The Red Mansion

Chapter 284 This performance in the garden is about to get exciting.

By the time of You (5-7 PM), the torrential rain that had raged for over an hour had finally stopped.

The banquet in the main hall of the Duke's mansion had ended, and Mr. Lin Ruhai, Mr. Qu Jishan, and Mr. Fang Tingxun had all taken their leave and returned to their respective homes.

Summer days are long, and the sky should not be dark at this time, but due to the overcast skies and continuous rain, the sky is still gloomy. The corridors and courtyards of the Duke's mansion were lit early in the morning.

Today, Yuan Yi was celebrating Fang Tingxun's birthday, and the three gentlemen had gathered together, so he inevitably drank a few extra cups during the meal. Although he doesn't usually like to drink and rarely drinks, he has a considerable capacity for alcohol. At this moment, although his cheeks were flushed, he wasn't very drunk, and showed little sign of intoxication.

He strolled to his residence, "Debentang," where Yuan Chun was waiting for him.

At his command, several maids, including Xiangling, Baoqin, and Xiren, busied themselves preparing hot water for Yuan Yi's bath, clean clothes, and other necessities.

Taking advantage of the moment, Yuan Chun said softly to Yuan Yi, "Fourth Master, when you were hosting a banquet just now, the old lady of the West Mansion and the second lady came over to express their gratitude. They stayed for a while before leaving."

Then she added, "There is another matter. Yingchun's two original personal maids, Siqi and Xiuju, have served her since childhood. The old lady asked if it would be possible for them to come to the mansion to continue serving Yingchun. That way, Yingchun won't be left without anyone to care for her when she suddenly changes her environment."

Without hesitation, Yuan Yi said, "This is a small matter. Just let them come over."

Yuan Chun nodded and said, "In that case, I will immediately send someone to the West Mansion to bring them here and settle them in."

Yuan Yi hummed in agreement.

At this moment, Xiangling stepped forward to report that the bathroom had been prepared. Yuanchun wanted to personally serve Yuanyi during his bath. Yuanyi waved his hand: "The Rong Mansion has suffered such a great change today, and you are already troubled and restless. You have been busy all day, so there is no need for you to trouble yourself. Let Xiangling serve you."

Yuan Chun did not insist. She gave Xiang Ling a few instructions and then went to take care of Si Qi and Xiu Ju's affairs.

So, Yuan Yi and Xiang Ling entered the bathroom. The room was warm and cozy, filled with steam and fragrance.

Xiangling was quick and efficient, helping Yuan Yi undress and step into the cypress bathtub filled with hot water.

The warm water enveloped my body, washing away the smell of alcohol and fatigue.

Yuan Yi closed his eyes to rest, while Xiang Ling gently combed his hair and wiped his shoulders and back.

After taking a bath, Yuan Yi felt completely refreshed. The little bit of drunkenness he had was further dissipated, leaving only a slight tipsy feeling, which made him feel relaxed and comfortable.

He changed into a moon-white casual satin robe, and without wearing a crown, he loosely tied his hair into a bun. He strolled out of "Debentang" and walked towards the backyard.

The air was exceptionally fresh in the evening after the rain, and a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of soil and vegetation from the backyard.

After passing through several courtyards, we soon arrived at a small and exquisite courtyard house on the east side of Huifang Garden. It was surrounded by pink walls and was very quiet.

This is where Xing Xiuyan was settled.

The courtyard door was ajar.

……

……

Ever since Xing Xiuyan moved into Jiang Nian's house, Jiang Nian and Yuan Chun have never treated her poorly. Her clothing, food, and daily life have all been provided in accordance with the standards of a young lady from a wealthy family. Compared to her impoverished days in her hometown of Suzhou, it is truly a world of difference, like heaven and earth.

Recently, Jiang Nian has transformed into the noble prince Yuan Yi, and Yuan Chun bestowed upon her the title of Duchess, making her family a grand duke's mansion. As her status has risen, Xing Xiuyan's daily necessities have become even more exquisite and abundant, with her room accumulating a considerable amount of valuable gold-embroidered hairpins and brocade clothes.

Although Xing Xiuyan was in her prime, she was quiet and unassuming, and did not care for extravagance. She usually chose to wear simple and elegant clothes, and rarely wore dazzling jewelry.

At this moment, Xing Xiuyan was sitting by the lamp in her bedroom, dressed in a simple and elegant dress, with only a small hairpin in her hair. She wore no other adornments. However, even with such simple attire, the quality of the fabric and the exquisite workmanship were beyond the reach of ordinary people.

The bedroom was dimly lit, illuminating Xing Xiuyan's delicate yet somewhat melancholic face. She rested her chin on her hand, gazing absently at the flickering lamplight, a faint sadness veiled between her brows.

The maid, Qianxue, was tidying up her dressing case when she turned around and saw her like this. She couldn't help but put down her work and walk closer to ask, "Miss, you're spacing out again, looking so listless. Are you thinking about that cousin from the neighboring house again?"

The "aunt" she was referring to was naturally Madam Xing, who had just caused a major disaster.

Before Xing Xiuyan could answer, Qianxue blurted out, "My dear girl! I've already told you, your aunt is a stingy, mean-spirited, and utterly heartless woman! She has never truly cared for you in the past. Her misfortune today is entirely her own doing!"
The young lady has never been close to her. Previously, she tried to extort money from our Fourth Master and Madam using the young lady's name, and repeatedly attempted to forcibly take the young lady away. What were her intentions? She was simply planning to sell or marry the young lady off to raise money! For such a relative, the young lady should be more than happy for her; why should she worry about her?

Qianxue paused, then her tone turned to relief: "If you ask me, you should really be burning incense in gratitude! It's fortunate that our Fourth Master and Madam are kind-hearted; they took you in back then and later stopped your cousin from taking you away. Otherwise, wouldn't you have suffered the same fate and ended up being sold into slavery? Just thinking about it makes me shudder!"

Upon hearing this, Xing Xiuyan sighed softly and said, "What you're saying, how could I not understand? I am extremely fortunate to have been taken in and protected by Fourth Master and Madam, and to be treated so well. But..."

She swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue, her expression growing increasingly somber.

Seeing that she hesitated to speak, Qianxue pressed, "But what is it? Is there something on your mind that you can't tell me?"

Xing Xiuyan looked up at the gloomy sky outside the window and said softly, "I'm not just saddened by my aunt's misfortune, but... but because of her, I can't help but think of my parents who died young in Suzhou. Now, even my aunt, who is still somewhat related to me, has fallen, making me feel all alone in this world." She sighed and continued, "Although Fourth Master and Madam have treated me very well, their kindness is immeasurable, but... I'm getting older every day. A girl will eventually have to get married. Can I live here in this mansion forever? In the future... who will I rely on?"

Although Xing Xiuyan and Qianxue are nominally mistress and servant, they are actually like sisters and get along very well. In addition, Xing Xiuyan is feeling depressed and reminiscing about her life, so she confides her deep-seated worries to Qianxue.

Upon hearing this, Qianxue burst out laughing and said, "I thought it was some huge problem, but it turns out that's what you're worried about! What's so difficult about it? In my opinion, this is actually a wonderful thing!"

Xing Xiuyan looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Qianxue leaned closer and said with a grin, "With your looks, literacy, and good temperament, Miss, why not become Fourth Master's concubine when you're a little older? Wouldn't that be perfect? ​​That way, you can live in this mansion legitimately and peacefully for the rest of your life, enjoying endless wealth and privilege, without having to worry about being dependent on others or having no one to rely on in the future!"

Xing Xiuyan was, after all, a young girl. Upon hearing this, her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment, and she scolded Qianxue playfully, "You...you little brat, don't talk nonsense!"

Qianxue, however, was not afraid and laughed even harder: "I'm not talking nonsense! Do you think I can't see it, young lady? You clearly like Fourth Master! And look at Fourth Master, how gentle and considerate he is to you! I think Fourth Master may not be without feelings for you. Even Madam, with her virtue, would not stand in your way. Isn't this a match made in heaven?"

These words made Xing Xiuyan even more embarrassed. Her heart was pounding like a deer. She hurriedly picked up a round fan from the table to cover her face and said angrily, "Stop talking! You're getting more and more indecent! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll really get angry!"

However, Qianxue's words stirred ripples in her heart, and the loneliness and sorrow that had been lingering in her heart seemed to be diluted by the sudden shyness and secret anticipation.

The master and servant were having a private conversation in the bedroom, completely unaware of the commotion outside.

Little did they know, Yuan Yi was standing quietly outside the bedroom curtains, having overheard their private conversation.

A smile appeared on Yuan Yi's face. He thought to himself, if he were to suddenly lift the curtain and barge in right now, Xing Xiuyan, who was currently blushing with embarrassment, would be incredibly flustered and embarrassed upon seeing him. Qian Xue would surely be startled as well. The thought of such a scene was rather amusing.

However, after a moment's thought, Yuan Yi realized that this was inappropriate. Why bother frightening and troubling the two beauties for his own momentary interest? If he did that, Xing Xiuyan would probably avoid him like a frightened deer in the future, and he would lose their current natural intimacy.

Thinking of this, he deliberately lightened his footsteps and quietly retreated to the door of the main room, then called out loudly, "Is Miss Xing inside?"

The shout was like a thunderclap, startling the master and servant in the inner bedroom! They looked at each other, both seeing panic in each other's eyes—when did Fourth Master arrive? Had he overheard what they were saying just now?
Without time to think further, Xing Xiuyan quickly straightened her hair and clothes, forcing herself to remain calm, and together with Qianxue, hurried out of the bedroom. Seeing Yuan Yi standing with his hands behind his back outside the threshold of the main hall, not yet entering, the two hurriedly stepped forward and curtsied, saying, "Greetings to Fourth Master."

Yuan Yi then stepped into the main room and sat down on a wooden chair.

Qianxue hurriedly poured tea and presented it with both hands.

Yuan Yi took the teacup and sipped it slowly while glancing at Xing Xiuyan and Qianxue, who were standing by. He noticed that both of them looked nervous and avoided eye contact, as if they had done something wrong. He chuckled to himself, knowing that they must be worried about whether their words had been leaked.

He placed the teacup on the table beside him and asked Xing Xiuyan with a smile, "Aren't you going to ask why I came here at this time?"

Xing Xiuyan, who was feeling uneasy, exclaimed "Ah!" upon hearing the voice, then realized what was happening. Her face flushed, and she said awkwardly, "Fourth Master... why has Fourth Master... graced us with his presence at this time?"

Yuan Yi's smile faded, and his expression turned somewhat serious. He said, "Have you heard about the Xing family next door being found to be hiding official property today?"

Xing Xiuyan gave a soft "hmm," then couldn't help but raise her eyes, asking with some concern, "Fourth Master, what...what punishment will she face?"

Yuan Yi said in a deep voice, “'Concealing official property and defying the court' is a serious crime that must be severely punished. I came here specifically to inform you of this. Although she is nominally your cousin, she is greedy and foolish, and has never shown you any genuine concern. On the contrary, she has repeatedly tried to use and harm you. She has only herself to blame this time. You should not worry about such a relative. From now on, you can continue to live here in peace.”

Hearing this, Xing Xiuyan felt grateful, her eyes reddened, and she knelt down, saying, "I will never forget Fourth Master's great kindness!"

Yuan Yi gently helped him up: "Get up. You should rest well and not think too much."

After saying this, he took two more sips of tea, then got up to take his leave.

Xing Xiuyan and Qianxue hurriedly escorted him to the courtyard gate.

At this moment, standing at the crossroads beside the courtyard gate was a slender and graceful figure—it was Yingchun. Yingchun had been settled in a small courtyard next to Xing Xiuyan's residence. She had just learned that Siqi and Xiuju were coming, and she was filled with joy and anticipation, so she couldn't help but come to this crossroads to wait for them.

Hearing the commotion at the courtyard gate behind her, Yingchun turned around and saw Xing Xiuyan and Qianxue seeing Yuan Yi off. She was slightly taken aback, and when she saw Yuan Yi's gaze fall on her, she quickly stepped forward, curtsied, and said softly, "Greetings to the Duke!"

Yuan Yi smiled slightly and said gently, "Since you're staying here, from now on you can call me 'Fourth Master' just like your eldest sister. There's no need for such formalities." He then asked, "What are you doing standing here?"

Yingchun said in a low voice, "Reporting to the county...Reporting to Fourth Master, I just heard that Siqi and Xiuju, the two maids who have been with me since they were little, are coming from that household. I was looking forward to it, so I waited here." As she spoke, she did not forget to thank Yuan Yi, "Thank you for your kindness in taking them in, Fourth Master."

Yuan Yi nodded, his gaze sweeping over Yingchun and Xing Xiuyan's faces, and said with a smile, "From now on, you two will be neighbors. Since you are about the same age, you should get along well and take care of each other."

As he spoke, he thought to himself, "What a coincidence! In the original story, after Xing Xiuyan came to the capital, she stayed in the Grand View Garden of Rongguo Mansion, where she lived with Yingchun. Now, the fates of these two people have changed, and by some twist of fate, they have ended up living in the backyard of my Duke's Mansion, next to each other. It's truly a deep connection."

Looking at Yingchun and Xing Xiuyan, two women now under his protection, Yuan Yi's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile. He thought to himself, "Yingchun is here, Siqi is here, and Qin Keqing and Ruizhu are coming soon. There are more and more women in my mansion. The garden show is about to get exciting!"

The courtyard is fresh and clean after the rain.

(End of this chapter)