The Red Mansion

Chapter 283 The Golden Hairpins of the Rong Mansion, Each with Their Own Thoughts

The rain poured down relentlessly, with large raindrops pounding against the roof of the Duke's mansion with a deafening roar, and the entire residence was shrouded in a white mist.

It was already time to apply for a license plate.

Lin Ruhai, Qu Jishan, and Fang Tingxun had already arrived at the Duke's mansion at the invitation of the Duke. They were sitting together in the hall, enjoying tea and chatting, waiting for the banquet to begin.

A group of eunuchs and servants were moving back and forth, placing exquisite dishes and fine wines on the octagonal table in the middle of the hall.

The hall was brightly lit and warm, a world apart from the outside world.

At this moment, Yuan Yi entered the hall with an apologetic smile on his face, cupped his hands and said, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, gentlemen. Please allow me to change my clothes and I will begin the banquet shortly."

Lin Ruhai and the other two quickly stood up to return the greeting, repeatedly saying, "It's alright."

Yuan Yi nodded in agreement and did not linger. He continued to hold the blue cloth umbrella himself and led the slightly uneasy Yingchun, Jia Cong, and Granny Cheng through a small door on the side of the main hall into the inner courtyard.

Yuan Chun had already received news that Yuan Yi had returned to the mansion, and was standing under the eaves at the entrance of the inner hall, eagerly awaiting his return.

Rainwater flowed down the eaves, forming a curtain of water.

She spotted Yingchun and Jia Cong following behind Yuan Yi, and a barely suppressed joy flashed in her eyes—it seemed that Fourth Master's plea to Changchun Garden had succeeded!

When Yuan Yi reached the eaves, Yuan Chun's gaze fell on his court robes. Seeing that his sleeves and hem were soaked by the rain, she was immediately filled with heartache and guilt. She said softly, "It's raining so hard, Fourth Master's clothes are all wet. You've really worked hard for the Rong family because of all these troublesome matters!"

Yuan Yi waved his hand and said calmly, "It's raining heavily outside, let's go inside and talk."

The group entered the inner hall.

Yuan Yi and Yuan Chun were seated at the head of the table.

Yingchun and Jia Cong stepped forward to pay their respects to Yuanchun with a grand salute, and Granny Cheng also knelt down tremblingly.

Seeing Yingchun looking haggard and Jia Cong looking thin and pitiful, Yuan Chun felt a pang of sorrow and ordered her maid to help her up.

Yuan Yi recounted how he had gone to Changchun Garden that day to meet the Emperor and obtain permission from Emperor Taishun to protect the second branch of the Rongguo Mansion and to allow him to bring Yingchun and Jia Cong back to the mansion to raise them.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chun's gratitude was overflowing. She rose and curtsied, saying, "Fourth Master, your great kindness is something that neither I nor the Rong Mansion can ever repay..."

“We are husband and wife, why should we do this?” Yuan Yi said, offering a slight gesture of support. He then looked at Yingchun, Jia Cong, and Granny Cheng, “Right now, we need to settle them in properly.”

He paused, then instructed, "Arrange for Yingchun to stay in the back courtyard. I remember there's a quiet and elegant courtyard next to Miss Xing, perfect for Yingchun. Also, settle Jia Cong and Granny Cheng in the back courtyard. In addition, send someone to the Rong Mansion next door to inform the old lady of the situation. I'll take Xiangling to change her clothes now; the three gentlemen are waiting in the main hall, and we shouldn't keep them waiting too long."

Yuan Chun nodded in agreement, "Fourth Master is very thoughtful. These are matters that are my duty, and I will take good care of them."

She thought for a moment, then looked at Xiren who was standing to the side and instructed, "Xiren, you and Xiangling go with the Fourth Master and take good care of him as he changes his clothes. His clothes are wet, so he needs to change into dry ones quickly so he doesn't catch a cold."

Xi Ren was secretly delighted. Although she was also a maidservant appreciated by Yuan Chun, she rarely had the opportunity to serve Yuan Yi personally. Now that she had this job, she cherished it and hurriedly replied respectfully, "Yes."

At that moment, Yuan Yi led Xiangling and Xiren out of the inner hall and headed towards "Debentang".

Xiangling quickly and efficiently retrieved a royal blue satin robe with subtle patterns that Yuan Yi usually wore at home.

Xiren was exceptionally attentive, carefully helping Yuan Yi remove his court robes and bringing him a warm towel to wash his face. Her movements were gentle and meticulous, and her eyes revealed her docility and obedience, hoping to leave a good impression on the Fourth Prince.

After changing his clothes, Yuan Yi felt much refreshed.

He left the "Debentang" and returned to the main hall.

Inside the hall, Lin Ruhai, Qu Jishan, and Fang Tingxun saw Yuan Yi return in casual clothes, looking radiant, and rose to greet him once again.

At this moment, the octagonal table was already laden with sumptuous and exquisite dishes, steaming hot and fragrant.

Yuan Yi smiled and invited the three to sit down. He then took the seat of honor himself. His gaze swept over Fang Tingxun, whose face was flushed with health, and he raised his glass and said loudly, "It is a rare occasion for the three gentlemen to gather together today. Let us toast Mr. Fang with this first glass of wine to congratulate him and wish him a bright future and great success!"

Everyone echoed in agreement and raised their glasses.

……

……

Inside Rongqing Hall of Rongguo Mansion, although many bright lanterns and glass lamps had been lit early in the morning, illuminating the room brilliantly, the torrential rain outside and the gloomy sky, coupled with the people's anxiety, meant that the brilliant lights could not dispel the somber atmosphere in the hall. Instead, they made the worried expressions on everyone's faces even more pronounced.

The hall was packed with people.

Grandmother Jia reclined on the central couch, her brow furrowed, a string of prayer beads twirling in her hand, yet she could not find peace of mind. Lady Wang sat below, her expression equally grave, silent. Li Wan, Tan Chun, and Xi Chun were all present, as was Jia Baoyu. Jia Baoyu, usually so accustomed to mingling with the girls, sat quietly to the side, not daring to utter a sound. A group of maids, servants, and old women, including Yuanyang and Siqi, stood in attendance.

Grandmother Jia's heart was in turmoil, like fifteen buckets of water being drawn up and down. What she feared most was that the disaster of the eldest branch of the Rongguo Mansion would implicate the entire Rongguo Mansion, causing its century-old foundation to be destroyed in an instant.

At this moment, all her hopes were pinned on the prince and duke Yuan Yi next door, hoping that he would succeed in pleading with the emperor at Changchun Garden today.

Just as everyone was anxiously waiting, Lin Zhixiao's wife rushed in from outside and reported to Grandmother Jia, "Grandmother, the people at the gate just now saw that the Duke from next door went to the east wing and took the Second Miss and Cong-ge'er out to the Duke's mansion!"

Grandmother Jia's cloudy old eyes suddenly lit up, and she silently murmured, "Amitabha!"

This is clearly a good omen! Since Yuan Yi was able to bring Yingchun and Jia Cong out, it's clear that the Emperor has already given his approval!
Grandmother Jia hurriedly instructed Lin Zhixiao's wife: "Quickly! Go to the neighboring house and find out what's going on!"

Lin Zhixiao's wife acknowledged and left, returning a moment later to report to Grandmother Jia: "Grandmother, Baoqin, the young lady from next door who serves the Lady of the County, has arrived." Grandmother Jia hurriedly said, "Quickly, invite her in!"

Soon, Baoqin entered. She had come on foot, carrying an umbrella; her skirt and embroidered shoes were soaked and covered in mud. She first stepped forward to greet Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang, her expression respectful yet neither servile nor arrogant: "Greetings to Grandmother and Second Madam. Madam has specially sent me to report something."

Grandmother Jia asked impatiently, "Good child, tell me quickly, what happened?"

Baoqin clearly said, "Reporting to the old lady, our Duke braved the torrential rain today to go to Changchun Garden to meet the Emperor and plead for the Rong family. By the grace of His Majesty, His Majesty has granted the Duke's request, and this time only the eldest branch of the Rong family will be punished, without implicating the second branch, thus preserving the foundation of the Rong family. In addition, His Majesty has allowed the Duke to take the second daughter of the Rong family and Cong-ge'er back to the mansion to raise them, so that the two will not be innocently implicated and become homeless. At this moment, the second daughter and Cong-ge'er are already in our mansion."

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia was overjoyed. Then, thinking of Jia Lian, she couldn't help but ask, "What about Lian-ge'er? What does His Majesty intend to do with him?"

Baoqin shook her head, her tone indifferent: "The Duke did not mention this matter."

Grandmother Jia's expression darkened again, and she let out a long sigh.

She knew in her heart that Jia Lian was doomed this time!

Madam Wang, sitting to the side, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As long as her branch of the family wasn't implicated and the Rongguo Mansion's foundation was preserved, she would be extremely fortunate.

Seeing that Grandmother Jia was preoccupied with her own affairs and seemed to have forgotten to express her gratitude, Baoqin couldn't help but remind her, "Grandmother, our Duke braved this torrential rain today, running back and forth to Changchun Garden, doing his utmost to advocate for the Rong Mansion before the Emperor. Madam is also worried and concerned at home, and has not been able to relax."

Grandmother Jia came to her senses and said, "Yes, yes, thank you so much, Your Excellency! And Yuan-chun has also gone to great lengths! When you return to the manor, tell Yuan-chun that I will come to the manor immediately to express my gratitude in person." She then said to Yuan-yang, "Yuan-yang, quickly take twenty taels of silver as a reward for Bao-qin!"

Yuanyang agreed and quickly fetched the silver.

Baoqin accepted the reward without hesitation and then took his leave to return and report back.

Just then, Yingchun's personal maid, Siqi, knelt down in front of Grandmother Jia with a "plop".

This Siqi, whose original surname was Qin, was the granddaughter of Wang Shanbao and his wife. She was tall and robust, with a fiery temper, which contrasted sharply with her delicate and timid mistress, Yingchun.
This time, Jia She's family had gotten into big trouble, and Siqi's maternal grandparents' family had also committed a crime. She was terrified of being implicated. In addition, she was loyal to Yingchun. At this moment, she kowtowed to Grandmother Jia and pleaded, "Grandmother! Please have mercy and allow me to go to the neighboring house to continue serving the Second Miss! The Second Miss is gentle by nature, and I'm afraid she will find it even more difficult to endure without familiar people!"

Grandmother Jia paused for a moment, then said to Baoqin, "Baoqin, go back and tell Yuanchun. Siqi and Xiuju, that little maid, have been serving Yingchun since they were children. I wonder if it would be possible to allow them to come to the mansion and continue to serve Yingchun? That way, Yingchun won't be without any familiar servants when she first arrives in this new environment."

A glimmer of hope ignited in Siqi's eyes. She hurriedly kowtowed to Grandmother Jia to express her gratitude, and then looked longingly at Baoqin.

Baoqin nodded and said, "I've got it. I'll definitely inform Madam when I get back."

Having said that, he turned and took his leave, stepping into the vast rain outside Rongqing Hall.

Having received confirmation from Baoqin, Grandmother Jia felt somewhat relieved. She then took Lady Wang with her and, braving the still-unrelenting downpour, headed to the neighboring Duke's mansion. Their purpose was twofold: to thank Yuan Yi and Yuan Chun, and also to take this opportunity to cultivate a closer relationship with Yuan Yi, who now wielded immense power and had been instrumental in protecting the Rongguo Mansion.

When Grandmother Jia arrived at the Duke's mansion, she learned that Yuan Yi was hosting a banquet in the main hall for three gentlemen: Lin Ruhai, Qu Jishan, and Fang Tingxun. Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang did not want to disturb them, so they only met with Yuan Chun. Grandmother Jia held Yuan Chun's hand, wiping away tears and thanking her profusely. Lady Wang echoed her sentiments, speaking with great warmth.

……

……

Inside the Rongguo Mansion, the sisters Tan Chun and Xi Chun, along with several maids, gathered in Tan Chun's room.

The rain pattered outside the window, while the lights inside flickered.

Because of today's earth-shattering events and Yuan Yi's timely assistance, Tan Chun couldn't help but exclaim, "When our family was in such dire straits, on the verge of collapse, it was only thanks to my brother-in-law's courage in braving the torrential rain to personally plead before the Emperor that we were able to preserve our foundation and save my second sister and brother Cong. My brother-in-law is truly capable and courageous!"

Her words were filled with admiration for Yuan Yi, and she secretly envied Yuan Chun for finding such a fine husband. How fortunate she would be to find such a husband in the future!

Siqi, standing to the side, said with a worried expression, "Third Miss is right. I just don't know... if the neighboring household would be willing to take me in and let me continue to serve Second Miss..."

Dai Shu comforted her, "Don't worry, since Sister Baoqin has already gone back to report, the eldest young lady is always kind and considerate of the second young lady, so she will probably grant it."

Xichun sat by the window, her hand supporting her cheek, gazing at the misty rain outside, her expression melancholy.

She had learned that the Jia family's vast estate had been confiscated by the imperial court, and her share of it had naturally vanished.

Although she was young and didn't care much about gold and silver, the thought of the large amount of family property that should have belonged to her now disappearing into thin air, and what would happen to her dowry in the future, made her feel uneasy.

Suddenly, she blurted out, "It seems that all this wealth and prosperity is just like a mirage, unreliable. Why don't I shave my head and become a nun? That would be clean enough!"

Tan Chun was startled upon hearing this and quickly grabbed her hand, advising, "Fourth Sister, stop talking nonsense! How old are you? How can you have such disheartening thoughts? Although this misfortune has struck, at least our family's foundation is still intact, and all the sisters are safe and sound. There are many days ahead! You must not let temporary gains or losses lead you to such foolish thoughts!"

Seeing that Tan Chun was anxious, Xi Chun knew that she meant well, so she stopped talking, only sighed softly, and stared blankly out the window.

Meanwhile, in her room, Li Wan was watching over her son Jia Lan as he did his homework. Jia Lan sat upright, practicing calligraphy, but she seemed distracted, her eyes darting around.

Today's events greatly shocked her. She had previously harbored the intention of having her precious son, Jia Lan, become closer to the incredibly powerful Duke next door, hoping for future favor and protection. Unexpectedly, before this opportunity could even arise, Jia Cong, the illegitimate son of Jia She, was directly taken into Yuan Yi's household and raised there! Wasn't this a classic case of being in a privileged position getting the benefits first?

Thinking of this, she, who was usually calm and obedient, couldn't help but feel a little anxious. She thought to herself, "Lan'er is a diligent student, and she's also very healthy. What's even more remarkable is that she's so mature for her age, much better than that Cong-ge'er! But such opportunities are truly unpredictable. Cong-ge'er's misfortune has ironically brought him such good fortune, and he'll be raised by the Duke himself in the future. I must think of a way to help Lan'er get more exposure in front of the Duke as soon as possible, so that she can build good relationships with him!"

Thinking of this, her gaze toward Jia Lan held an even stronger sense of earnest expectation.

Inside the Rongguo Mansion, everyone harbored their own thoughts as they endured this thrilling day amidst the continuous torrential rain.

Meanwhile, at the banquet in the neighboring Duke's mansion, people were chatting and laughing, as if it were a completely different world from the gloomy Rongguo Mansion.

(End of this chapter)