The Red Mansion

Chapter 296 The Mourning Period is Over, Keqing Enters the Mansion

The following day was the seventh day of the sixth lunar month.

In the morning, the sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky, bathing the Qin family courtyard in a warm and gentle light.

Inside the west wing, Qin Keqing, dressed in a silk skirt and with a silver-gilt butterfly hairpin inlaid with jewels in her hair, was leaning against the couch, doing needlework with her personal maid, Ruizhu. The two chatted idly, and sunlight streamed through the gauze window, illuminating the room.

Ruizhu, who was embroidering a handkerchief in her hand, suddenly stopped and looked up at her young mistress. She said, "Miss, I have done the calculations. Our master passed away on the seventh day of the third month two years ago. Today marks exactly twenty-seven months. According to the rites, the mourning period should be over."

Qin Keqing paused slightly in her hand holding the needle, but did not look up. She simply lowered her eyelids and remained silent for a long time.

Seeing her like this, Ruizhu leaned closer and continued, "The Duke himself said that he would choose an auspicious day to welcome you into his family after your mourning period is over. I just don't know if he still means it now?"

His words carried a hint of probing and worry.

Qin Keqing then raised her eyes, her gaze seemingly both angry and reproachful, and said, "You're so talkative, yet you remember all this." Before she finished speaking, she herself felt a little uncomfortable, and her tone unconsciously softened, "He... what he said, of course stands."

Ruizhu frowned and sighed, "That's true, but he hasn't shown his face for a whole month since he moved into that mansion in the city last month. Even if he has something extremely important to do, can't he spare even half a day to come and see you, Miss? How far is the eastern suburbs from the city?"

Qin Keqing felt a slight pang in her heart upon hearing this, but she forced herself to remain calm: "What do you know? His status is different now than before. He is a member of the imperial family and a duke. How many eyes are watching him? Every word and action of his concerns the imperial family's dignity. How can it be compared to the past? Naturally, he has countless important matters to attend to."

She paused, fiddling with the silk thread in her hand, and said, "Besides, although he didn't come in person, didn't he send people to deliver things? Those silks and satins, writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and even gold and silver jewelry, which one of them wasn't his intention? It's clear that he's thinking about it."

Ruizhu muttered, "Even if he can't come himself, can't he send someone to invite you to his residence for a chat?"

Qin Keqing gently pushed the sewing basket onto the kang table, making a slight sound, glared at Ruizhu, and stopped Ruizhu from speaking.

The room fell silent for a moment, except for the chirping of a few birds outside the window.

Qin Keqing stared blankly out the window, lost in thought, "Ruizhu's words, though straightforward, are not wrong. If he really meant it, he would have sent someone to invite me. How could I refuse? Could it be... could it be that with the passage of time, he has forgotten our past affection?"

Thinking this, a wisp of sorrow, like a thin wisp of smoke, rose from the depths of her heart.

Just then, the steward Peng Jizhong came to the curtain, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement, and reported, "Miss! The Duke has sent someone to see you!"

Qin Keqing was immediately delighted and quickly got up to straighten her clothes.

Ruizhu rushed to the door, lifted the curtain high, and saw a middle-aged woman standing outside. She had her hair styled in a smooth bun with a jade hairpin in it, and her face was dignified. She was Feng Shi.

When Lady Feng saw Qin Keqing, she smiled and bowed.

Qin Keqing suppressed the flutter in her heart and hurriedly invited Madam Feng into the side room. Ruizhu quickly poured tea, but Madam Feng did not drink the tea. Instead, she said to Qin Keqing with a beaming smile, "Our Duke specially instructed me to invite you, Miss. He is free this afternoon and would like you to bring Steward Peng to the mansion for a chat. He said there are important matters to discuss."

Upon hearing this, Qin Keqing immediately cast aside her previous worries, feeling her heart filled with a sweet warmth. After listening to Madam Feng's detailed account of the time and other matters, she personally escorted Madam Feng to the second gate.

After Qin Keqing returned to her room, Ruizhu couldn't contain herself and grabbed her sleeve, saying excitedly, "Miss! It's truly 'speak of the devil, and he appears'! We were just talking about it in the room, and now this person has come to invite you! In my opinion, this 'important matter' must be discussing the great joy of your marriage! There's no doubt about it!"

Qin Keqing's heart was churning with emotions, a myriad of feelings welling up inside her, leaving her speechless. She silently walked to her dressing table. The mirror reflected a face as beautiful as a lotus blossom, her eyes and brows brimming with spring-like joy, and a smile on her lips that she could not conceal, more radiant than a pomegranate flower.

She looked in the mirror and gently tidied her already perfectly styled hair. Her fingertips touched the silver-plated, jewel-encrusted butterfly hairpin he had once given her, and her heart warmed even more.

At noon that day, Qin Keqing dressed up carefully, changing into a new lotus-green silk blouse made from the fabric that Yuan Yi had sent to her, and tied a moon-flower skirt around her neck. She still wore the silver-gilt butterfly hairpin inlaid with jewels in her hair, and she also specially wore the jade bracelet that Yuan Yi had given her. Her whole look was elegant and noble.

Once dressed, she and Ruizhu boarded the carriage together and left the Qin residence in the eastern suburbs, heading towards Ningrong Street in the city.

As the carriage entered the city gate, Qin Keqing sat inside, listening to the hustle and bustle of the city outside. She thought about the person she was about to see, about his tender words, and about how her life's most important event might be decided today. Her heart was pounding with anticipation.

She quietly lifted a corner of the curtain and looked at the clear sky. It was bright and clear, with a few thin clouds drifting by. In her eyes, it seemed brighter than any daylight she had ever seen.

……

……

Due to the continuous rain, the training ground on the west side of the Yuan Yi County Duke's Mansion has not yet been completed, and martial arts practice is still being carried out in the spacious main courtyard.

That afternoon, the sun was blazing, making the bluestone pavement in the main courtyard gleam white.

A group of ceremonial guards, soldiers, and servants stood in the courtyard.

Yuan Yi stood before the crowd, dressed in a dark-colored robe with hidden patterns, which made him appear even more upright. He held an iron-framed bow in his hand, picked up a feathered arrow, calmed his mind, and heard the bowstring hum. The arrow shot like a meteor, straight into the bullseye in the distance, the white feathers at the end of the arrow still trembling.

"it is good!"

The crowd cheered in unison.

Just as the clamor reached its peak, a carriage drove into the main courtyard. Inside, Qin Keqing was quietly peeking through the curtain, and she caught a glimpse of Yuan Yi's dashing figure. Seeing Yuan Yi standing under the blazing sun, exuding heroic spirit and composure, she was completely captivated and didn't want to lower the curtain any further.

Ruizhu, who was sitting next to her, also saw it and whispered in her ear, "Look, young lady, how heroic he is!"

Qin Keqing felt her ears burning and her heart pounding as if she were carrying a deer; she was speechless.

Peng Jizhong and his wife, who were traveling with them outside the car, exchanged a glance, their faces showing a mixture of awe and joy.

Qin Keqing wanted to look around a little longer, but the carriage kept moving, passing through the noisy main courtyard and heading straight to the east side of the ceremonial gate, where it stopped in front of a side gate.

The young eunuch Tian Feng led Qin Keqing, Ruizhu, and the Peng Jizhong couple to the Inner Ceremonial Gate. A palace maid then took their place and led the four through the Inner Ceremonial Gate, heading towards the east wing of the Deben Hall.

Seeing the magnificent and well-connected courtyard of Debentang, Qin Keqing and her companions were all secretly amazed and became even more cautious.

In the east wing, Yuan Chun sat on the kang (a heated brick bed). Although her clothes were not particularly luxurious, she exuded an air of nobility. Qin Keqing hurriedly stepped forward and bowed deeply, saying, "This humble woman, Qin, greets Madam. May Madam be well!"

Yuan Chun smiled and said, "No need for formalities. We are just having a casual meeting today. Please get up." Seeing that Qin Keqing was still kneeling, she added, "Your politeness makes us seem distant. Please get up and sit down to talk."

Qin Keqing then thanked the emperor and stood up. She then sat down on the nanmu chair next to her, barely touching half of the chair surface, her back ramrod straight.

Yuan Chun glanced at the gold watch, which was about the size of a walnut, and said to Qin Keqing, "Fourth Master is practicing martial arts in the courtyard. He should be done in about fifteen minutes. He still needs to take a bath and change his clothes. I don't know whether he will see you before or after his bath."

His tone was calm and even, as if he were talking about everyday life.

Qin Keqing bowed and said, "It is only right to wait. Your Excellency's business is important, so I will wait here."

At this moment, Baoqin served fragrant tea. The tea in the white porcelain cup was clear and blue, with a delicate aroma.

Yuan Chun asked, "How have you been lately? It's so hot, it must have been hard for you to make this trip."

Qin Keqing replied respectfully, "Thank you for your concern, Madam. Everything is fine. Although the weather was hot today, the journey was smooth." As she answered, her thoughts drifted to the figure she had seen in the courtyard earlier. Recalling Yuan Yi's focused expression and graceful posture as he held the bow, a blush crept onto her face, and she quickly lowered her head to sip her tea to conceal it.

Ruizhu stood beside Qin Keqing, her eyes downcast, her mind churning like boiling water.

She recalled what she had seen on her way into the mansion—solemn, imposing, and solemn—a sight she had never witnessed before. Looking at Yuan Chun's imposing presence before her, she thought to herself that if her young mistress could truly enter this mansion, it would be a rare stroke of good fortune. She only wondered if the Duke's summons today was truly to set a date for her young mistress's marriage. If so, then her young mistress's two years of waiting would not have been in vain…

……

……

After finishing his martial arts practice in the main courtyard, Yuan Yi went straight to the east wing of Deben Hall. The half-hour of practice had stretched his muscles and made him feel more energetic.

Inside the east wing, Qin Keqing was chatting idly with Yuan Chun. Without being announced, she heard the curtain rustle and looked up to see Yuan Yi enter. She quickly rose to greet him. Ruizhu and Peng Jizhong, the couple, also bowed, and even Yuan Chun stood up.

Yuan Yi's gaze fell on Qin Keqing, and he said with a smile, "Please wait a moment, I need to bathe and change before we discuss matters." He then turned to Yuan Chun and said, "Madam, please take Miss Qin to Lishenzhai to wait."

Yuan Chun understood and instructed Bao Qin: "Bao Qin, you and Xiang Ling should take good care of Fourth Master as he bathes and changes his clothes."

They split into two groups: Yuan Yi led Xiangling and Baoqin to the bathhouse; Yuan Chun, along with Qin Keqing, Ruizhu, Peng Jizhong and his wife, and others, passed through the corridor and headed to Lishenzhai on the right side of Debentang.

Inside the study, classics and histories are piled on sandalwood shelves, and incense smoke curls from a Xuande incense burner.

Yuan Chun invited Qin Keqing to sit down on a chair and ordered a maid to bring out fresh fruit. Seeing that Qin Keqing was distracted, she knew that Qin Keqing was both nervous and worried about Yuan Yi, so she only talked about everyday things.

About half an hour later, the curtain was lifted, and Yuan Yi stepped into the study.

Yuan Yi had already bathed and changed, now wearing a plain satin robe with a black sash around his waist. His hair was neatly styled, and he exuded a refreshing aura after his bath. Qin Keqing hurriedly greeted him again, and Yuan Yi offered a helping hand as she sat down in the central armchair.

Yuan Chun smiled gently and said, "Fourth Master, shall I take my leave?"

Seeing that she was so sensible, Yuan Yi inwardly praised her and nodded, saying, "Very well."

Yuan Chun then gracefully departed with Baoqin and other maids, giving Qin Keqing a slight smile as she left.

Yuan Yi then instructed Xiangling to lead Ruizhu and Peng Jizhong to a side room.

Thus, only Yuan Yi and Qin Keqing remained in the study.

Qin Keqing then dared to raise her eyes to take a closer look at Yuan Yi. After a month apart, his brows had become more composed, and although he was not wearing the robes of a duke, his overall demeanor was more dignified than ever before.

As she was pondering this, she suddenly heard Yuan Yi laugh and say, "Is that the hairpin you're wearing in your hair the one I gave you years ago?"

Qin Keqing gave a soft "hmm" and deliberately stretched out her wrist to show off the jade bracelet: "This jade bracelet was also given to me by you... the Duke in the past."

Yuan Yi nodded and smiled, "From now on, just call me 'Fourth Master'."

Hearing the address "Fourth Master," Qin Keqing felt a surge of warmth in her heart. Compared to the more respectful title "Duke of the County," this form of address felt much more intimate, as if she had returned to the days when she addressed him as "Master Nian."

She gave a soft "hmm" again.

Yuan Yi said softly, "I've calculated that your father passed away on the seventh day of the third month two years ago, and it has been exactly twenty-seven months since then. The mourning period is over. I was afraid you would be anxious waiting, so I specially invited you here today to discuss something."

Qin Keqing asked impatiently, "What does Fourth Master wish to discuss?"

Yuan Yi said, "I have prepared a courtyard for you in the backyard of the mansion, a two-courtyard layout, which is much better than the Qin residence in the eastern suburbs. If you are willing, you can move in the day after tomorrow." He paused slightly, observing Qin Keqing's expression, "Firstly, it will be easier for me to take care of you once you move into the mansion; secondly, it will be convenient to... take you into the family after some time; thirdly, my newly established family school is near the mansion, and I plan to have Zhong Ge'er transfer from the Qu family school here, which will make it convenient for him to attend school and also make it easier to discipline him."

He had a plan in mind: since Jia Baoyu wouldn't come to his family's school, it would be a good opportunity for Qin Zhong to study there. If the two boys were to be together, they would inevitably run wild like in the original story, so it would be better to take only one in and discipline him properly.

Upon hearing this, Qin Keqing felt a warm current surge through her heart. Although an auspicious day for taking a concubine had not yet been set, Yuan Yi had considered everything for her, even arranging for her younger brother Qin Zhong's future. Thinking of the two years of waiting, and now that she had finally found her home, she couldn't help but weep with joy, quickly covering her face with a handkerchief and saying, "Fourth Master's kindness is too great... how can I ever repay you..."

His voice choked with emotion, revealing his true feelings.

Seeing her tearful face, Yuan Yi stood up and walked to her. Qin Keqing quickly stood up as well, and Yuan Yi gently embraced her, saying softly, "You've suffered these past two years."

Qin Keqing looked up at the man before her. Seeing his sincere gaze, and recalling her own torment of unrequited love, she felt that the two years of waiting had been worthwhile now that she finally had someone to rely on. She gently rested her head on his shoulder and whispered, "To have Fourth Master's favor, all the grievances are worth it."

After a brief moment of tenderness, Yuan Yifang called Peng Jizhong and his wife in to discuss matters concerning the Qin family's move into the Duke's mansion's backyard. Upon returning to their study, Peng Jizhong and his wife saw that Qin Keqing still had tear stains in her eyes, but her face was beaming with joy, and they knew the good news was settled.

(End of this chapter)