The Red Mansion

Chapter 23 Aunt Xue is also embarrassed
The sky in Zaozhuang has changed from cloudy to rainy.

The drizzle was like silk threads, weaving a hazy rain curtain. The raindrops were as fine as needles, gently hitting the surface of the Grand Canal, stirring up countless ripples.

The Grand Canal, shrouded in rain, appears deep and mysterious, like a flowing painting or a wordless ballad, flowing with endless stories and carrying countless memories.

The willow trees on the bank hung their branches low, and their soft willow silks swayed gently in the rain, as if smoothing out the wrinkles of time for the ancient Grand Canal.

At this time, the Jiang family's ship and the Xue family's ship were both docked at the shore.

Jiang Nian, He Yun and He Zhong got off the Jiang family's big boat, walked along the slippery river bank, and headed towards the Xue family's big boat.

He Yun was holding a black cloth umbrella alone, while He Zhong was respectfully holding a green cloth umbrella for Jiang Nian. Jiang Nian, under the umbrella, had a calm expression and walked leisurely.

Aunt Xue, Xue Pan, and Xue Baochai were all standing on the deck of the Xue family's ship, each with a servant holding an umbrella to serve them. The three of them were all paying attention to Jiang Nian and He Yun. He Yun was wearing the official uniform of a fifth-rank Dragon Guard, which stood out in the rain, as if silently announcing Jiang Nian's extraordinary identity.

The three of them were very curious about Jiang Nian's identity.
Xue Baochai pondered to herself, "This Mr. Jiang is truly a mysterious figure! When we first met him at the Qinhuai River, he was described as a non-prominent family member, yet unexpectedly he's become so close to a powerful figure like the Jiangning Jiedushi. And now, when we meet again today, his subordinates are wearing official uniforms again. What's going on?"

When Xue Pan saw Jiang Nian boarding the boat, he couldn't help but ask, "Why is it you?"

Jiang Nian was as calm as water and asked calmly, "Why do you ask that?"

Xue Pan said, "Aren't you supposed to be in Jiangning? Why are you suddenly here? You even helped us deal with the pirates. You... you didn't follow us, did you?"

Upon hearing this, Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai fixed their eyes on Jiang Nian, and both mother and daughter had the same suspicion in their hearts.

No wonder, this is such a coincidence.

In the original novel, the Xue family did not encounter any pirates on their way to Beijing.

In this world of the Red Mansion, Jiang Nian's appearance changes the time for the Xue family to arrive in Beijing, causing them to encounter pirates on the Grand Canal. At this critical juncture, Jiang Nian appears again, saving the Xue family and further deepening their bond with them.

This made Jiang Nian further feel the mysterious and unpredictable nature of destiny.

He Yun frowned and shouted at Xue Pan, "Don't wrongly accuse my master! We've been preparing to go to the capital for many years, and we didn't run into you on the Qinhuai River at that time. How can we say we were following you? Besides, we're already in Zaozhuang, more than ten days away from Jiangning by water. If we were following you, why would we have followed you all the way here?"

He Yun looked strong and dignified, and the fifth-rank official uniform of the Dragon Guard made him look even more majestic. There was an unquestionable momentum in his words, and what he said was very reasonable, which immediately reduced the suspicion of Aunt Xue, Xue Pan, and Xue Baochai.

"It seems he's not following me, so we're destined to be together?" Xue Baochai sighed inwardly as she glanced at Jiang Nian. As soon as this thought came to her mind, her cheeks felt slightly hot. She quickly corrected herself in her mind: "No, it's not destined to be together, it's a narrow road for enemies! My family rushed to the capital this time to avoid him, but after sailing for more than ten days, we met him here again, and he saved me from the pirates. I owe him a great debt of gratitude..."

Thinking of this, Xue Baochai felt mixed emotions.

"Pan'er, don't be rude!" Aunt Xue deliberately scolded Xue Pan, but she couldn't suppress her curiosity and asked He Yun, "This gentleman looks like he's wearing a military officer's uniform. What's your position?"

Xue Pan and Xue Baochai were both very curious about this and turned their eyes to He Yun.

He Yun didn't answer directly. He glanced at Jiang Nian, asking for instructions. Jiang Nian answered on his behalf, "This is my housekeeper He, a fifth-rank Dragon Guard."

Xue Pan blurted out: "So it's the Dragon Guard. I guess he was donated?"

Aunt Xue quickly scolded Xue Pan again: "Don't be rude!"

The Xue family had someone who had served as an official, and they were also royal merchants, and had close contacts with some noble officials.

Aunt Xue, Xue Pan, and Xue Baochai were all familiar with the title of "Dragon Guard." They knew it was a nominal position, far superior to the real rank of imperial guard. Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai were both more cunning than Xue Pan, and both thought to themselves, "Even Dragon Guard is a title not often attained by ordinary people. This Mr. Jiang must have a remarkable background!"

They knew that an honorary position like the Dragon Guard was not something that could be easily purchased with money. Usually, only relatives of the emperor, nobles, or children of the Imperial Household Department could donate for it.

Aunt Xue was afraid that continuing to ask would bore Jiang Nian, so she changed the subject and said sincerely, "Uncle Jiang saved our family today. It is truly a great favor. The Xue family is grateful to you all."

After saying this, she actually bowed solemnly to Jiang Nian to show her gratitude. She also bowed to He Yun, thinking it was necessary to show some respect to this fifth-rank military officer.

Seeing her mother doing this, Xue Baochai followed suit and bowed to Jiang Nian and He Yun respectively, with dignified and elegant movements.

All at once, the women on the deck followed suit and saluted.

Xie Jixing, Li'er and a male servant all bowed and kowtowed to Jiang Nian and He Yun to express their gratitude.

Seeing that everyone had already bowed, but he was just standing there, Xue Pan scratched his head and bowed deeply to Jiang Nian, his tone carrying some sincerity: "Thank you for rescuing me today. I was confused at first and offended you. Let's get along from now on."

Human beings are complex animals. Even very kind people have flaws, and even very evil people are not necessarily completely useless.

Xue Pan's character is complex and multifaceted.

He was a typical dandy, arrogant and domineering, a bully, uneducated, hedonistic, impulsive and reckless... But he was loyal and righteous, filial to his mother, loving to his sister, generous to his friends, not scheming, and easily deceived...

Xue Pan had hated and feared Jiang Nian before, but today Jiang Nian did him a great favor, and he also witnessed Jiang Nian's powerful abilities, so he began to admire Jiang Nian and even wanted to become friends with Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian calmly stared at Xue Baochai, but remained silent until Xue Baochai raised her eyes to meet his. He then turned his gaze to Aunt Xue and said in a calm tone, "If I hadn't appeared in time today and ordered Steward He to shoot and kill the two pirates from a distance, scaring off the rest, your Xue family would have been in great trouble. Not only would the entire ship's belongings be lost, but the men would have been killed, and the beautiful women would most likely have been humiliated or even tragically killed, like Miss Xue."

Having said that, Jiang Nian looked at Xue Baochai again. Although Xue Baochai knew that what he said was true, she still couldn't help feeling ashamed and annoyed. She quickly lowered her head and spat inwardly.

Jiang Nian looked at Aunt Xue again, his tone still calm: "Perhaps you will also be humiliated. Although you are old, you are still a woman with charm."

When these words were spoken, the Xue family members on the deck were all dumbfounded.

Oh my god, this Mr. Jiang is really outspoken! How can he say such things in public?
At this moment, Aunt Xue was just like Xue Baochai. She lowered her head quickly, a blush on her face, as if she was reliving the shyness and anger she had felt as a girl many years ago.

Xue Pan subconsciously glanced at Aunt Xue and surprisingly felt that Jiang Nian was right. He thought to himself, "My mother can indeed be described as 'still charming'."

Aunt Xue noticed that Xue Pan was looking at her, and she felt even more embarrassed and annoyed. She couldn't get angry at Jiang Nian, so she glared at Xue Pan and whispered, "What are you looking at? I'd better dig out your eyes!"

Xue Pan: "..."

Jiang Nian continued to say to Aunt Xue, "Since you also know that your Xue family owes me a great favor today, shouldn't you repay me?"

Xue Baochai's heart tightened, and she had a vague feeling that this Mr. Jiang might ask for something in return for her...

The drizzle is still falling, still weaving a hazy rain curtain, and the surface of the Grand Canal is still stirring up countless ripples.

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(End of this chapter)