The Red Mansion

Chapter 199 What kind of flower is Lin Daiyu?
Lin Ruhai was bedridden in the inner room of the Sibingtang, and the drizzle outside the window had stopped.

Although the charcoal fire inside was burning brightly, there was still a chill in the air.

A woman, nearly forty years old, was sitting in front of the bed. She was wearing a satin jacket and a silk skirt, with a gold hairpin in her hair and pearl earrings in her ears.

She was Aunt Qiu, Lin Ruhai's concubine.

Behind Aunt Qiu stood two maids. The one on the left, wearing a blue satin vest, was called Xiao Nan. She was seventeen years old and had almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks. She was quite pretty. The one on the right, wearing a green jacket, was called Xiao Dan. She was a year older than Xiao Nan, but her looks were far inferior to Xiao Nan's.

Aunt Qiu held the medicine bowl, stirred it gently, and said softly, "Master, the medicine has cooled down; it's time to give you some."

He then held the medicine bowl to Lin Ruhai's lips, and Lin Ruhai reluctantly drank it.

Aunt Qiu put down the medicine bowl, wiped Lin Ruhai's mouth with a handkerchief, and suddenly asked, "Who did Master send to serve that Lord Jiang?"

Lin Ruhai closed his eyes and said, "I sent my servant Kang'er."

Aunt Qiu's eyes flickered, and she smiled, "Although Lord Jiang is an imperial envoy, he is still a young man. Moreover, he is the master's nephew-in-law. Sending only a servant to serve him is rather disrespectful." As she spoke, she gently tucked the quilt around Lin Ruhai. "In my opinion, it would be more appropriate to send a maid who knows how to care for you."

Lin Ruhai opened his eyes and pondered for a moment: "That's fine then. But I wonder who would be suitable to send?"

Aunt Qiu raised the corners of her mouth slightly, turned around and pointed to Xiao Nan behind her: "This Xiao Nan is the most clever. She can do needlework and cooking. She is also literate. Why don't we send her?"

Xiao Nan lowered her head and twisted the hem of her clothes, but couldn't help stealing a glance at Lin Ruhai's expression.

Lin Ruhai looked Xiao Nan up and down a few times. Seeing that she was pretty, he nodded and said, "In that case, I'll do as you say."

Aunt Qiu hurriedly said, "Xiao Nan, why don't you thank the master?"

Xiao Nan quickly stepped forward and bowed gracefully, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, sir."

Lin Ruhai waved his hand: "Remember, Lord Jiang is an imperial envoy and also a relative, so be sure to serve him carefully."

Xiao Nan readily agreed.

……

……

Jiang Nian settled in Peach Blossom Spring Pavilion.

The servant boy named Kang'er was busy tidying up when he suddenly heard the tinkling of jade pendants outside the door. He looked up and saw Aunt Qiu leading Xiao Nan and Xiao Dan gracefully towards him. Kang'er hurriedly bowed and greeted her.

Jiang Nian was leaning against the back window admiring the plum blossoms when she heard the sound and turned around. She saw a woman with two maids and couldn't help but feel curious.

"Greetings to Lord Jiang." Aunt Qiu curtsied, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze in March.

Jiang Nian glanced at Kang'er: "And who is this?"

Kang'er quickly said, "This is our family's Aunt Qiu."

Jiang Nian understood.

Aunt Qiu's eyes flickered, and she said to Kang'er, "You may leave now. Master said that you don't need to serve him here. You should go back and serve Master."

Upon hearing this, Kang'er's face immediately showed some unease. He had wanted to take this opportunity to curry favor with Jiang Nian, the imperial envoy. However, he dared not disobey, so he could only retreat dejectedly, stealing a glance at Jiang Nian's expression before leaving.

Jiang Nian took in all of this and simply smiled as she looked at Aunt Qiu.

Aunt Qiu was not flustered by his gaze. Instead, she smiled and said, "I thought it was inappropriate for the master not to have someone who knows how to care for him. So I specially asked my personal maid, Xiao Nan, to serve him, and the master agreed to it." As she spoke, she pulled Xiao Nan, who had almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks and was quite pretty, over to her. "Although this girl is not very clever, she is quite diligent."

Xiao Nan blushed, stealing glances at the young imperial envoy before her. He was dressed in the uniform of a guard, his jade belt gleaming, exuding both martial prowess and an air of nobility. She couldn't help but feel secretly pleased, glad that she had been assigned to serve such a person.

Xiao Dan, standing to the side, was also stunned, her eyes filled with envy.

Jiang Nian's gaze lingered briefly on Xiao Nan. Seeing her beauty, she understood Aunt Qiu's intention, but she didn't say anything. She simply said to Aunt Qiu, "In that case, thank you for your kindness."

When Aunt Qiu saw that he had agreed, she became even more attentive: "The kitchen is already preparing dinner. Once dinner is ready, we will invite you to dine with us."

She gave Xiao Nan a few more instructions, then took her leave with Xiao Dan.

Before leaving, Xiao Dan couldn't help but look back at Jiang Nian, thinking to herself, "What a pity."

After Aunt Qiu left, Xiao Nan immediately began to fawn over Jiang Nian, asking in a sweet voice, "Would you like some tea and snacks, sir? The water from Peach Blossom Spring is the best for brewing tea."

Jiang Nian said with great interest, "In that case, brew a cup of tea with the water from Peach Blossom Spring."

Xiao Nan responded with a "Yes," and gracefully moved to fetch water.

Jiang Nian watched her retreating figure, lost in thought.

Before long, Xiao Nan returned with a tea tray, skillfully warming the cups, adding tea leaves, and pouring water. The boiling spring water filled the cups, instantly filling them with the aroma of tea, its color a delightful emerald green.

"Please have some tea, sir." Xiao Nan offered the teacup with both hands, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Jiang Nian took the teacup, took a sip, and found it fragrant and mellow, thanks to the good spring water, the good tea leaves, and also the psychological effect.

He put down his teacup and suddenly asked, "How long have you been by Aunt Qiu's side?"

Xiao Nan was taken aback, and quickly replied, "Replying to you, sir, I have been with my great-aunt since I was eleven years old, for six years now."

Jiang Nian nodded, thinking to herself, "Seventeen? That's the same age as me."

The new year has passed, and he is now seventeen years old.

……

……

Aunt Qiu returned to her residence, and Xiao Dan hurriedly helped her take off her outer garment and then brought a hand warmer to place at her feet.

Aunt Qiu sat down on the chaise longue and said lazily, "Bring me a cup of tea."

Xiao Dan responded and went to fetch the tea set, returning shortly with a cup of Biluochun tea.

Aunt Qiu took the teacup, but didn't drink it immediately. She gently stirred the floating tea leaves with the lid, then suddenly looked up and smiled, "Xiao Dan, do you also want to serve that Lord Jiang?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Dan's hands trembled, her face flushed red, and she lowered her head, stammering, "I...I didn't expect..."

Aunt Qiu smiled and said, "Still denying it? You've been with me since you were little, how could I not know what you're thinking? Just now at Peach Blossom Spring Pavilion, your eyes were practically glued to that Lord Jiang."

Xiao Dan blushed even more, and lowered her head without saying a word.

Seeing this, Aunt Qiu knew that her judgment was correct. She sighed inwardly, "That Lord Jiang became an imperial envoy at such a young age, and he is so handsome and heroic. If I were still a young girl, I would probably be tempted too."

"Don't blame me for not sending you to serve that Lord Jiang," Aunt Qiu said, taking out a purse and pouring out a few pieces of silver. "Here, this is a reward for you." Xiao Dan was both shy and happy. She took the silver and curtsied, saying, "Thank you for the reward, Aunt. Xiao Nan is prettier than me. It's only right that she be sent to do this kind of job. How could I blame you, Aunt?"

Aunt Qiu nodded: "It's good that you understand."

After Xiao Dan left, Aunt Qiu leaned against the couch alone, slowly sipping her tea, her thoughts drifting far away...

She thought of the son she had borne for the master, but the child was unlucky and died a few years after birth. Although the master treated her well because of this, she was ultimately just a concubine and could not be made the official wife.

Considering that the master is now terminally ill, although he has no direct relatives, he does have several cousins. Recently, those cousins ​​have been frequently visiting, they must be after the master's property.

What's even more worrying is the arrival of people from the Rongguo Mansion. Jia Lian, leading a group of servants to escort Daiyu back, clearly intends to interfere in the Lin family's affairs. If something truly happens to the master, how can a concubine like myself compare to Daiyu, the legitimate daughter? And how can I possibly contend with the power of the Rongguo Mansion? Besides, a significant portion of the Lin family's assets was originally Jia Min's dowry.

That's why I specifically sent Xiao Nan to serve Lord Jiang. Xiao Nan is beautiful and I personally raised her; sending her to serve Lord Jiang might help me curry favor with this important person, giving me someone to rely on. If something happens to my master, it might help me protect my personal wealth…

Thinking of this, Aunt Qiu got up and walked to the dressing table. She opened the bottom of the makeup box, which contained precious jewelry, almost all of which had been given to her by Lin Ruhai in the past.

She stroked a silver-plated, jewel-encrusted hairpin, a gift from Lin Ruhai on the night of her marriage. Recalling their wedding night, her eyes reddened slightly.

"My lord, my lord," Aunt Qiu murmured, "what would I do if anything happened to you?"

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face.

……

……

Inside Peach Blossom Spring Pavilion, Jiang Nian was talking with Xiao Nan.

Xiao Nan said in a soft voice, "Master has four concubines, and the most favored one is Concubine Qiu. She gave birth to a boy, but unfortunately he died when he was three or four years old."

He added, "Recently, some of the master's cousins ​​have been frequently visiting, which must be... must be..."

Xiao Nan suddenly stopped talking at this point.

Jiang Nian smiled slightly: "What must it be? Please speak freely."

Seeing his gentle and kind expression, Xiao Nan said, "He must be eyeing our master's family fortune."

Just then, the sound of boots clattering outside the door was heard, followed by Qi Jianyu's voice: "My lord, I, Qi Jianyu, have something to report."

Jiang Nian told Xiao Nan to step aside before letting Qi Jianyu in.

Qi Jianyu bowed and said, "Reporting to Your Excellency, Shen Chuan'en, the chief salt merchant of Yangzhou, requests an audience."

Jiang Nian raised an eyebrow, thinking to herself, "This person has arrived quickly! The Salt Commissioner of Lianghuai and the Prefect of Yangzhou haven't even shown up yet, but he's already here."

He deduced that Shen Chuan'en's visit was either to curry favor or to probe the truth. The Yangzhou salt merchants had long been entrenched in collusion with the government, and Shen Chuan'en was the first to be targeted in this crackdown on the salt administration.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Nian said, "Tell him that I have just arrived in Yangzhou today and am exhausted from the journey. We will meet again after I have settled in." He also specifically instructed, "You must be very polite."

Qi Jianyu accepted the order and left, passing through several courtyards to reach the outer residence.

Shen Chuan'en was in his forties, with a refined and scholarly appearance. Although he was a wealthy salt merchant, he was dressed neatly in the official robes of a fifth-rank official.

He was admiring the calligraphy and paintings on the wall with his hands behind his back when he heard footsteps. He immediately turned around and saw Qi Jianyu. He put on a smile and said, "Guard Qi!"

Qi Jianyu disliked this man. The reason was that he had previously come to Yangzhou to capture Shen Chuankui, the God of Wealth of the Luo Cult, but failed. At that time, he met Shen Chuankui's cousin, Shen Chuan'en, who appeared respectful but was actually wary of him at every turn…

Qi Jianyu did not disobey Jiang Nian's orders. He suppressed his displeasure and forced a smile: "Master Shen, you have been waiting for a long time. My master said that since we have just arrived in Yangzhou today, we are tired from the journey. We will see guests after we are settled."

Shen Chuan'en's smile remained unchanged, and he became even more solicitous: "I was being presumptuous." As he spoke, he took out a brocade box from his sleeve, "Thank you for your help, Guard Qi. This is just a small gift, nothing more. I hope you will accept it."

Qi Jianyu knew it must be a valuable item, but he waved his hand and said, "Master Shen, you are too kind. I dare not accept this."

While the two exchanged pleasantries, Shen Chuan'en suddenly lowered his voice and said, "When Guard Qi came to Yangzhou on official business last time, I was not able to entertain him properly, and I have felt guilty ever since. Now that Guard Qi has come again, I wonder when he will have some free time? I would like to treat you to a meal."

Qi Jianyu sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm: "I appreciate Mr. Shen's kind offer, but I am preoccupied with official duties and it is truly inconvenient for me."

Shen Chuan'en said a few more flattering words, but Qi Jianyu just gave them perfunctory replies.

After seeing Shen Chuanen off, Qi Jianyu stood on the steps, watching the figure gradually disappear into the distance, and thought to himself, "What a smiling tiger! I couldn't do anything to you before, but now that Lord Jiang has come in person, let's see how long you can remain arrogant!"

Thinking of this, the frustration in my heart eased a little.

……

……

In the backyard of the Salt Academy, less than a hundred steps from Peach Blossom Spring Pavilion, there is a Hibiscus Pavilion.

The reason it is called Furong Pavilion is because the pavilion is next to a small lotus pond, which has many lotus flowers, and lotus flowers are also known as water hibiscus!
This building is a three-bay refined residence with green gauze windows and a roof covered with blue tiles. Under the eaves hangs a nanmu wood plaque with three elegant regular script characters that read "Hibiscus Pavilion," which was personally inscribed by Jia Min.

A winding covered walkway leads directly to the waterside pavilion in the center of the small lotus pond.

Although it was not the lotus blooming season, the withered stems and fallen leaves in the pond swayed gently in the wind, creating a unique and desolate beauty.

Lin Daiyu lived in the Hibiscus Pavilion when she was a child, and now that she has returned, she still lives in the Hibiscus Pavilion.

If we were to use a flower to describe each of the ladies, Yuan Chun could be described as a peony, Xue Baochai as a pear blossom, Qin Keqing as a crabapple, and Xing Xiuyan as an orchid…

Lin Daiyu could use a water lily!

Cao Xueqin used the "Crimson Pearl Fairy Herb" as the previous life of Lin Daiyu. This fairy herb grew on the "bank of the Western Spirit River," which is perfectly in line with the image of the water lily.

In the original novel, at the Shouyihong Palace, a banquet was held for all the beauties. The girls drew flower fortune sticks to predict their fortunes. Lin Daiyu drew a hibiscus fortune stick with the inscription "Wind and Dew, Clear Sorrow" and an old poem, "Do not blame the east wind, but lament your own fate."

"Wind and dew bring sorrow" accurately summarizes Lin Daiyu's temperament, while "Do not blame the east wind, but lament your own fate" implies her tragic self-esteem and lonely destiny.

The water lily is delicate and easily withered; its petals fall in a poignant beauty, echoing the image of Lin Daiyu.

Furthermore, the phrase "a lotus emerging from clear water, naturally beautiful without adornment" symbolizes the quality of "rising from the mud unsullied," which aligns with Lin Daiyu's aloofness, pride, and refusal to conform to worldly ways. For instance, she despises the powerful and wealthy, even rejecting the Prince of Beijing's wagtail-scented string of pearls as "the stuff of a stinking man."

The drizzle has just stopped.

At this moment, Lin Daiyu, accompanied by her maid Zijuan, was standing on the bluestone slab in front of the Hibiscus Pavilion, gazing silently at the pond of withered lotus flowers, feeling a pang of sadness: "It's a pity it's not summer; the water lilies in this pond have all withered."

Seeing Lin Daiyu's gloomy expression, Zijuan knew that she was troubled again. She was already used to this, so she deliberately tried to divert her attention: "Look, Miss, how beautifully the plum blossoms are blooming over there!"

Lin Daiyu looked up and saw an old plum tree outside Peach Blossom Spring Pavilion, its gnarled branches twisting and turning, its branches laden with blossoms, looking even more vibrant after the light rain. Yet, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness, thinking to herself, "It's a pity that...that person lives in Peach Blossom Spring Pavilion now, so it's inconvenient for him to go and admire the plum blossoms..."

(End of this chapter)