The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 112 Capital Powers
Ximen Qing lay supine in a huge sandalwood bathtub, the steam rising and filling the room with a warm fragrance. Freshly picked rose petals floated on the surface, while his muscular physique was faintly visible beneath.

His eyes were slightly closed, and he let out a contented hum, seemingly unintelligible, whether he was enjoying the soothing warmth of the hot soup or the unique sensation brought by the small hands behind him.

Xiangling, that girl, lowered her head so low it was almost buried in her chest, her oval face flushed red, even her small earlobes were tinged with a blush.

Ten tender, bamboo shoot-like fingers, still cool and slightly awkward from their virginity, rested on Ximen Qing's broad, sturdy shoulders, kneading them timidly. A pair of eyes occasionally stole glances at the water's bottom, then quickly and shyly averted their gaze, before raising their heads again to look in that direction once more.

Outside in the corridor, Pan Jinlian sat next to Wu Yueniang, lowering her voice and laughing, "I followed your instructions from beginning to end, Madam, and didn't dare to steal the limelight from Madam Lin at all. You didn't see it, but the air about her was so grand! Oh my, she's not like a third-rank noblewoman at all. Even a young lady like me can't match her presence. I really couldn't find a way to get involved! I could only... go with the flow and add fuel to the fire to help Madam Lin explore some new and interesting things!"

She leaned closer, her breath sweet and fragrant, with a hint of smug satisfaction: "You didn't see the final scene! Mrs. Lin's face was as white as a freshly painted wall, and she was evenly breathing! Right now, she's probably sprawled on her luxurious embroidered couch, groaning and moaning, exhausted to the bone, and probably won't be able to get out of bed for three days!" She finished with a smug laugh.

Wu Yueniang remained composed. Upon hearing this, she merely extended her fingertip and lightly tapped Jinlian's smooth, full forehead, scolding, "You little rascal! You're the most clever one!" But a knowing smile lingered in her eyes. "Didn't it interfere with important business? Didn't it anger my husband?"

Pan Jinlian chuckled, her eyes sparkling, and gestured towards the closed partition door with her lips, her flirtatious charm almost overflowing: "Annoyed? My dear aunt, you're really overthinking it! Master was thoroughly enjoying himself from beginning to end! Listen to him, he's still soaking in the fragrant bath right now, who knows how he's reminiscing about it!"

She lowered her voice even further, her face flushed, and her lips pursed as if savoring the memory, her tone intimate: "Don't worry, Auntie, there's absolutely no way I'll let that pretentious noblewoman get pregnant with Master's child."

Wu Yueniang nodded slightly, her face calm: "In that case, you may go in and serve him. Be careful with the water temperature, lest your husband catch a cold." She paused, straightened her sleeves, "I need to go to the kitchen to check. The old immortal and Master Yue have been staying for so many days, and they are about to leave. Their farewell meal must be arranged properly, and we cannot be impolite."

Pan Jinlian crisply replied, "I understand," and turned to push open the partition door. Seeing Xiangling's head covered in sweat, she quickly joined in.

"Hmm...good, good...you two did a good job." A low, approving sigh escaped Ximen Qing's throat.
His praise was like a breath of fresh air for the two of them. Pan Jinlian's smugness grew even stronger, and she said in a coquettish voice, "I'm glad Father likes it! Father works so hard, his shoulders and neck must be so tired, so I must put in extra effort to help him relax." As she spoke, her fingers became more and more nimble, even carrying a hint of teasing, her fingertips lightly brushing against Ximen Qing's collarbone.

Although Xiangling was not as eloquent as Pan Jinlian, she was still flattered by the compliments and her heart was filled with joy. She worked even harder and with greater coordination.

Seeing that Pan Jinlian was focusing on the shoulders and neck, she focused more on pushing and pressing the arms and chest. The two of them, one above and one below, one in charge and one in charge, their four small hands flying and moving over Ximen Qing's strong body, were as if they had practiced it a thousand times. The coordination of strength, rhythm and position was perfect.

Ximen Qing, thoroughly satisfied with his service, gazed at the two faces, both alluring and youthful, through the steam, especially Pan Jinlian's watery, captivating eyes, and lazily spoke:
"Hmm... You've served me so well, I can't treat you badly. In a few days, our new silk shop will be open for business. We've brought in a lot of the latest and finest fabrics from the south, including Suzhou and Hangzhou crepe and brocade, Sichuan colored satin, and even the gossamer-thin light gauze... They're all top-quality goods."

"When the time comes, you two, each of you should pick out some good fabrics, find the best tailors, and make a few bright outfits to wear! The winter solstice and the twelfth lunar month are festive occasions, and there are also annual meetings and temple fairs, so don't embarrass me."

Which woman doesn't love to be pretty? Before Ximen Qing finished speaking, Pan Jinlian's alluring eyes suddenly flashed with an amazing light, as if two small flames had been ignited!

Her hand, which was on Ximen Qing's shoulder, suddenly stopped, then began to knead it with an even more tender and ingratiating force than before. She was almost pressed against the edge of the bathtub, her voice sweet and soft, filled with undisguised ecstasy: "Oh! My dear father! You really spoil me rotten!"

Her cry of "Father" was sweet and lingering, with a long, drawn-out tone that seemed to hook a little hook. "I've been eyeing that fabric from the south for so long! Father, you truly understand women's hearts best and know how to cherish them the most! I... I don't know how to repay you enough!"

On the other side, Xiangling was also stunned by the sudden generous reward. Although she was not as bold and outspoken as Pan Jinlian, everyone loves beauty. She had only been sold to the Xue family for a short time, and the thought of wearing clothes made of expensive materials that she had never even heard of made her heart pounded and her face turned as red as a ripe apple.

Her voice trembled with excitement, carrying the timid respect and gratitude typical of a young maid. She quickly bent down and massaged Ximen Qing's arms even more diligently, softly saying, "Thank you, Master! This servant... this servant can get a share too? Those fine fabrics... this servant wouldn't even dare to dream of them..."

The official didn't say anything, but comfortably reached out and pinched each of their bulging breasts!
"Thank you, Father (Master)!" the two said in unison, their voices filled with barely suppressed joy. They served him with all their might, as if they wanted to use every trick in the book.

Pan Jinlian's massage was no longer simply about relieving fatigue; her finger techniques were full of teasing and seduction, her eyes sparkling with allure.

Xiangling was initially hesitant and dared not follow, but after thinking for a moment, she bit her lower lip and imitated Pan Jinlian, cooperating even more attentively. Her small hands roamed over Ximen Qing's body, applying gentler pressure and placing them in increasingly intimate positions. She even boldly rubbed behind the master's ear with her fingertips, just like Pan Jinlian.

Inside the Grand Tutor's mansion.

Zhai Qian held his breath and waited until the last corner of Gao Qiu's purple robe disappeared behind the vermilion pillars of the corridor before quietly returning to his study.

He waited outside Cai Jing's study, which was lavishly decorated with gold and jade and filled with the scent of agarwood, for about half a cup of tea's time, but there was no movement from inside. Knowing that the Grand Tutor disliked people barging in, he hesitated for a moment, when a young maidservant dressed in a brand-new light green silk vest and with her hair in double buns silently lifted the curtain and came out, holding a carved red lacquer tray with only a used plain silk handkerchief with a few oil stains on it.

“Chief Steward Zhai,” the little maid’s voice was so soft it was like a mosquito’s hum, and she didn’t dare to lift her head, “The Grand Tutor left his study a quarter of an hour ago, saying he was feeling a bit irritable and went to ‘Jade Cuisine Pavilion’ to get some fresh pastries to cleanse his stomach.”

Zhai Qian nodded and headed towards the "Jade Cuisine Pavilion".

The Jade Cuisine Pavilion was the Grand Tutor's most beloved possession, costing far more than ten million. Every brick, tile, blade of grass, and tree was built with mountains of gold and seas of silver.

He strode through the corridors and courtyards, and before he even stepped through the moon gate of the Jade Cuisine Pavilion, a strange, warm fragrance wafted towards him. It was neither orchid nor musk, but rather the sweet aroma of dozens of precious flower buds and fresh fruit pulp being baked by the warmth of the jade, mixed with a very faint yet intoxicatingly savory scent.

Inside the pavilion, warm jade emitted a misty glow, and the floor was covered with large, smooth pieces of warm jade, radiating warmth.

Behind the crystal wall, dozens of cooks dressed in plain white linen and wearing blue turbans surrounded a huge rosewood cutting board. On the board were piles of freshly steamed hairy crab meat and roe, gleaming golden.

Beside it, in delicate porcelain bowls, lay snow-white pufferfish, more valuable than gold; tender red quail tongues, as red as agate, made from the meat of a hundred quails, filling a single dish; and vibrant green, fresh spring leek shoots, more expensive than meat.

Cai Jing leaned back on a large cloud-patterned couch covered with a white tiger skin, loosely draped in a cloud-brocade crane cloak.

A beautiful maid in a peach-pink dress knelt by the couch, using a silver skewer to pick at the tip of a steamed crab claw, extracting a flawless, pearl-sized piece of meat, and placing it on a white jade lotus seedpod carved from yam paste in a warm jade dish.

Zhai Qian stood respectfully at the foot of the steps, his eyes glancing at the scene inside the crystal wall, but his mind was as clear as a mirror.

The grandeur of this steamed bun kitchen before us, from its construction and the recruitment and maintenance of these cooks, was all personally handled by Chief Steward Zhai, who spent countless efforts and money to find and supervise its establishment.

The crystal-walled kitchen stove alone cost over three thousand taels of silver! Not to mention the ingredients—the mountain of top-grade crab roe and meat from Chengyang Lake piled up on the table had to be transported from Jiangnan to Bianjing by fast horses day and night. The ice loss, manpower, and losses along the way meant that this pile of crab ingredients alone cost no less than five hundred taels of silver!

The pufferfish milt and quail tongue are even more priceless and unavailable...

Behind the crystal wall, the head cook took out a thin, almost transparent sheet of dough.

It is made by kneading together the finest Northeast snowflake powder, mixed with bird's nest paste and morning dew collected from pine needles on the summit of Yuquan Mountain. The value of one sheet is equivalent to half a year's worth of chewing for an ordinary family.

Her fingers flew, picking up a pinch of golden crab roe, a dot of snow-white pufferfish roe, a piece of tender red quail tongue, and two strands of green chives, then using a silver spoon to scoop up a few pieces of Shaoxing wine ice shavings and place them on the filling.

With deft hands, the dough is gathered up and pinched into twenty-four fine pleats, leaving a tiny hole at the top. A delicate and translucent "crab roe dumpling" is thus created and placed in a small steamer lined with fresh Suzhou and Hangzhou lotus leaves.

Zhai Qian swallowed hard. The cost of ingredients and labor for just this one bun, plus the share of the cook's salary, the damage to the crystal wall, and the maintenance of the warm pavilion... all added up to no less than ten taels of silver!
Ten taels of silver, enough for a middle-class family in Bianjing to live on for several months, was reduced to a snack to "cleanse the stomach" in the Grand Tutor's mouth! Even though Zhai Qian was used to the wealth of the Grand Tutor's mansion and had become numb to it, a thrilling thought still crossed his mind.

Only when the steaming buns began to rise and emit wisps of heat did Cai Jing slightly raise his eyelids, gesturing for the maid in the peach-colored dress to put the "crab claw white jade" worth several taels of silver from the jade dish into his mouth.

He chewed slowly, letting out a satisfied sigh, before lazily saying, "Zhai Qian? Come in."

Zhai Qian bowed and stepped into the warm pavilion, the rich, sweet aroma of crab filling his nostrils: "Reporting to the Grand Tutor, Grand Commandant Gao has already left the residence. When he left... he looked rather apprehensive."

"Hmph!" Cai Jing scoffed, taking the damp cloth to wipe his hands. "Just because he won the Emperor's favor on the football field, does he really think he has the power to control the world? The salt administration is like an abyss, unfathomable; Prince Teng is like a tiger, with ferocious claws. He can't be subdued by either of them. When trouble comes, he's like a headless fly, only knowing to burrow under my old tree..."

His gaze swept over the crystal-walled steamed bun kitchen, and his tone turned cold: "In this officialdom, it's easy to add fuel to the fire and icing on the cake! But to borrow the east wind and provide charcoal in the snow, it's difficult! As difficult as climbing to the heavens!"

"Gao Qiu lacks both the courage to snatch chestnuts from the fire and the ruthlessness to cut off the fuel supply. He relies solely on the lingering warmth of imperial favor. How long can this warmth last? Ultimately, he is building a platform on quicksand, with shallow foundations! Like this crab shell and leftover meat, it looks golden but is actually empty and will crumble at the slightest pressure. The foundation on quicksand will collapse in an instant."

Zhai Qian lowered his head and only uttered a heavy "Yes".

He then reported, "Just now, several other people, through various roundabout connections, delivered these gifts to this old servant. They are all here for the Grand Tutor's birthday celebration next month, hoping to pry open a secret and present their 'heartfelt wishes' to you. The gift list is full of gold and silver items... They're all here!"

The thick stack of gift lists in his sleeve seemed rather shabby in this priceless warm chamber.

Cai Jing shifted his gaze from the steamed bun to Zhai Qian's sleeve, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "Such a gift list can simply be returned; why bother disturbing my peace! Zhai Qian, you've followed me for most of your life, can't you understand?" He tapped his forehead with his withered finger, then pointed behind the crystal wall:

"The pomp and circumstance of this birthday banquet are merely a facade; I am not accepting gifts out of greed for material possessions. If it were only for worldly things, let alone the salt and tea transport routes and the flower and stone transport routes—those lucrative paths—even if I casually wrote the character 'longevity' and threw it out, those envious people outside would pawn their houses and sell their land to make offerings, probably going bankrupt to compete to become filial sons and virtuous grandsons! Money? It is nothing but inanimate objects gathering dust in the warehouse, the most inconspicuous fallen leaf under the great tree of power."

He looked at the steaming, exquisitely wrapped package worth ten taels of silver in the jade dish, but did not pick up his chopsticks: "This birthday celebration is a 'refining furnace.' It melts people's hearts and refines truth from falsehood! It must burn away those rotten woods that rely on ancestral blessings and are bloated with rotten flesh, refine those who are fickle and opportunistic, and burn away those stubborn irons with complicated thoughts, too many entanglements behind them, and who are difficult to deal with!"

His cloudy old eyes, like those of a hawk, fixed on Steward Zhai Qian: "I want to forge 'true gold'! 'A sharp weapon'! A 'wise man' who is born with a curse, has a heart as hard as iron, and hands as ruthless as a knife, yet knows how to assess the situation and can read the superior's intentions as easily as reading the lines on his palm!"

A slight smile played on Cai Jing's lips: "This boundless wealth and overwhelming power, how could ordinary people easily touch it? Only those with a ruthless destiny, like a rhinoceros horn piercing the crown of the head and a wolf wielding its blade, are worthy of my ship, worthy of my 'hands' and 'knife'! These people are my true 'agents' in various government offices and on every path to wealth... capable of turning lead into gold and manipulating events!"

Cai Jing pointed a dry finger at the gift list: "They don't even know my tastes, preferences, or what I dislike. What they send are either mountains of gold and jade, or utterly irrelevant and pointless gifts..."

“Such mediocre talent is like this steamed bun,” he suddenly poked it lightly with his silver chopsticks, and the thin skin of the exquisite bun, worth ten taels, broke open with a snap, revealing the golden, fragrant filling flowing like molten gold onto the warm jade plate. “No matter how good the filling is, if the skin is broken and the shape is ruined, it’s useless! Can you expect him to accomplish anything great?” His tone was as contemptuous as a whisk. “If it’s not meant to be, don’t force it! Such a person is born to be a mudfish in a swamp, only fit to wallow in the turbid waves at the bottom, a muddled worm driven by others. How could he understand the mysteries of controlling the winds and clouds and taking control of the universe?”

He glanced at the "molten gold" broth flowing in the dish, his tone softening slightly: "Zhai Qian, remember this. This birthday celebration isn't about accepting gifts, but about 'choosing the right gift'! Those with unclear backgrounds, complicated intentions, weak destinies, or ruthless methods will all be rejected!" "Don't judge a gift by its monetary value; only consider whether the person behind it 'understands the times' and 'knows the ways of the world'! If they don't understand the times and the ways of the world, even a fortune offered is like a blind man riding a blind horse, approaching a deep pool in the middle of the night! Their hearts are unclear, and their gifts will be ineffective!"

"This 'understanding' and 'knowledge'... is the only 'pledge of allegiance' that can open the door to my Cai family!"

Zhai Qian bowed deeply, touching his knees: "This old servant will remember!"

Beijing.

In the flower hall of Prince Teng's mansion, the rosewood armchairs exuded a heavy sense of majesty.

Wang Ziteng, dressed in a simple royal blue robe with floral patterns, sat upright, his face calm and composed. Aunt Xue sat on the embroidered stool below him, her once plump face now deathly pale with anger, her chest heaving, the silk handkerchief she clutched in her hand almost twisted into a pretzel.

Madam Wang sat beside him, her brows furrowed, looking at Xue Pan kneeling on the ground with a mixture of anger and helplessness in her eyes.

"You wicked child! You ignorant and arrogant wicked child!" Aunt Xue slammed her hand on the small rosewood table beside her, making the official kiln covered bowl on it clang loudly. Pointing at Xue Pan, who was cowering on the ground, her voice trembled.

"It's only been a few days since things calmed down? Huh? You dare to mess with us! Who is that Gao Yanei? His father is Grand Commandant Gao of the Imperial Guard! He's a very influential figure in the eyes of the Emperor! You...you actually dared to beat him up in the street, leaving him bruised and unable to get up?! Do you think your uncle isn't causing enough trouble, or that the Xue family isn't causing enough trouble?!"

Xue Pan, neck stiff, remained defiant despite kneeling, his insolence undiminished, and he argued in a muffled voice:
"Mom! How can you blame me?! You didn't hear the filth spewed from that bastard surnamed Gao's mouth! He... he actually dared to insult Uncle in the street! I... I was furious! I couldn't hold back, so... I punched him a few times! Who knew that guy, who looked so big and strong, was just a show-off, so easy to beat! He was lying on the ground groaning and pretending to be dead after only a few blows!"

"You...you dare to talk back!" Aunt Xue was trembling with anger. She secretly glanced at Wang Ziteng, who was seated at the head of the table, then grabbed a half-peeled orange from beside her and threw it at Xue Pan.

"'Couldn't hold back'? Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? You must have provoked him first! Even if... even if he spoke inappropriately, your uncle and the court's laws will handle him! Who gave you the right to act so violently?! You're bringing trouble to your uncle! You're bringing trouble to our family!" As he spoke, he was about to get up, looking like he really wanted to kick him a few times to vent his anger.

"Alright, little sister." Wang Ziteng, who had been silent all along, finally spoke. He glanced indifferently at the furious Aunt Xue, and then swept his gaze over Xue Pan, who was standing on the ground with his neck sticking out.

Wang Ziteng picked up the celadon teacup beside him, gently skimmed off the foam, took a sip, and then slowly said, "Pan'er is a bit reckless, and doesn't know his own strength. However..."

He paused, his eyes sharpening. "He was right about one thing: Gao Yanei insulted me first. Gao Qiu and his son, relying on the emperor's favor, are becoming increasingly arrogant."

He put down his teacup with a crisp clinking sound, then turned his gaze to the window as if looking at the distant imperial court: "We, the 'old nobles' who have built our fortunes through generations of bloodshed and licking the blade, have been at odds with the newly favored nobles like Minister Cai and Gao Qiu for quite some time now."

Wang Ziteng said in a deep voice, "But this time, Pan'er beat up Gao Qiu's precious son in the street, so this feud has been clearly established."

He withdrew his gaze and turned it back to Xue Pan, a look that made Xue Pan involuntarily shrink back: "Gao Qiu is a man who holds grudges. Although I still hold the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Capital Garrison, he may not dare to openly do anything to my Wang family or Xue family. At most, he will find some excuse to sow discord in front of the Emperor or to trip me up in official matters."

Wang Ziteng changed the subject: "It's just that the matter of Bao'er entering the palace to be selected as a female official was originally only made possible by relying on old connections in the palace and going through a lot of trouble. Now that this has happened, Gao Qiu must hate me to the bone. He is now in charge of the Palace Guard, has many eyes and ears, and often walks around the Emperor... As for Bao'er, I'm afraid... forget about it."

The last three words, "Don't think about it anymore," were spoken very softly by Wang Ziteng, yet they struck Aunt Xue and Madam Wang like a heavy hammer.

The suffocating silence in the flower hall had not yet completely dissipated.

"Second sister," Wang Ziteng's voice broke the silence, carrying an indescribable warmth compared to when he spoke to Aunt Xue earlier.

“A few days ago, I found a few more strange stones among my old subordinates in Jiangnan. Their appearance and charm were extraordinary, and they even resembled the legendary “Mi Fu worshipping the stone”. I have already had someone draw up the design and sent it to the palace by fast horse. When the Emperor saw it, he was overjoyed and said “good” three times. He only hopes to transport it to the Imperial Garden for appreciation as soon as possible.”

At this point, Wang Ziteng finally showed a very faint smile: "However... Jiangnan is far away, and the transportation by water and land, the checkpoints, laborers, guards, and packing along the way, all cost a fortune."

"More importantly, this kind of thing, which goes directly to the ears of the emperor and wins the emperor's heart, must not have any problems on the way. Every link must be secured with real money. Right now... I'm short of cash."

His gaze was fixed on Madam Wang: "Second sister, try to borrow another sum of money from the Jia family to tide us over. I suppose... it won't be too difficult, will it? Consider it... for the sake of Her Majesty's dignity in the palace, and for the foundation of our Wang, Jia, and Xue families' unity. Once this batch of rare stones has successfully entered the palace, and the Emperor's reward arrives, or the autumn rent from the farms in Jiangnan arrives, I will immediately repay the principal with interest, and I will absolutely not let you suffer any hardship."

Madam Wang felt a chill run up from the soles of her feet, and her palms, clutching the handkerchief, instantly became covered in cold sweat. The color drained from her face even more completely than it had from Aunt Xue just now, and her lips moved slightly, but she couldn't utter a sound immediately.

What is the state of the Jia family now? To outsiders, it appears prosperous and lavish, but internally, they are already living beyond their means and struggling to make ends meet. Feng, the housekeeper, meticulously calculates every penny for expenses, constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul. While the Old Madam has her own private funds, they are not easily accessible.

Big brother, you make it sound so easy, just casually mentioning a sum of money! Over the years, how much money have I and Feng'er secretly given him?

How could Prince Teng rise from a border garrison commander to the military governor of the capital, holding a central position and enjoying the emperor's favor and immense prestige? Was it solely due to his own abilities and the Wang family's wealth? It almost depleted a significant portion of the Jia family's foundation.

And what a heavy price Yuan Chun paid for her "respectability"! Every time she made arrangements in the palace, every time she maintained decorum, how many times did she not spend a lot of money?
The phrase "the Wang, Jia, and Xue families are closely related" struck a nerve with Lady Wang. The Xue family was now just an empty shell, with shops in various places closing down one after another.

The Wang family appears illustrious, but in reality, it relies entirely on Prince Teng, who constantly drains his family's resources from his in-laws.

The one truly struggling to maintain this facade of "shared destiny" is the Jia family! Is it a case of "if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold"? The Jia family's lips have long been sucked dry and bleeding; what's cold is the Jia family's own foundation!
As for the promise of "returning the principal with interest," Madam Wang didn't believe a word of it. When had Wang Ziteng ever repaid any money? In the past, weren't all those "borrowed" funds simply thrown away like a meat bun to a dog?

The emperor's reward? That's nothing but a mirage! The autumn rent in Jiangnan? Prince Teng probably can't even fill his own financial hole, let alone have any money left to repay the Jia family?

Lady Wang's heart felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar, or been roasted over a fire. She knew that if she didn't pay this money, she would not only completely offend her powerful elder brother, but it might also seriously affect Yuan Chun in the palace. But if she did pay... the already crumbling foundation of the Jia family would likely be severely undermined!

Madam Wang forcibly suppressed her turbulent emotions, managing to force a smile through her lips: "Big brother...you're right."

She uttered these words with difficulty, as if she had used up all her strength, "Your Majesty is indeed having a hard time in the palace. No matter how difficult things are at home, if my eldest brother is struggling to make ends meet, we...we as his younger sisters cannot stand idly by."

She paused, took a deep breath, and dug her nails into her palms, forcing herself to finish her sentence: "Don't worry, big brother. I... I'll go back and find a way... I'll make sure that strange stone from Jiangnan enters the palace smoothly and wins the emperor's favor... that's the important thing."

Wang Ziteng smiled with satisfaction. "Good, good. I knew my second sister was the most considerate and righteous."

Madam Wang felt as if the eight words "considering the overall situation and understanding righteousness" were burning into her heart like a red-hot iron. She lowered her eyes, not daring to look at Wang Ziteng again, and only responded softly, "Yes... it's all up to you, elder brother."

The next day, at Ximen Mansion.

That spectacle was truly unprecedented in Qinghe County!
As dawn broke, the two imposing black lacquered gates of the Ximen mansion were already wide open, with brand-new bright red silk flowers hanging above the lintels, and two rows of scarlet felt carpets stretching all the way to the center of the street. Dozens of sturdy servants in blue robes and small caps, with red belts around their waists, stood at attention before and below the steps, their backs ramrod straight, but their eyes couldn't help but glance at the endless stream of carriages and sedan chairs approaching.

The invitations were sent out overnight by Dai Anping and a group of servants. Not only the wealthy households, gentry, and heads of government offices in Qinghe County, but also some prominent officials and merchants in neighboring prefectures received invitations from Master Ximen, which were embossed with gold and red ink and carried the fragrance of agarwood.

The post was meticulously crafted, stating only, "I am deeply grateful to Lord Zhao Xuan for his kindness and for condescending to visit me, thus establishing a close family relationship. I have prepared a small feast and cordially invite you to attend." The vague wording only fueled the reader's intense curiosity.

Before the first quarter of the hour of Si (9-11 AM), the main street in front of the Ximen Mansion was already completely blocked by all kinds of carriages and sedan chairs. The shouts of the horsemen, their attendants, and the porters carrying gifts, along with the neighing of the horses and the announcements of the sedan chair bearers, blended together, making it ten times more lively than the temple fair in the first month of the lunar year.

The neighbors all crowded at the alley entrance, peering in and pointing.

"Look! That's the sedan chair of Magistrate Xia from the Criminal Investigation Department!"

"Look, look! Eunuch Wang's sedan chair is here!"

"Oh my goodness, isn't that the steward from Commander Zhou's residence? Even the Commander has sent someone to offer his congratulations?"

"This Master Ximen... he's extraordinary! Truly extraordinary!"

"And the county magistrate's advisor has also arrived!"

Inside the mansion was a completely different world. Colorful canopies were erected in the main hall, the passageway, and the back garden, and dozens of octagonal tables made of rosewood and sandalwood were laid out, already laden with bowls and plates, silver pots and jade cups, which glittered in the sunlight.

The fire in the kitchen burned day and night. Sun Xue'e shouted loudly, "Be careful, everyone! The people who have come today are the best of the best in Qinghe County. If you make any mistakes, you'll be skinned alive and kicked out of the mansion."

The aromas of frying, stir-frying, and cooking mingled with the scents of wine, fruit, and cosmetics, creating an intense and irresistible fragrance. Singers and gentlemen playing stringed instruments tuned their voices in the corridors and corners of pavilions, filling the air with the sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments.

However, today, all the guests, no matter how noble their status or how rare their gifts, couldn't help but glance at the head of the table. There, the esteemed Master Ximen, dressed in a brand-new, magnificent robe and jade belt, his face glowing with pride, held a crimson wine cup.

Wang Sanguan and Xiao Wang Zhaoxuan stood beside Ximen Daguanren.

This princess, dressed in a low-key royal blue robe, wore a perfectly measured, even slightly humble, smile as she listened to Ximen Qing speak. Occasionally, when Ximen Qing raised his cup, she would immediately raise her own cup with both hands, her posture extremely low.

[Long chapter! More tomorrow, please vote with your monthly tickets!]

(End of this chapter)