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

Chapter 137 Entering the Mansion to Meet Baochai, Yuan Chun's Promotion
The official put down his teacup, tapped his fingers lightly on his knee twice, and a faint smile seemed to flit across his lips: "Oh? The Jia family... the Wang family... I think I've heard someone mention them before. Given their background and their intelligence... it's a shame they're not qualified for the position of Lady-in-Waiting."

“In that case,” he paused slightly, his gaze falling on the strange stone called “Divine Firmament Jade Palace,” its jagged shadow seemingly reflected in his deep eyes:

"By imperial decree: Jia Yuanchun is promoted to the position of Minister of the Phoenix Palace. Since she is a capable person, let her take on some heavier responsibilities. Promote her, promote her."

"Yes, this servant will do it immediately!" Liang Shicheng said in a low voice, bowing.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Inside Tianxiang Tower.

The room was furnished with simple curtains and the air was filled with the faint scent of sandalwood.

Qin Keqing lay reclining on the couch, dressed in brand-new mourning clothes, so white they were almost blinding. The mourning clothes were tailored to fit her perfectly, yet they accentuated her slender waist, making it seem as if it could be grasped with a single hand. They also made her breasts appear fuller, as if they were about to burst through the plain white silk, revealing a shockingly voluptuous figure that was completely incongruous with the occasion of mourning.

Her face was pale but had more color than usual. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and her eyes were moist, making her look even more pitiful than usual.

With a rustling of the curtains and a waft of fragrance, Wang Xifeng swayed in. Today, she wore a bright red dress, which accentuated her alluring figure, especially her round, heavy hips, which swayed gracefully with each step, exuding a bold and fiery charm.

Her almond-shaped eyes swept over Qin Keqing, her gaze like a flint, especially lingering on Qin Keqing's large breasts tightly wrapped in mourning clothes, and a meaningful smile appeared on her lips.

"Oh, my dear Qin Keqing," Wang Xifeng said, sitting down on the edge of the couch, her voice low and warm as it reached Qin Keqing's ear.

"There's no one else here, just the two of us sisters having a private chat... No wonder everyone says Rong-ge'er is unlucky. Look at you, you've only been here a few days! Your face is like a peeled chicken, fair and rosy, even more radiant and supple than before! Could it be... that things have gone to extremes?"

Qin Keqing's heart tightened suddenly, as if stung by a scorpion's tail. She hurriedly shook her head, her voice weak and barely audible: "Auntie, please don't talk nonsense... Perhaps... perhaps I feel empty inside, which makes me appear superficial..."

She subconsciously pulled the collar of her mourning dress closer to her chest, trying to cover it up, but only made it more obvious.

Wang Xifeng refused to believe it. She leaned forward, her large, round buttocks pressing deep into the stool, her sharp eyes fixed on Qin Keqing's darting eyes.

He laughed and said, "In that case, let me ask you another strange matter. I heard the other day that someone went to the Guanyin Nunnery, which is dozens of miles outside the city, to hold a Buddhist ceremony for the lady. Why would someone go to such a faraway place instead of going to the many most popular nunneries in the capital, making those clueless servants run themselves ragged? Why is that?"

Qin Keqing's face drained of color in an instant, her fingertips turned icy cold, and she forced a smile, saying, "Auntie, you don't know... Jingxu Nunnery... was under renovation those days..."

"Repair?" Wang Xifeng scoffed, cutting her off. Her voice was even lower, carrying a smugness that seemed to know her secrets. "Good girl, you're kidding me! When I went to the Guanyin Temple to look for you that day, I asked the young servants who were with you in the main hall—where did you go first after your carriage left the city? Hmm? Qinghe County?"

As she spoke, she extended her slender fingers, adorned with nail polish, and gently touched Qin Keqing's tightly bound mourning clothes on the shoulder. The heat from her fingertips made Qin Keqing shiver.

"You heartless little hussy! You said you were going to offer incense to your mother, but you had the nerve to meet with that kind of philanderer? Tell me, I vaguely remember that Master Ximen..."

Wang Xifeng leaned even closer, her breath brushing against Qin Keqing's burning red earlobe, her voice laced with a flirtatious teasing, "...a seductive charm that's wicked to the bone?"

Qin Keqing was terrified, her whole body trembling violently. The large mass wrapped in her mourning clothes heaved violently, almost bursting out of the garment. Overwhelmed with shame and fear, she stammered incoherently, "Auntie! A terrible injustice! I...I just...that Ximen..."

"Shh—!" Wang Xifeng suddenly raised a finger to her bright red lips, her eyes gleaming, but her smile deepened, carrying a teasing tone like a cat playing with a mouse. She slowly uttered the second half of her sentence: "You still haven't told me, is it...evil energy?"

These two words were like icicles, instantly pinning Qin Keqing to the spot. All her explanations were choked in her throat, leaving only a pair of terrified, watery eyes staring blankly at the beautiful woman before her.

Qin Keqing's stunningly beautiful face instantly drained of all color, turning as white as freshly pasted window paper. Her cherry lips trembled slightly, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz: "Aunt...Auntie, please understand...I...I really am feeling unwell, I'm going...I'm going to see him for a checkup..."

Wang Xifeng let out a drawn-out "Oh?" through her nose, her phoenix eyes glancing sideways at Qin Keqing with an indescribable, strange expression on her face—a half-smile, a half-mockery, as if she had seen through some extremely interesting trick.

"Oh—? Really—to—see—the—do ...

"It's...it's really for medical treatment!" Qin Keqing was so anxious that she almost cried. Her chest heaved even more violently under her plain white mourning clothes. The tight fabric outlined her rounded curves, which now appeared extremely fragile and flustered.

Seeing Qin Keqing's absent-minded appearance, Wang Xifeng felt even more smug about having uncovered a secret.

She suddenly leaned closer, almost touching Qin Keqing's temple, and lowered her voice, her breath sweet as orchids: "Good Ke'er, it's one thing for you to deceive others, but to deceive me? That night in the main hall, when I was walking with my back against the wall, the smell on you... tsk tsk, it wasn't the scent of medicine, it was more like..."

She paused deliberately, her gaze lingering suggestively on Qin Keqing before slowly and teasingly adding, "...like the sweat emanating from a strong, muscular man! It's even seeping through several layers of clothing!"

These words startled Qin Keqing! She felt dizzy and ashamed, wishing she could disappear into the ground immediately.

Although she was trying to suppress her expression, the heavy mourning clothes felt like a red-hot iron on her body, making her tremble all over. Fine beads of cold sweat seeped from her forehead, and even the lining of her clothes was damp, with gushes of sweat gushing out.

The sweat did little harm; the originally faint body fragrance, now amplified by the heat, seemed to ignite, becoming even more intense and permeating the air. The plain white silk robes worn in mourning, slightly damp with sweat, accentuated the plump, fleshy physique, like a ripe peach, ripened by fear.

Wang Xifeng was extremely close, and the suddenly intense, warm fragrance went straight into her nostrils. Instead of avoiding it, she seemed to have smelled something rare, her small nostrils twitching slightly as she took a deep breath. The strange smile on her face deepened, and her eyes gleamed with the excited glint of a hunter discovering a flaw in his prey.

"Tsk tsk tsk..." Wang Xifeng smacked her lips, her voice drawn out and seductive, "So fragrant...so fragrant! This smell is exactly the same as the one I smelled that night in the main hall of the Guanyin Temple when I was next to you! Sweet and warm, it makes my bones melt..."

She paused deliberately, savoring Qin Keqing's eyes tightly shut and eyelashes trembling violently with extreme shame, before slowly and deliberately delivering the final blow with a deadly mockery:

"However... today's fragrance is a bit brighter, but it's missing that... um... that hot, indescribable 'sexy' scent mixed with a man's sweat! What a pity!"

"Auntie—!!!" Qin Keqing could no longer bear it and let out a dying cry, her voice broken and tearful.

She felt as if her bones had been removed, almost collapsing onto the bed. Her sweat-soaked mourning clothes clung to her curvaceous body, making her look even more pitiful and terrified. She covered her burning cheeks with both hands, as if she were laying bare her most secret and shameful secret in broad daylight!
Just as things were getting suffocatingly hot and almost bursting at the seams, the curtain in the outer room rustled, and Ping'er walked in with light steps.

With an unusual gleam of joy on her face, she announced in a clear voice, "Second Madam! Great news! Great news! News has just come from the palace that our eldest daughter has been promoted to the position of Minister of the Phoenix Palace! Madam is overjoyed and immediately sent me to spread the good news everywhere, and the first person she sent to tell you was me!"

After Ping'er finished delivering the good news, she noticed that the atmosphere in the room was a bit strange. The Second Madam's face had a half-smile on it, and the First Madam Rong's face was even more unreadable. She didn't dare to ask any more questions, so she curtsied and tactfully withdrew.

Once Ping'er left, the tense and teasing atmosphere seemed to have been somewhat diluted by this sudden "good news," only to be quickly replaced by a heavy gloom.

The strange smile on Wang Xifeng's face vanished instantly, replaced by a long sigh filled with endless worry: "Alas—!"

Qin Keqing was still in shock. Seeing her sigh, she subconsciously followed up, her voice still trembling, "This...this promotion is a momentous occasion...Why is Aunt sighing?"

Wang Xifeng turned around abruptly, her teasing expression completely gone, replaced by the distressed look of a housekeeper. She flicked the handkerchief in her hand as if trying to shake off some bad luck, and said with a bitter smile:
“My dear Ke’er! You’re so delicate and sensitive, how can you speak such uninformed words? This is of course a great joy, a blessing for us, and a matter of honor for the Jia family! But this honor, this blessing, it… it’s built with money!”

She counted on her fingers, her voice revealing shrewd calculation and deep heartache: "Now that I've been promoted to a female official, I have to bribe everyone in the palace, from the chief eunuch to the most important maids and nannies."

“Those are all glaring holes! And then there’s the most important one, Eunuch Liang Shicheng, who is a top favorite of the Emperor. His ‘tribute’ must not be taken lightly, slowly, or insufficient!”

“All of this, from which place doesn’t money flow out of the accounts I’m in charge of? This isn’t good news, it’s clearly a death knell! My heart is aching so badly!” Wang Xifeng sighed, her face full of worry.

Qin Keqing listened, momentarily forgetting her earlier fear, only staring blankly at Wang Xifeng's shrewish appearance, her chest heaving beneath her mourning clothes, gradually calming down, yet feeling an inexplicable sense of oppression in her heart. Before the imposing black-lacquered gates of the Jia mansion stood Ximen Qing, dressed in a newly made sapphire-blue silk robe with lotus patterns, a flowing headscarf, and a pair of exquisite double-fish jade pendants at his waist. Refined and elegant, dashing and debonair, he exuded the air of a wealthy merchant with a scholarly air.

He handed over his visiting card, specifically requesting to see Xue Pan, the eldest son of the Xue family.

A short while later, a series of heavy footsteps were heard from inside, mixed with rough laughter and curses: "Which blind fool is blocking my way? Get out of the way!"

The gatekeeper hurriedly stepped aside, only to see Xue Pan burst out like a mountain of flesh. Today he was wearing a bright red robe covered in gold, which made his face appear even more oily and his shoulders and waist even thicker. His robe was open, revealing a bright green handkerchief with floral patterns underneath. A strong smell of alcohol mixed with the aroma of a sachet wafted over.

Xue Pan's eyes, clouded by wine and women, lit up the moment they fell on Ximen Qing, like a starving dog eyeing a bone! He spread his arms wide and pounced like a bear, giving the master a solid bear hug without a word! The force was so great that even the martial arts master felt a sharp pain in his ribs and almost passed out.

"Oh, my dear brother! Master Ximen! I've missed you so much!" Xue Pan hugged Ximen Qing, his oily, sweaty face rubbing against Ximen Qing's shoulder, his breath reeking of alcohol and spittle flying from his mouth.
“My dear brother! You have no idea, ever since I returned to this damn capital, every day has felt like an eternity! None of those pretentious, affected people suit my taste! None of them are as straightforward and easygoing as you, brother! My heart is like it’s being scratched by cat claws, I think about you day and night, all I can think about is you… hehehe…”

He winked and made faces, letting out a series of extremely lewd laughs, and his arm around Ximen Qing even patted him hard on the back a few times.

The sight of Ximen Qing made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and goosebumps instantly covered his arms. He endured the discomfort and struggled to free half of his body from Xue Pan's iron-like embrace.

"Brother Xue, it's been so long! I've been thinking of you too!" Ximen Da Guanren chuckled, his voice a little hoarse. He quickly changed the subject, afraid Xue Pan would pounce on him again, "This isn't the place to talk, my brother's temple is..."

"Yes, yes, yes! Look how happy I am!" Xue Pan slapped his forehead, making his fat jiggle, and affectionately put his arm around Ximen Qing's shoulder, half-dragging, half-pulling him towards a secluded courtyard in the southeast corner of the Jia mansion, muttering to himself about his longing.

"Brother, come with me quickly! My courtyard is quiet! I've prepared some good stuff! Brother, you don't know, thanks to the instructions you gave me in Qinghe County, I've finally made a name for myself in the entertainment district of the capital! I've completely outshone those arrogant young nobles of the capital who only know how to recite pretentious poems and sing ditties!"

He was so excited that he danced around as if the "battlefield" was right in front of him: "Brother, you didn't see it! In those infamous dens of iniquity like 'Hidden Incense Pavilion' and 'Drunken Immortal Pavilion'! I, hey! Relying on the instructions you gave me, I was all incredibly powerful!"

"The young prince Shui Rong of the Prince of Beijing's mansion, and the third son of the Prince of the County, Mu, are usually all respectable people, but once they get into that erotic tent, they're all just empty shells! After three or five rounds, they're as weak as shrimps and lying there!"

"Jin Er of the Jin family, the Prince of Xining, and Huo Xiaowu of the Huo family, the Prince of Nan'an, usually act all high and mighty, but what happened? I, your brother, took on both of them! I used a tag-team strategy! I beat them so badly they cried for their parents and crawled on the ground to admit defeat!"

Xue Pan slapped his chest, his fat jiggling, spittle flying everywhere: "But what about me? Heh! I was truly vigorous and powerful! I fought several rounds in one night, even a relay battle was no problem! I exhausted those top courtesans, leaving them crying and begging for mercy, begging 'Master Xue, have mercy!'"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he were a peerless hero, shouting with a red face and a thick neck:

"Just based on this real skill! Brother, guess what? Now all the top young masters in the capital are impressed by me, and all those fangirls give me a thumbs up when they talk about me, Master Xue! They even got together and gave me a catchy and awesome nickname! They all call me—'Fat-faced Vajra Pestle'!"

"Brother, you seem to be having such a good time, and I'm happy for you too." Seeing his expression, Ximen Qing changed the subject, lowered his voice, and asked with a hint of a businessman's shrewdness, "But there's another important matter I'd like to inquire about, brother."

Xue Pan was taken aback, then patted his chest and said, "Brother, please tell me. There's nothing I don't know!"

He leaned closer, almost touching Xue Pan's ear, "Brother, do you know any big salt merchants in the capital... who specialize in salt permits?"

Xue Pan was taken aback upon hearing this, blinking his small eyes blankly, his thick lips muttering, "Salt merchant?...Salt certificate?..."

He furrowed his thick eyebrows, thought hard for a moment, then shook his head decisively, his fleshy face jiggling. "Don't know them! All I know are cockfighting, dog racing, drinking, gambling, and whoring friends. Who would bother knowing those money-grubbing, scheming salt dealers? It's too boring!"

Xue Pan seemed to remember something, and suddenly slapped his thigh, making the teacup on the table jump. He shouted, spitting as he spoke, "Oh dear! Why are you asking this, brother? But... although I don't recognize her, my sister Baochai certainly knows her inside and out!"

His face instantly lit up with smugness, as if his sister's abilities were his own.
“Our Xue family ancestors were imperial merchants, in charge of purchasing and tribute! Although now… hehe, those connections are still there! Salt merchants? Those people who want to curry favor with the Imperial Household Department or get salt permits all have to go through these old imperial merchants! My sister has been helping my mother with these things since she was little, and she knows it like the back of her hand! She knows exactly which family has a strong foundation and which family has powerful connections!”

Xue Pan became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he had accomplished a great feat. He suddenly stood up, his whole body trembling with excitement: "Brother, wait for me! I'll go and find my sister for you right now! I'll let her have a good talk with you! Just you wait!"

Before he could finish speaking, the foolish and domineering Xue Pan, disregarding all manners and propriety, strode out of the room with his thick legs, his robes swaying, leaving Ximen the official inside.

The Jia family is busy preparing a celebratory banquet for Lin Ruhai, the master of the Lin family, upon his promotion and return to the capital.

Newly decorated palace lanterns with colorful ribbons hang between carved beams and painted rafters. A scarlet carpet is laid on a long sandalwood table. Golden plates and jade cups, fresh fruits are arranged in a flowing manner. The air is filled with the aroma of wine, flowers, and the sweet and warm fragrance of freshly baked pastries.

Xue Baochai, dressed in casual attire, could not conceal her plump and luxurious figure. She stood in the hall, directing several clever servants to arrange seating and place peony vases.

She wore a light red silk jacket with a front opening. The material was extremely soft and smooth, tightly wrapping around her upper body and outlining the full, rounded curves of her chest. It trembled slightly as she gestured with her hands. The collar of the jacket loosened slightly, revealing a section of her milky white neck. A few strands of her dark hair were stuck to her cheeks with fine sweat.

As she walked, her skirt swayed, revealing glimpses of her plump calves. On her feet were a pair of soft satin shoes with gold-embroidered cloud patterns. With light steps and a graceful sway of her waist, she exuded a charming and elegant demeanor.

As she gave instructions, she chatted and laughed with several of the Jia family's women who were helping her. Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but gentle and melodious. She wore a perfectly measured smile, her face rosy and radiant, her lips slightly parted to reveal her fine, pearly teeth, and her eyes sparkling with delight.

Suddenly, a young maid in a peach-colored vest hurried in, bypassing the busy crowd, and went straight to Baochai. She curtsied and whispered, "Miss Bao, Master Pan is looking for you outside. He says it's urgent."

Baochai was about to taste a small, exquisite rose and lotus seed pastry when she heard this. Her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, her slender, jade-like fingers paused in mid-air, and her smile remained unchanged. She simply said, "What could my brother want with me? Has he gotten into trouble again? Tell him I'm busy here and can't come now. Tell him to talk to me later."

The young maidservant leaned closer, her voice low and mysterious: "Master Pan said... a very important guest has arrived from Qinghe County, and he specifically requested to see you. He said... he said it's a young master surnamed Ximen..."

With a soft "thud," the delicate rose-shaped lotus seed pastry between Baochai's fingers fell straight to the ground, rolled a few times, and picked up dust. She froze, as if struck by an invisible bolt of lightning!
That once radiant, serene, and smiling face instantly lost all color and turned deathly pale.

Her almond-shaped eyes, usually calm as autumn water, were wide open at this moment, as if a raging storm was suddenly surging in the depths of her pupils, or as if thousands of sparks were ignited in an instant! Her full and plump breasts heaved violently, and the curves under her light red silk jacket were stretched even more clearly, her rapid breathing almost breaking through the thin layer of silk.

She stood there, frozen, like a beautiful woman who had suddenly lost her soul. The surrounding noise of preparations and voices seemed to be veiled by a thick layer of mist, becoming indistinct. Only the words "Qinghe County" and "West Gate" burned like a red-hot iron into the softest and most hidden part of her heart.

"Bao'er? What's wrong?" Madam Wang, who was standing nearby, was the first to notice her unusual behavior. Seeing her sudden change in expression and the snack falling from her hand, she asked with concern. Madam Xing, Li Wan, and the others also turned their gazes toward her.

Baochai was jolted awake by the call, as if she had just woken from a dream. Her dazed eyes suddenly focused, and she forcefully suppressed the flames of wild joy and disbelief that were deep within them with all the strength she had ever had.

She quickly lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes obscuring the gaze that threatened to betray her innermost thoughts. She forced a strained smile, her lips twitching slightly, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly, yet she desperately tried to maintain her usual composure.
"No...it's nothing, Auntie. I guess I was standing for too long and felt a little dizzy and short of breath." She raised her hand and casually brushed a few strands of sweaty hair from her temple with her plump, white fingers, but her fingertips were cold and trembling slightly. "I...I'm going out for some fresh air, I'll be back in a moment."

Before she could finish speaking, and without bothering to explain anything further, nor daring to look at the probing eyes of the crowd, she turned around almost unsteadily. Her bright green pleated skirt swirled in a flurry of wind, and her full figure, tightly wrapped in her silk jacket, trembled slightly with the turmoil of her emotions.

She walked out hurriedly, her lotus steps losing their usual composure and appearing somewhat rushed. As her skirt brushed across the threshold, it even knocked over a newly planted peony.

It really is him! That nemesis from Qinghe County! This demon star, whom we should have given up on long ago and thought we would never see again in this life, actually fell from the sky and crashed right into this mansion!
A surge of scalding joy, like boiling oil, poured over her heart, which was tightly bound by layers of rules and etiquette! All the carefully maintained dignity and meticulous calculations vanished in an instant, like a snow lion being thrown into fire.

A surge of intense heat shot from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, rampaging through her voluptuous, ripe body. Her breasts, swollen and heavy, though tightly wrapped in her silk jacket, now looked as if she were carrying two live rabbits!

There was something else lurking in her heart, pounding like a drum, making her chest ache, her ears ring, and even the straps of her undergarments tighten, making it hard for her to breathe.

Her feet felt unsteady, each step sinking deep and then shallow, as if she were stepping on a cotton ball, or on a red-hot iron, burning her heart and making her feel flustered, her whole body go numb, soft, and melting, feeling sore and swollen, shocked and afraid, as well as ashamed and embarrassed.

(End of this chapter)