, Jiang Nian suddenly asked, "If your Uncle Lin unfortunately passes away, how does the Rong Mansion plan to dispose of the Lin family's property?"

In her past life, many people were curious about Lin Ruhai's family fortune, and whether the Rongguo Mansion had taken any of it, and if so, how much. Jiang Nian was also curious.

Yuan Chun was taken aback. She hadn't wanted to mention this matter, but since she had been asked, and didn't want to lie to her husband, she hesitated for a moment before revealing Jia She's scheme in detail. As she spoke, her voice gradually lowered, and she became somewhat ashamed.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nian gently brushed the teacup lid against the rim, making a crisp "ding" sound. Though a smile played on her lips, a cold glint flashed in her eyes.

He thought to himself, "The Rongguo Mansion is so eager to take a piece of Lin Ruhai's property. I guess Jia She wants to intercept it! Ha, this time when I go to Yangzhou, I might be able to cure Lin Ruhai's illness. If not, even if Lin Ruhai dies, I will not let the Lin family's property fall into the Rongguo Mansion, otherwise it will be squandered by those spendthrift sons!"

Seeing that Jiang Nian was lost in thought, Yuan Chun asked, "What are you thinking about, sir?"

Jiang Nian smiled and said, "I wasn't thinking about anything."

……

……

Two days have passed in the blink of an eye.

Jiang Nian will be heading to Yangzhou tomorrow.

On this day, Jiang Niante hosted a banquet at his home, inviting Ren Pijiang, Dai Shijiao, Qi Jianyu, Zou Jianyuan, He Yun, and Meng Xiong to eat.

It turned out that when Emperor Taishun inquired about the accompanying personnel, Jiang Nian took the initiative to suggest that, just like the previous trip to Jiangning, he would bring Ren Pijiang, Dai Shijiao, Qi Jianyu, and Zou Jianyuan, only replacing He Yun with Meng Xiong.

Replacing He Yun with Meng Xiong has its own significance: firstly, it is safest to leave He Yun at home to guard the house; secondly, he has only recently been promoted from a fifth-rank Dragon Guard to a third-rank fifth-rank Imperial Guard and needs time to mature; and thirdly, it is to further promote Meng Xiong.

At the hour of Shen (3-5 PM), a sumptuous feast was laid out in the main hall of the Jiang family's house. Jiang Nian sat in the head seat, with Ren Pijiang, Dai Shijiao, Qi Jianyu, Zou Jianyuan, He Yun, and Meng Xiong also seated there.

On the octagonal table were blue-and-white porcelain plates filled with various delicacies from land and sea. A jar of fine wine, its clay seal broken, released its aroma, which mingled with the warmth of the charcoal fire, intoxicating even before one had tasted it.

After a round of drinks, Qi Jianyu raised his cup to Jiang Nian, a hint of embarrassment appearing on his handsome face: "Thank you for your guidance, sir. Last time in Yangzhou, we failed to capture Shen Chuankui of the Shen family, a regret I still hold. This time, I am honored that you have not abandoned me and allowed me to accompany you again, and to Yangzhou no less. I will do my utmost." With that, he tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

Seeing Qi Jianyu's reaction, Ren Pijiang, Dai Shijiao, Zou Jianyuan, and Meng Xiong all offered him a toast.

Jiang Nian accepted the toast with a smile, but raised her glass to He Yun: "It's been a hardship for you to stay in the capital this time!"

He Yun quickly raised his cup and said, "My lord has already made it clear to me. Between us, why bother with these formalities? I will certainly protect this family for my lord!" After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup.

After several rounds of drinks, everyone gradually let loose and became more relaxed.

Taking advantage of his drunken state, Dai Shijiao teased Meng Xiong, "How's your father-in-law's clinic doing these days?" He then winked and added, "Is your sister-in-law's silver needles any faster than your long-handled broadsword?"

Meng Xiong scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly. He had previously accompanied Jiang Nian on a business trip to Laizhou, Shandong, and brought back Li Yanmei's family. Now, he and Li Yanmei were married and had settled near Jiang's residence. His father-in-law, Li Zhiyi, had opened a clinic, and his wife, Li Yanmei, had also become a doctor, treating female relatives.

Dai Shijiao pointed at Qi Jianyu, then smiled at Meng Xiong and said, "The Miss Yu that Brother Qi brought back to the capital from Laizhou is already pregnant. You'll have to work hard to succeed."

Previously, Qi Jianyu accompanied Jiang Nian to Laizhou, Shandong on official business and brought Yu Lanxuan's family back to the capital. Soon after, he took Yu Lanxuan as his concubine, and she quickly became pregnant. Yu Lanxuan's father, Yu Zhonggong, then became a staff member of the Qi family.

Meng Xiong chuckled and said, "Fate is truly wondrous! If it weren't for your help, I wouldn't have had such a wonderful encounter."

Everyone drank two more cups of wine and chatted for a while. Then Jiang Nian raised his cup to conclude: "We set off tomorrow, so it's not appropriate to drink too much today. I hope everyone will work together to achieve even greater success. When we return to the capital, I will host a banquet for us all to drink to our hearts' content!"

Everyone agreed with a roar.

……

……

At the hour of You (5-7 PM), Meng Xiong bid farewell to Jiang Nian and the others, and returned to his own residence under the early night sky.

Although the house was not large, it was exquisite. A clinic was located on the street, and the three characters "Zhiyitang" on the black lacquered plaque shone brightly under the lantern light; the backyard was the residence, and the "double happiness" window decorations from Meng Xiong and Li Yanmei's wedding this year were still on the window frames; an old plum tree in the corner of the yard was exuding a faint fragrance, and the snow on the branches had not yet melted, reflecting the light from the window, making it look like broken jade piled on the branches.

As soon as Meng Xiong pushed open the lattice door, his wife Li Yanmei came to greet him. She was wearing a sky-blue padded jacket today, with only a jade hairpin in her hair. Seeing that Meng Xiong's face was flushed with alcohol, she quickly helped him sit down and brought him some hangover soup: "Why did you drink so much? We still have to travel tomorrow."

Meng Xiong took the hangover soup and said with a smile, "The master didn't let me eat much, I only had a few cups."

Before he finished speaking, Li Zhiyi and his wife, Sun, walked in.

Mrs. Sun held a bundle in her hands: "These are newly made cotton shoes and socks, so your feet will stay warm on the road."

Meng Xiong took the bundle, opened it, and looked inside. He saw that the stitches were so fine they were almost invisible.

Madam Sun sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and began to ramble on: "This time, I'm going on a mission with Master Nian, and I'm determined to earn some merit. Although you're now a Dragon Guard Commandant, it's ultimately just a nominal sixth-rank title..."

Li Zhiyi coughed to interrupt: "Nonsense! What's the point of saying all this? The important thing is to serve Lord Jiang wholeheartedly and repay his kindness."

Hearing the cacophony of advice, Meng Xiong not only didn't find it noisy, but felt a warm current welling up in his heart. He thought about how before he followed the master, he was just a poor, bachelor servant, and after following the master for less than two years, he not only had an official position, but also such a warm family.

Thinking of this, he suddenly felt the heat of the hangover soup making his eyes sting. He quickly lowered his head and pretended to cough, secretly resolving in his heart: "The master is indeed my second father, and I should serve him wholeheartedly. I must not be an ungrateful person! Only by serving him wholeheartedly can I be promoted from a Dragon Guard to a real Imperial Guard as soon as possible, just like Brother He. Only then can I truly achieve glory and prominence!"

After Li Zhiyi and Sun Shi left, Li Yanmei suddenly took out a talisman from under her pillow, blushing as she said, "I got this from the temple today. I should wear it all the way south."

Meng Xiong nodded gratefully. ...

……

The hour of You (5-7 PM).

The lights in the east wing of the Jiang family's house were dim, and a layer of light blue gauze covered the lampshade, making the light as hazy as the moon.

Jiang Nian did this on purpose.

At this moment, he was sitting in the room, surrounded by Yuan Chun, Xue Baochai, Xing Xiuyan and others.

Jing Qing was seen sitting in a chair with a pipa in her arms, wearing a plain-colored jacket and a moon-white silk skirt. She had only a jade hairpin in her hair, and her whole outfit was devoid of any bright colors.

She gently plucked the strings, opened her lips, and with a melodious voice, began to sing "Slowly, Slowly":
"Green bricks and painted tiles, white horses treading on new mud, mountain flowers and banana leaves dyed red by the twilight. Raindrops fall from the eaves, wisps of smoke rise from the chimneys, where are you, so lost and restless? Searching and searching, cold and desolate, the moon sets, crows cry, the crescent moon falls into a lonely well. Scattered fragments, bits and pieces, in dreams there are flowers, in dreams there is green grass..."

The soft, melodious Wu dialect mingled with the gentle murmur of the pipa, evoking the misty rain of Jiangnan. As the last line was sung, a fingertip lightly traced the strings, as if a tear had fallen into an ancient well, leaving a lingering, melodious sound.

This wasn't the first time anyone had heard Jing Qing sing and play "Sheng Sheng Man"; even Xing Xiuyan, who had only recently joined the Jiang family, had witnessed it once before.

Even so, after the performance ended, everyone genuinely cheered.

Yuan Chun sighed, "Every time I hear it, I gain a new understanding!"

After everyone dispersed, Jiang Nian remained in the east wing. He had spent the previous two nights with Yuan Chun and Xue Baochai respectively, and tonight he had come specifically to keep Jing Qing company.

He still remembered the night he took Jingqing as his bride on the Mid-Autumn Festival, the fifteenth of August. He had listened to "Sheng Sheng Man" in the same way before going to Wushan with Jingqing. The night before this trip south felt like that night was being relived.

Jing Qing personally served Jiang Nian during her bath. Dried flower petals were scattered in the tub, and the rising steam carried a sweet fragrance that made one feel weak in the knees. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing a section of her fair wrist, and her fingertips, adorned with flower petals, gently massaged Jiang Nian's shoulders and neck.

After her bath, inside the red silk tent, Jing Qing nestled into Jiang Nian's arms. The scent of jasmine hair oil mingled with the fragrance of agarwood from the pillow, creating a sensual atmosphere. Yet, unlike her usual shyness, she pressed her rosy cheek against Jiang Nian's chest and coquettishly called out, "Master..."

Before the words had even faded, her face was already flushed like a rosy cloud.

Jiang Nian stroked her cascading black hair, then took her to Wushan...

After returning from Wushan, Jing Qing nestled in Jiang Nian's arms again and said softly, "Go and come back soon!"

Jiang Nian suddenly felt a chill on her neck—it was Jing Qing who had shed a tear, which landed right on her collarbone. The tear slid down her chest, leaving a slightly cool mark on her heart.

……

……

Although Jiang Nian did not take Lin Daiyu with her to Yangzhou, Grandmother Jia set the date for Lin Daiyu's departure from the capital to be the same day as Jiang Nian's.

Early that morning, the side gate of Rongguo Mansion was opened wide.

After bidding farewell to Grandmother Jia, Lin Daiyu was helped into a carriage by Zijuan. Jia Lian also rode in a carriage, followed by a group of servants, and they left Rongguo Mansion in a grand procession.

Lin Daiyu peeked out from behind a corner of the curtain, while Zijuan handed her a hand warmer, saying, "Miss, be careful not to get cold." Lin Daiyu, however, seemed not to hear her, staring blankly at the plaque that read "Imperial Construction of Rongguo Mansion," her eyes brimming with tears.

The convoy left the city through Chaoyang Gate and arrived in the eastern suburbs. When it passed by Jiang's residence, it happened to meet the imperial envoy Jiang Nian's entourage. The banners were fluttering and the carriages and horses were bustling about.

In addition to Ren Pijiang, Dai Shijiao, Qi Jianyu, Zou Jianyuan, and Meng Xiong, Jiang Nian also brought twenty elite officers and soldiers from the Imperial Guard, making his personal guard twice as many as when he went to Jiangnan before.

Upon seeing this, Jia Lian quickly got off the carriage and bowed to the window of the carriage where Jiang Nian was riding, saying, "Brother-in-law Jiang, what a coincidence."

The carriage window curtain was lifted, revealing Jiang Nian's entire face. He gazed at Jia Lian and asked with a smile, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm escorting my cousin back to Yangzhou to visit relatives," Jia Lian said with a smile. "And I'm traveling with my brother-in-law."

Jiang Nian's gaze passed over Jia Lian and met Lin Daiyu's eyes in another carriage. Lin Daiyu hurriedly lowered the curtain, but in her haste, she rolled up the corner, revealing half of her face—pale in the morning light, with only a touch of rouge on her lips, like a red plum blossom in the snow.

Jiang Nian thought to herself, "The old lady is quite shrewd; she deliberately arranged for Jia Lian, Lin Daiyu, and me to set off on the same day."

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look at the carriage again, only to see that the curtains had already covered her beautiful face.

Zijuan called out softly from inside the car, "Miss!"

It turned out that the handkerchief in Lin Daiyu's hand had been twisted out of shape, and her fingernails had even dug into her palm.

Lin Daiyu forced herself to remain calm and said, "It's alright." But her voice was barely audible.

Jiang Nian said to Jia Lian, "I have official business to attend to, so I'll go ahead first." After saying that, she lowered the curtain.

The procession continued forward, its iron hooves pounding the official road.

As Jia Lian returned to the Rongguo Mansion's entourage, he thought to himself, "What a grand spectacle!"

He then urged his own convoy to catch up.

Zijuan quietly lifted the curtain and saw that the imperial envoy's entourage had already gone far away, and several crows were cawing and flying up from the withered trees nearby.

Lin Daiyu leaned against the carriage wall with her eyes closed, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. Just a fleeting glimpse of him—that slightly older Master Jiang—had sharply defined features, yet his gaze was gentle and warm, possessing the imposing air of an imperial envoy, so different from Jia Baoyu's infatuated state…

Jiang Nian's imperial envoy entourage arrived at Luhe Post Station in Tongzhou.

Despite the cold winter, Luhe Post Station remained bustling with activity, still bustling with official and civilian boats. Although the Grand Canal was not frozen over, a thin layer of ice floated on it, shimmering with tiny silver sparkles in the sunlight.

Jia Lian and his entourage also arrived at Luhe Post Station. Lin Daiyu, helped down from the carriage by Zijuan, suddenly felt the biting river wind and instinctively pulled her cloak tighter around herself. Looking up, she saw Jiang Nian's three official boats setting sail. On the deck of one of the boats, Jiang Nian, dressed in the uniform of a guard with a cloak over it, was leaning on the railing, gazing into the distance.

"Girl, look!"

Before Zijuan could finish speaking, Lin Daiyu hurriedly lowered her head, but couldn't help stealing another glance. She saw the official boat slowly leaving the shore, and Jiang Nian's figure was exceptionally clear in the winter sunlight—he seemed to be looking this way! Lin Daiyu's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly turned around and rushed into the cabin, almost tripping over the threshold.

Even after settling into her cabin, Lin Daiyu's heart was still pounding. The cabin window faced the river, and through it, she could still see three official boats gradually sailing away into the distance...

(End of this chapter)