The Red Mansion

Chapter 220 Beneath the Flowers, Withered Bones; Crimson Lips Poisoned

The rain has stopped, but the sun hasn't come out.

Shen Chuan'en, along with Yu Zhaoying, moved into a house on the shore of Baozhang Lake.

This residence, which was not originally part of the Shen family's property, can now be called the "Shen Residence".

Although this "Shen Residence" cannot compare to the grandeur of the former Shen Garden, which boasted "a building every five steps and a pavilion every ten steps," it is still an exquisite place. The three courtyards are built along the water, with white walls and black tiles reflecting the lake's shimmering light.

Yu Zhaoying's courtyard is even more unique, with three small, exquisite rooms, one bright and two dark, with a few slender bamboos and a peony tree outside the window, just like the artistic conception of "people like flowers by the green window".

At this moment, Yu Zhaoying was packing her trunks with her two personal maids when she suddenly saw Shen Chuan'en stroll in. The three of them quickly curtsied and greeted him.

Shen Chuan'en waved his hand, dismissing the two maids, before sitting down on the rosewood armchair.

Shen Chuan'en didn't let Yu Zhaoying pour tea. After asking Yu Zhaoying to sit down, he sighed and said, "My dear daughter, don't blame your godfather for bringing you to see the Emperor Emeritus today. Your godfather was truly at his wit's end, which is why he did this!"

He pretended to choke up as he spoke.

Yu Zhaoying said softly, "Godfather has said this twice already. How could I be so ungrateful? If it weren't for Godfather's rescue back then, the three of us would have been dead by the roadside long ago."

As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes, revealing her sincerity, unlike Shen Chuan'en's hypocrisy.

It turns out that many years ago, the Yu family suffered a famine, and Mr. and Mrs. Yu fled to Yangzhou with their two children. After arriving in Yangzhou, Mr. Yu fell ill and died. It was pitiful that "the rich feast on meat and wine while the poor freeze to death on the road." Mrs. Yu had nowhere else to turn, so she had to put up a sign in the market to sell her daughter.

At that time, Yu Zhaoying was only eight years old. With a withered grass stuck in her hair, she knelt in the marketplace. Although she was thin and pale, her delicate features could not be concealed.

Shen Chuan'en happened to pass by and saw this, so he bought Yu Zhaoying with silver. Not only that, he also settled Yu's mother and young child, gave them money every month, and made sure the young child went to school. Yu Zhaoying was adopted as his goddaughter and raised in luxury.

Shen Chuan'en lowered his voice and said, "Today, the Fourth Prince sent a eunuch to inquire about your lodgings, which clearly shows he has taken a liking to you. This man is the secretly appointed Crown Prince, and he is deeply favored by both the Retired Emperor and the Emperor! He is far more noble than Jiang Nian. If he really comes here to find you, you must win his favor!"

Yu Zhaoying tightened her grip on the handkerchief in her hand, then lowered her head and remained silent.

Shen Chuan'en continued, "This is also a stroke of great luck for you! The Fourth Prince is extremely noble and will surely ascend the throne in the future. Moreover, he is young, handsome, and has an extraordinary demeanor. If you curry favor with him, your godfather can make a comeback. With my secret assistance and your talent and looks, you will surely be able to become a concubine or even an imperial concubine in the future! This is a great opportunity for you!"

Before she could finish speaking, Yu Zhaoying looked up and said softly, "I understand. If the Fourth Prince really comes here, I will do my best to curry favor with him."

Shen Chuan'en was overjoyed, thinking to himself, "This woman is exceptionally beautiful and talented, and extremely obedient. I made a point of taking her with me when I fled last time, and it was indeed the right decision. She has proven to be of great use now!"

Shen Chuan'en continued, "My dear daughter, your godfather will send another two thousand taels of silver to your mother today. I will also pay extra attention to your brother's studies. Once you've ingratiated yourself with the Fourth Prince, your brother will surely become an official, and your Yu family will become an official family! If your father knew this in the afterlife, he would be very pleased to have such a good daughter as you!"

Yu Zhaoying stood up and curtsied, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Godfather."

After giving a few more instructions, Shen Chuan'en got up with satisfaction and strolled out the door.

……

……

This afternoon.

After visiting Baozhang Lake, Qiling Temple, and Pingshan Hall, the retired Emperor Jingning returned to the West Garden Palace of Tianning Temple. Due to his advanced age, physical exhaustion, and mental fatigue, he fell into a deep sleep upon returning.

Yuan Li was deeply favored by Emperor Jingning and Emperor Taishun, and had already been secretly designated as the crown prince, so the young man was inevitably a bit arrogant. Today, he was poisoned by a kind of beauty called "fish reflection".

After Emperor Jingning fell asleep, Yuan Li paced back and forth in his room like a caged beast, opening and closing his gold-leafed folding fan repeatedly. Finally, unable to contain his anxiety, he summoned his trusted eunuch Li Ji and whispered a few words to him.

Li Ji was the same eunuch who had asked Shen Chuan'en for his address earlier.

In less than half an hour, Yuan Li, accompanied by several attendants, arrived at the Shen residence by Baozhang Lake.

Although Shen Chuan'en had anticipated Yuan Li's arrival, he hadn't expected him to be so eager. He hurriedly went out to greet him and ushered Yuan Li into the hall. Just as he was about to order tea, Yuan Li waved his hand and said, "No need for formalities. I came here today to witness your daughter's exceptional dancing skills."

Shen Chuan'en understood immediately and quickly led Yuan Li through the moon gate to the small courtyard where Yu Zhaoying lived.

Shen Chuan'en tactfully stopped and took his leave outside the courtyard gate.

Yuan Li entered alone and saw Yu Zhaoying already waiting under the eaves, wearing a close-fitting light red silk and gold dance dress. She truly was "a willow waist swaying lightly and a flower branch trembling."

Yu Zhaoying hurriedly stepped forward and bowed gracefully, her elegant demeanor quite different from her behavior before the emperor today.

Yuan Li reached out to help him up, unable to resist looking him up and down, his heart fluttering.

Once inside the room, Yuan Liqiang composed himself and said, "Your dance today has captivated me, and I have come to request another performance from you."

Yu Zhaoying's eyes sparkled as she softly said, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, how could I refuse? But I wonder what tune you would like to hear, sir?"

Yuan Li decisively replied, "It's still 'Spring River Flower Moon Night,' this time you're dancing just for me!"

Yu Zhaoying smiled seductively, "Today, when I danced before the Emperor, there was only pipa accompaniment, no one sang. This time, I'll dance especially for you, Your Highness. I'll have one maid play the pipa and another sing. What do you say?"

Yuan Li slammed his gold-plated folding fan against his palm: "Excellent!"

Immediately, a maid brought over a pipa, and with her slender fingers, she lightly plucked the strings, playing "Spring River Flower Moon Night".

Another maidservant began to sing: "The spring river rises with the tide, level with the sea; the bright moon rises with the tide. Rippling waves stretch for thousands of miles; where on the spring river is there no moonlight? The river meanders around the fragrant fields; the moon shines on the flower forest like scattered snowflakes. Frost seems to flow in the air unnoticed; the white sand on the riverbank is invisible..."

Yu Zhaoying danced gracefully to the sounds of the pipa and singing, this time less reserved than before the emperor, displaying a more alluring charm. She would sometimes glance back with a smile, sometimes bend and twirl, her sleeves fluttering, releasing a delicate fragrance.

Yuan Li's mouth went dry from reading.

When the music ended, he waved to the two maids and said, "You may leave now."

The two maids understood and bowed their heads to leave.

Suddenly, only Yuan Li and Yu Zhaoying remained in the room.

Yuan Li could no longer restrain himself. He stepped forward and embraced Yu Zhaoying's slender waist. He smelled the jasmine fragrance in her hair and felt all the blood rush to his head.

Yu Zhaoying feigned refusal, saying in a coquettish voice, "My lord, you mustn't, my lowly body..."

Yuan Li was no longer listening to any of this and pulled the person into the inner room with its brocade curtains.

Yu Zhaoying, half-heartedly resisting, took the opportunity to hook her arm around Yuan Li's neck and gently blew a breath into his ear, making the fourth prince even more unable to control himself.

For a time, mandarin ducks with intertwined necks played in the water, and phoenixes with heads together flew among the flowers.

After the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, Yuan Li stroked Yu Zhaoying's back and laughed, "You really are a beauty!"

Yu Zhaoying drew circles on his heart with her fingertips and said sweetly, "If you don't abandon me, my lord, I am willing to stay by your side forever."

Just then, a cough was heard outside the window. The eunuch Li Ji whispered, "Your Majesty, the Emperor Emeritus is about to wake up. We should hurry back!"

Yuan Li was startled and immediately got up to straighten his clothes.

Yu Zhaoying put on her clothes and got out of bed. She tied a jade belt around his neck and handed him a sachet: "Inside is a lock of my hair. Please keep it with you, my lord."

Yuan Li tucked her into his arms and stole a kiss on the lips. Yu Zhaoying smiled and asked, "When will you come again, Master?"

Yuan Li smiled and replied, "I'll come again tomorrow or the day after!"

After saying that, he left reluctantly.

Yu Zhaoying leaned against the courtyard gate and watched the figure disappear before turning back.

Seeing several slender bamboos and a peony tree outside the inner room window, Yu Zhaoying stopped to examine them closely, a smug smile playing on her lips: "Having climbed onto the high branch of the Fourth Prince, I can be as beautiful and noble as this peony!"

However, she immediately recalled the fortune she had drawn at Tianning Temple on the Lantern Festival more than a month ago, and muttered to herself: "Beneath the peony lies withered bone, a touch of crimson lips is poison. On the Phoenix Terrace, I recall playing the flute, turning into green smoke to enter the underworld. This fortune is truly unlucky, but thankfully, one shouldn't take fortune-telling too seriously!"

Just then, Yu Zhaoying heard footsteps behind her and turned around to see her godfather, Shen Chuan'en, entering.

Shen Chuan'en quickly stepped forward and asked with a smile, "How did it go?"

Yu Zhaoying lowered her eyes and, with a hint of shyness, explained the situation.

Shen Chuan'en was overjoyed upon hearing this and laughed, "Good! Good! You are indeed my good daughter! I will send someone to deliver another two thousand taels of silver to your mother right away, no, it should be three thousand taels!"

……

……

Less than a quarter of an hour after Yuan Li left, Prince Zhongshun also quietly arrived at the Shen residence.

Shen Chuan'en hurriedly welcomed Prince Zhongshun inside.

Prince Zhongshun was dressed in a dark blue silk robe with a white jade belt. Although he was nearly fifty years old, he was well-preserved and had a handsome face.

When he was in front of the retired Emperor Jingning, he appeared very gentle, but when he came to see Shen Chuan'en this time, his eyes and brows carried a hint of sinister intent, which made Shen Chuan'en feel a chill in his heart.

Upon entering the hall, after the servants served fragrant tea and withdrew, Prince Zhongshun, without even drinking the tea, said to Shen Chuan'en, "I pleaded for you before the Emperor today, and I bear the consequences!"

Shen Chuan'en repeatedly said, "Your Highness's great kindness is something I will never forget!"

Before he could finish speaking, Prince Zhongshun extended a slender, fair hand with his five fingers spread wide: "One hundred thousand taels of silver, plus your adopted daughter."

Shen Chuan'en was struck dumb. He had thought that even though Prince Zhongshun was greedy and wanted a large reward, he should be able to settle the matter with 30,000 to 50,000 taels of silver. He never expected that the prince would make such an outrageous demand.

Shen Chuan'en cursed inwardly, but put on a distressed expression: "Your Highness, please understand, my family property has been confiscated, and it is really difficult to raise 100,000 taels!"

Before he could finish speaking, Prince Zhongshun's face darkened: "Don't try to deceive me! When you fled, how could you not take any valuables with you? In my opinion, you must have hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. Asking for only 100,000 taels today is already out of consideration for our past relationship."

Prince Zhongshun then said in a deep voice, "You know in your heart that if I hadn't intervened before the Emperor today, not only would you have lost your head, but your family would have been confiscated, not to mention your valuables!"

Shen Chuan'en sighed, knowing he could no longer refuse, and had no choice but to agree.

However, Shen Chuan'en did not have enough silver on hand at the moment, so he secretly discussed the method of handing over the silver with Prince Zhongshun.

Prince Zhongshun added, "Besides this 100,000 taels of silver, I also want your adopted daughter!"

Shen Chuan'en then feigned distress: "Your Highness, this is truly impossible."

Prince Zhongshun's face darkened again: "What? I want her, and you dare refuse?"

Shen Chuan'en said with a bitter face, "It's not that I'm unwilling, but... alas, I dare not hide it from Your Highness, my daughter has just become the Fourth Prince's concubine."

Prince Chungshun was taken aback upon hearing this: "What's going on?"

Shen Chuan'en immediately recounted the story of the Fourth Prince's visit to Yu Zhaoying.

Prince Zhongshun suddenly realized after hearing this: "No wonder I met Li'er when I came here. So he came here and did such a thing. Fine, fine! Since that's the case, I don't want your adopted daughter anymore."

In his view, Yuan Li was destined to be the future emperor, and his palace was filled with beautiful concubines and maids. It wasn't worth offending Yuan Li for the sake of Yu Zhaoying. On the contrary, perhaps he could take advantage of this matter...

After seeing Prince Zhongshun off, Shen Chuan'en sat alone in his study, his face ashen.

Prince Zhongshun's prediction was correct; when Shen Chuan'en fled, he took with him gold, silver, and valuables worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. Even so, Shen Chuan'en still had his assets worth millions of taels confiscated, including gardens, residences, shops, estates, and smuggled salt, among other things. And the retired Emperor Jingning declared that the confiscated assets would not be returned!
Now that another 100,000 taels of silver are to be chopped off, how can Shen Chuan'en not feel like his heart is being torn apart?
Just as he was feeling annoyed, Shen Chuan'en suddenly thought, "Compared to Liu Zhongfang, I am already very fortunate!"

Liu Zhongfang was personally beheaded by Jiang Nian, and his family and property were confiscated.

Shen Chuan'en not only survived and protected his family, but also gained hundreds of thousands in wealth and even climbed the social ladder to become the future emperor, Yuan Li. If his adopted daughter, Yu Zhaoying, were to gain favor, how could she not make a comeback?

Thinking of this, Shen Chuan'en felt a little relieved.

……

……

Tianning Temple West Garden Palace.

in the afternoon.

Chief eunuch Dai Quan sat alone in a quiet room, holding a cup of fine tea. Amidst the rising steam, his face displayed an unpredictable mix of emotions.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, three light and two heavy. Dai Quan didn't even lift his eyelids, and simply said, "Come in."

A young eunuch dressed in palace robes bowed and entered; he was Zhang Qian, who served Yuan Li.

After Zhang Qian bowed, Dai Quan asked, "I heard that the Fourth Prince went out this afternoon?"

Zhang Qian respectfully replied, "Grandpa Dai, you are right, this is indeed true."

He then lowered his voice and recounted in detail Yuan Li's visit to the Shen residence, including Yuan Li's affair with Yu Zhaoying...

After listening, Dai Quan thought to himself, "What a Fourth Prince! He always pretends to be so refined, but he's actually a lecherous glutton." However, he didn't show it on his face and asked, "Do you still want to go to the Shen residence?"

Zhang Qian said, "I'm not sure. I think I might have to go again."

After asking a few more questions, Dai Quan took out a packet of gold ingots and handed it to Zhang Qian, saying, "This is a reward for you."

After Zhang Qian took his leave, Dai Quan sat alone in the quiet room, pondering for a long time, and thought to himself, "This is a good opportunity! I should tell that Mr. Zhuge to prepare to make his move!"

Although Dai Quan appeared to be Emperor Jingning's confidant, he was actually firmly controlled by the Eighth Prince's faction. They had evidence of his corruption, bribery, and even disregard for human life, and under their coercion and enticement, he had become one of them. Dai Quan also knew that Emperor Taishun had always disliked him, and that he would surely die once the retired Emperor Jingning passed away.

Therefore, before accompanying Emperor Jingning on his southern tour, Dai Quan promised the Eighth Prince's faction to help eliminate the Fourth Prince Yuan Li, and also pretended to assassinate Emperor Jingning.

In addition, Dai Quan and Wei Geng were both trusted eunuchs of Emperor Jingning, and the two had always been enemies.

In Dai Quan's mind, if Yuan Li died at the Shen residence, Wei Geng would also be doomed, and he could take the opportunity to eliminate this rival...

(End of this chapter)