The Red Mansion

Chapter 238 Announcement of Moving, Women Overjoyed

After Jiang Nian finished bathing and changing clothes, it was already 5 PM.

It was summer, with long days and short nights. The sun still hung high in the sky, casting a golden glow on the carved window frames.

A welcome banquet has been prepared at home, set up on the Eight Immortals table in the main room.

Chef Wang personally prepared a table of authentic Nanjing delicacies.

A bowl of clear-broth crab meat lion's head meatballs, the meat as smooth as cream, the soup like amber; a plate of salted duck, the skin as white as frost, the meat a rosy color, salty with a hint of freshness; several seasonal side dishes, and a water shield and silver fish soup, the soup clear to the bottom, the water shield as green as jade, the silver fish as white as fresh snow, floating and sinking in the soup, quite a beautiful sight.

Jiang Nian took the seat of honor first, followed by Yuan Chun, He Yun, and Meng Shi.

Jiang Nian also invited Xue Baochai, Jing Qing, and Xing Xiuyan to sit at the same table.

The three exchanged greetings and then took their seats in turn.

Xue Baochai had dressed up carefully today, wearing a honey-colored double-breasted shirt and a moon-white pleated silk skirt. She had a kingfisher feather hairpin in her hair and pearl earrings. Jing Qing wore an apricot-yellow gauze dress and a jade-colored horse-face skirt, with a hairpin tucked into her temple. Even Xing Xiuyan, who was usually simple, had dressed up specially today, wearing a light green plain gauze shirt and a pine-flower silk skirt, with a jade hairpin in her hair.

There were more than ten maids and servants serving the guests, some pouring wine, some holding towels, and some serving dishes with chopsticks. They moved about with grace and in an orderly manner.

Meng Xiong was nowhere to be seen because Jiang Nian, out of consideration for his return home, had asked him to go back and be with his wife and in-laws.

Jiang Nian was interested in drinking today, but she didn't plan to drink too much.

Seeing that he was in high spirits, everyone joined in, asking him about his mission to the south or asking him to tell them about the sights and sounds of the south. Jiang Nian then shared some of his stories.

At this moment, Madam Meng asked with a smile, "Sir, you have made great contributions by going south to reorganize the salt administration. I just heard that Meng Xiong was promoted to the fifth rank of Imperial Guard. May I ask what reward you have received?"

When Meng asked this question, everyone stared at Jiang Nian, as they had long been curious about this matter.

The room fell into complete silence.

Yuan Chun paused slightly with her chopsticks in hand. She recalled that when she was serving Jiang Nian earlier, the question had been on her tongue for a while but she hadn't asked it. Now that Meng Shi had revealed her thoughts, she couldn't help but look at Jiang Nian with a focused gaze.

Even He Yun put down his chopsticks, his gaze intense.

Jiang Nian did not answer immediately. She took a sip of wine and let it swirl on her tongue before smiling and saying, "I am deeply grateful for His Majesty's great favor in assigning twenty imperial guards to attend to me."

No one showed any surprise on their faces.

I already knew about the emperor's personal guards when I went home with Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian slowly picked up a piece of water shield with her chopsticks, and after the jade-green leaves entered her mouth, she slowly said, "Another house has been bestowed upon us. Let's pack our luggage tomorrow and move there the day after tomorrow."

These words were like a stone thrown into water, creating ripples all around.

Yuan Chun couldn't help but ask, "Which residence was bestowed upon you?"

Jiang Nian turned to look at her, her gaze flowing in the candlelight: "It's not somewhere else, it's the former Ningguo Mansion."

His words, once spoken, were like a thunderclap.

What? His Majesty actually bestowed the former Ningguo Mansion upon our master?
After the initial shock, they were all pleasantly surprised.

He Yun and Meng Shi exchanged a glance, both seeing joy in each other's eyes. They both thought to themselves: Could it be that Fourth Master's arrangement is to allow Master Nian to be recognized as a member of the family? Otherwise, with Master Nian's current official rank, how could he be qualified to take over the Ningguo Mansion?
Yuan Chun stood there stunned for a moment, the candlelight casting flickering shadows on her face, two thoughts racing through her mind:

Firstly, it is likely that her master is of royal lineage. Now that the Emperor has bestowed the Ningguo Mansion upon her and specially assigned twenty imperial guards to attend to her, wouldn't that be another piece of evidence?
Secondly, recalling the downfall of the Ningguo Mansion and the subsequent repossession of its residence by the imperial court, which was related to Jiang Nian, it's now clear that Jiang Nian is about to take over this Duke's mansion! Moreover, she was recently publicly expelled from the Rongguo Mansion and hasn't stepped foot inside its gates since, yet now she's to enter the Ningguo Mansion as its mistress, accompanying her husband!
Seeing Yuan Chun in a daze, Jiang Nian laughed and said, "Why aren't you eating? It would be a waste of Chef Wang's skills if the lion's head meatballs got cold."

Yuan Chun suddenly realized what was happening and was about to reply when she saw Jiang Nian personally place a lion's head meatball in her bowl. She quickly thanked her, feeling somewhat flattered.

Jiang Nian then said to Yuan Chun, "Tomorrow, besides packing our trunks at home, we also need to send someone to Ningguo Mansion to clean it up. The mansion has been uninhabited for a long time, and although it is magnificent, it is probably covered in dust and cobwebs. We need to clean it up before we can move in."

Yuan Chun hurriedly replied, "Yes, Master, your considerations are thorough."

Jiang Nian smiled and looked at He Yun and Meng Shi, saying, "I've said it before, I respect you two as much as I respect my elders, and our family can't do without you. So, I'll invite you both to come with me on this move. I'll arrange a quiet courtyard for you, which, though not as grand as the main house, will be your own private residence."

Upon hearing this, He Yun hurriedly replied, "Sir, you are so kind to me, how could I refuse? I will certainly go and serve you."

Madam Meng smiled and said, "Since you're so kind, sir, we'd love to move there! It's better to live with you and your wife than to live in the eastern suburbs."

Jiang Nian raised her glass and said with a smile, "As you all know, I don't like drinking. I've already had a few drinks today. Let's drink this cup together and then have a meal. I'd like to have a meal."

Yuan Chun, He Yun, Meng Shi, Xue Baochai, Jing Qing, Xing Xiuyan, and others all raised their cups and drank them down.

The meal was now laid out on the octagonal table, a large bowl of steaming green glutinous rice.

Jiang Nianfang was about to call Xiangling to serve rice, but Yuanchun had already picked up a spoon, personally filled a bowl for him, and handed it to him, saying softly, "Please eat, sir."

Jiang Nian accepted the gift with a smile, and everyone then began to eat.

After the meal, Jiang Nian, He Yun, and Meng Shi left the inner courtyard together.

Yuan Chun went into the bedroom, accompanied only by her zither. She sat on the L-shaped daybed, holding a round fan, gazing at the flickering candlelight, her mind filled with countless thoughts, lost in thought.

The women of the inner quarters could no longer contain themselves and began discussing the matter of moving into the Ningguo Mansion.

Qingwen, Jinchuan, and Yuchuan were all maids who came with Yuanchun from the Rongguo Mansion as part of her dowry. Now, hearing that they were going to live in the Ningguo Mansion, they all felt a sense of novelty. Qingwen laughed and said, "We originally came from the Rongguo Mansion, and now we're going to live in the Ningguo Mansion. Isn't this a cruel twist of fate?"

Jin Chuan smiled and said, "That's right. The Ning family mansion is right next to the Rong family mansion. Now that we've moved in, we've become neighbors of the Rong family mansion. I wonder what the Rong family mansion people will say about us."

Qingwen smiled and said, "Anyway, with Grandpa and Grandma in charge, we can just settle down and relax."

Xi Ren and Qian Xue, who had been expelled from the Rongguo Mansion, were now able to move into the Ningguo Mansion with their master, which greatly excited them. Qian Xue said to Xi Ren, "I thought I would never have the chance to step into such a mansion again in my life, but I never expected to be able to return. It is truly a blessing from heaven."

Xiren whispered, "We're really lucky to be able to follow Master and Grandma."

Everyone chatted amongst themselves, making the inner courtyard much more lively than usual.

Ying'er overheard some of the discussions and went back to the west wing to tell Xue Baochai. She then laughed and said, "Moving over here is like giving everyone a new hope."

Xue Baochai remained silent, thinking to herself, "Once we move there, we'll be living like a wealthy and powerful family."

……

...After the family banquet, it was already seven-four in the afternoon. The summer days were long, and the sun was still lingering halfway up the western mountains, its afterglow dyeing the clouds like brocade, as if it were unwilling to leave.

Jiang Nian came to the nearby Qin residence.

Upon arriving at the house, they saw that the main gate was half open.

Jiang Nian didn't have anyone announce her arrival and went straight inside. As soon as she crossed the threshold, she bumped into Peng Jizhong.

Upon seeing that it was Jiang Nian, Peng Jizhong was overjoyed and beamed with delight: "Uncle Jiang is here!"

Jiang Nian raised her index finger to her lips and whispered, "Don't make a fuss. I'll go and see your daughter."

Peng Jizhong immediately understood, knowing that Jiang Nian was going to give his daughter a surprise. He didn't say much, but bowed and led Jiang Nian through the hanging flower gate, and then wisely didn't follow any further.

Jiang Nian came alone to the west wing and saw that the silver lamps had been lit inside the window, the door was open, and the gauze curtains were hanging down.

Jiang Nian was about to lift the curtain when she suddenly heard whispers coming from inside, so she stopped and stood outside the curtain to listen carefully.

Ruizhu's voice came from behind: "Since you are so concerned, why don't you ask Steward Peng to invite Master Nian again?"

Then Qin Keqing sighed softly, "I just sent Steward Peng to inquire, and he... Master Nian just returned home and is having a family dinner. How can we disturb him now?"

Ruizhu smiled and said, "The banquet should be over by now. If you don't go to invite her, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see her. Besides, it's not certain whether you'll even be able to see her tomorrow."

The room fell silent for a moment.

After a short while, Ruizhu said again, "Master Nian went to Jiangnan this time and was gone for several months. Miss, you counted the days and hoped for his return. Now that he has finally returned, if you don't see him, I'm afraid you won't be able to sleep well tonight."

Qin Keqing scolded, "You shameless woman, you're getting better and better at making up stories!"

Before the words were finished, the gauze curtain was suddenly lifted, and the figure she had been longing for entered with a smile.

Who's having trouble sleeping tonight?

Jiang Nian stood there with a smile, gazing intently at Qin Keqing.

Qin Keqing was sitting on the couch doing needlework when the embroidery hoop in her hand almost fell to the ground. She was both surprised and delighted, shy and timid. Her cheeks flushed red and even her ears burned.

She wanted to get up to greet him, but felt awkward and at a loss; she wanted to speak, but didn't know where to begin. She could only lower her head, her slender fingers unconsciously twisting her clothes.

Jiang Nian smiled at Ruizhu and said, "Ruizhu, you may go out now."

Ruizhu glanced at her mistress, chuckled inwardly, and obediently slipped out. But even after leaving the room, the girl, as always, hid under the window lattice, straining her ears to listen to the sounds inside.

For a moment, only Jiang Nian and Qin Keqing remained in the room.

Qin Keqing lowered her head, and seeing that Jiang Nian remained silent for a long time, she couldn't help but look up at Jiang Nian and softly parted her lips: "You've been gone for several months, and I... of course I've missed you..."

At this point, his voice trailed off, becoming almost inaudible. His eyes were already slightly red, showing how much he missed her.

Jiang Nian suddenly took out a small brocade box and handed it to Qin Keqing: "This was specially brought for you from Yangzhou."

Qin Keqing's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly took it, gently opening it to find a jade bracelet inside. It was smooth and lustrous, gleaming warmly in the candlelight, and she couldn't put it down.

Yangzhou is a key jade-carving center in Daqing, home to many skilled craftsmen. During his trip south, Jiang Nian specifically purchased several jade bracelets from a long-established jade shop in Yangzhou. He had already given one to Xue Baoqin, and now he had given one to Qin Keqing; the rest were to be distributed to Yuan Chun, Xue Baochai, Jing Qing, and others.

Although these jade bracelets are slightly different, they can still be considered a wholesale batch...

Qin Keqing suddenly remembered something and said softly, "A few days ago, your grandmother sent someone to deliver some local products from Yangzhou."

Jiang Nian nodded and sighed, "I had someone send two boxes of local products from Yangzhou back. She's always been virtuous and kind; she even sent something to you."

Qin Keqing responded softly with an "Mmm," thinking that since Yuan Chun was so magnanimous, she didn't need to worry too much about becoming a concubine in the future.

As she spoke, Qin Keqing took out a bundle from her embroidery box and said shyly, "These are two needlework pieces I made for you in my spare time."

When unfolded, it turned out to be a summer dress and a pair of shoes, with fine stitches, showing that a lot of thought had been put into them.

Jiang Nian gladly accepted it and immediately tried it on, which made Qin Keqing both shy and happy.

After Jiang Nian tried on the clothes and shoes, Qin Keqing couldn't resist asking him about his trip south. Jiang Nian gave a brief account.

Jiang Nian knew that Qin Keqing was a woman who admired strength, so he didn't lie or boast. He simply showed her his true intelligence, courage, and strength, which was enough to make Qin Keqing's heart flutter.

Changing the subject, Jiang Nian said, "I'm moving the day after tomorrow."

Qin Keqing was taken aback: "Why are you moving to where you were all this time?"

Jiang Nian smiled and said, "I have served as the third imperial envoy and made some contributions. I am honored by His Majesty's grace and have been granted the former Ningguo Mansion. I will move there with my whole family the day after tomorrow."

These words left Qin Keqing stunned.

The Emperor actually bestowed the Ningguo Mansion upon him? How could he possibly take charge of the Ningguo Mansion?

Qin Keqing was first shocked, then said with a hint of resentment, "If you move over there, I... I'll never see you again!"

Jiang Nian took her hand and said softly, "Don't rush, your mourning period will be over in another month."

Time flies. Due to Qin Ye's death, Qin Keqing has a twenty-seven-month mourning period, and there is only one month left in this period.

Jiang Nian gazed at Qin Keqing and said, "Once your mourning period is over, I will choose a day to welcome you into my family."

Qin Keqing was so ashamed that she couldn't lift her head. She only nodded slightly, her mind churning with countless thoughts: Jia Zhen had plotted to seize her, causing the Ningguo Mansion to fall into ruin and be taken back by the court. Now, she was to become Jiang Nian's concubine and move into the Ningguo Mansion as Jiang Nian's concubine. It was truly a cruel twist of fate.

Ruizhu, who was eavesdropping outside the window, was pleasantly surprised to hear this. A smile even appeared on her face. She thought to herself, "Master Nian is really capable. He actually wants to take over the Ningguo Mansion! I just hope he will welcome my young lady into the family soon so that I can go to the Ningguo Mansion and broaden my horizons!"

Jiang Nian spent some more time with Qin Keqing, and seeing that it was already dark outside, she stood up and said, "It's getting dark, I should go back."

Although Qin Keqing was reluctant to part with her, she knew proper etiquette and personally saw her off. Watching Jiang Nian's departing figure, she stroked the newly acquired jade bracelet on her wrist, feeling both sweet and expectant, yet also somewhat apprehensive.

(End of this chapter)