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

Chapter 145 Wang Xifeng Regains Her Good Deeds

Over there, Master Ximen was displaying his charm to the fullest!
Aside from Li Shishi's fury, all the other nobles and officials praised the man's methods, saying that he had succeeded!
Inside the Jia family mansion.

Inside Tianxiang Tower, prayer flags hung low and heavy, and white curtains, like white silk shrouding a corpse, tightly wrapped the entire building.

The pungent smell of sandalwood and paper ash was so thick it seemed impossible to dissipate, penetrating deep into one's lungs.

Qin Keqing was dressed in heavy mourning clothes, her exquisite figure wrapped in a plain white linen robe. However, the enormous thing was startlingly large. The white silk was taut and trembled with her soft sobs and breaths, like a snow-capped peak that could not bear the weight and was about to break through the mourning clothes at any moment.

Her exquisite face was unadorned with makeup, her complexion as pale as fresh snow, with only the lower part of her cherry-like lips showing traces of red from being bitten by her teeth.

Just then, there was a sound on the stairs. Wang Xifeng came up. She was dressed in a bright red, floor-length jacket and a pomegranate-red floral satin skirt, the colors of which clashed sharply against the stark white, almost painful to the eye.

Qin Keqing raised her tearful eyes, saw that it was her, and barely managed to stop her sobbing. Her voice was as weak as a whisper: "Auntie is here... The color on your clothes..." Her gaze swept over Wang Xifeng's eye-catching red dress, and then quickly lowered.

Only the two of them were inside the building. The shadows of the prayer flags swayed slightly on the ground, adding to the gloom.

"Oh! My dear Ke'er, don't blame me for dressing so undignifiedly here. Look at this manor now... it's truly bizarre!" She gestured with her chin:

"On this side, Rong-ge'er's body is barely cold, the seventh day after his death has just passed, and the thirty-day mourning period hasn't even ended yet! The white banners haven't been taken down, the monks are still chanting sutras, and the nuns downstairs are still performing rituals! On the other side,"

She lowered her voice even further, a hint of sarcasm in her tone: "To welcome Master back to the capital, the Rongguo Mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, a grand feast, as lively as if it were a blazing fire and brocade! The two events colliding together are like the King of Hell and the God of Wealth fighting in the same doorway. Isn't that bizarre?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Keqing's pale face lost even more color. She hurriedly glanced around, and despite the fact that no one was around, she nervously clutched the mourning clothes on her chest.

She urged her urgently, "Auntie! Be careful what you say! What if someone with ulterior motives hears this and it gets out?"

Wang Xifeng waved her hand dismissively, the gold bracelet on her wrist jingling, and said with a hint of defiance, "What's there to be afraid of! Anyway, it's just you and me here. None of the people from your Ning Mansion went to the banquet over there because of Rong-ge'er's matter. They're all staying in their own rooms to keep watch! Who has ears that long enough to come to Tianxiang Tower to eavesdrop?"

She paused, her eyes darting around for a moment: "As for me... the banquet over there is almost over, and Xue is helping Madam take care of the maids and servants, doing a very good job. With Madam being served, I'm happy to steal a half-day of peace and quiet."

Qin Keqing raised her tear-streaked eyes, carefully examining Wang Xifeng's slightly tired brows and taut jawline. She gently shook her head, her voice weak yet knowing:

"Auntie, you didn't come here to escape to a quiet place. You look unwell, and your words just now were sarcastic and blunt. I suppose... you must have been upset by Madam and came to my deserted place to relieve your frustration?"

When Wang Xifeng's true feelings were exposed, half of her feisty and fierce demeanor crumbled.

She let out a long sigh, her exaggeratedly large hips and thick buttocks sinking deeper into the brocade cushion, as if her back was being crushed by an invisible burden. She raised a hand to rub her throbbing temples, her voice finally revealing an undisguised weariness and resentment, carrying the characteristic anxiety of a housekeeper driven to desperation by money:
"Sigh! It's all about 'money'!" She slapped the armrest: "Madam just called me over again, and from what she said, she still wants to allocate a large sum of money to that side! It's not a small amount!"

"You know the situation in the manor. Although it looks like the house hasn't collapsed from the outside, the coffers are empty! Income is decreasing every day, expenses are increasing every day, and money is needed everywhere, like a bottomless pit! And yet, Madam only asks me for money!"

"The money is flowing out like water, but the income is decreasing day by day, and invitations to ask for money are flying in like snowflakes! Now Rong-ge'er is asking me... I'm not Lü Dongbin who can turn stones into gold! Where am I supposed to conjure up so much money for her? This is really driving me to the brink of despair!"

But then footsteps came from the stairs, and Wang Xifeng immediately stopped talking.

Baozhu called out from outside the door, "Master Jingxu of Shuiyue Nunnery, who is performing a ritual below, requests an audience."

A moment later, a figure entered and quietly crept up to them.

The old nun Jingxu was dressed in a bluish-gray robe, which was starched and looked quite crisp, but the collar and cuffs were worn white and frayed.

A smile plastered on her face, her wrinkles crinkling like crumpled sutras. She clasped her hands together and mumbled a Buddhist chant: "Amitabha, greetings to Second Grandmother, greetings to Rong Da Grandmother. Both of you have suffered, please accept my condolences."

Wang Xifeng was already furious about the money, and when she saw the old nun, she didn't even bother to lift her eyelids, only letting out a snort through her nose.

Jingxu, however, didn't care at all. The fawning smile lines on her face deepened, and she bent her waist even lower.

A strong, aged sandalwood scent emanated from her, mixed with an indescribable, cloying smell of leftover cosmetics, which entered their nostrils, causing them to frown.

"Second Madam, you are merciful," Jingxu's voice was very low, with a wet and mysterious quality: "This humble nun should not disturb you at this time, but... there is a great good deed to do to accumulate merit, and after thinking it over, I can only do it for a noble person like you, Second Madam, who is decisive and has connections everywhere."

Wang Xifeng glanced at her sideways, a glint of shrewdness, typical of a merchant, flashing deep within her anxious eyes. She didn't speak, but instead picked up a cup of cold, half-cold tea from the small table beside her and skimmed off the foam with the lid.

The old nun Jingxu continued, "I was just about to go to the mansion to ask Madam for help, but seeing you here, I would like to ask you for your guidance first."

Sister Feng asked, "What is it?"

The old nun said, “Amitabha! It was because when I first became a nun at Shancai Nunnery in Chang’an County, there was a benefactor named Zhang who was very wealthy. He had a daughter named Jin’ge, who came to my temple to offer incense that year. Unexpectedly, she met Li Yanei, the brother-in-law of the Prefect of Chang’an.”

“That young master Li was determined to marry Jin Ge and sent someone to propose marriage. However, Jin Ge had already been betrothed to the son of the former garrison commander of Chang’an. If the Zhang family broke off the engagement, they were afraid that the garrison commander would not agree, so they said that she was already engaged.”

"Who would have thought that Young Master Li would insist on marrying his daughter? The Zhang family was at a loss and caught in a dilemma. Unexpectedly, the garrison commander's family heard the news and, without any regard for right or wrong, came to humiliate and insult them, saying that he had promised his daughter to several families and refused to return the betrothal gifts. They even started a lawsuit. The two families were at loggerheads over this matter, and it seemed that they were about to go to court and blood would be spilled!"

"The Zhang family got anxious and had no choice but to send someone to the capital to find a way to return the betrothal gifts. I think that the current military governor of Chang'an, Lord Yun, is the closest to your family. We can ask Madam to speak to Master Yun and send a letter to ask him to speak to the garrison commander. We are not afraid that the garrison commander will not agree. If you are willing to do so, the Zhang family is even willing to give their entire fortune to show their filial piety."

Hearing Jingxu's words, Wang Xifeng was secretly delighted. She had been worried about not having any income, and with a slight smirk, she chuckled, her eyes gleaming with a haughty, condescending air: "Oh, what are you saying, Abbess! This matter doesn't sound like much, just a trivial thing. But..."

She drew out her words and leaned back in her chair: "What a noble person Madam is! She wouldn't even bother to look at such lowly legal troubles and money, so naturally she wouldn't care."

The old nun Jingxu leaned forward beneath her greyish-blue robe, her wrinkled face plastered with a fawning smile, her cloudy eyes fixed on every subtle expression on Wang Xifeng's face:

“Amitabha! Madam may not care about your wealth and status, but you are different, Grandmother! You are the pillar of this household, the beam that holds up the sea! Such a good deed that accumulates good karma and demonstrates skill, wouldn't it be perfect with just a word from you?”

Wang Xifeng didn't even lift her eyelids. She merely flicked non-existent dust off the small table with her nail polished nails, a faint hint of mockery playing on her lips. She slowly said, "Silver? Ha, I'm not waiting for that silver to cook rice right now. Besides,"

Her gaze swept over Jingxu with a hint of ruthlessness: "This kind of sordid legal matter is tainted with my hands, and I, Wang Xifeng, would never stoop to it!"

When Jingxu was met with this rebuff, the little fantasy that had just arisen in her heart deflated with a "poof," like a punctured bladder.

The wrinkles on her face instantly drooped, like a crumpled rag. After a long while, she let out a long, heavy sigh, a sigh that was sticky and deep, carrying a hint of provocation.

“Alas…that may be true, but think about it, Grandma…that wealthy Zhang family only came to this humble nun because they knew we had connections, and they even went so far as to swallow their pride and spend a fortune to beg for help.”

"If the manor were to abandon its responsibilities now, those who know would say that the ladies are too busy with important matters to deal with such trivialities; those who don't would simply think that... a dignified Duke's manor can't even come up with such a simple trick that could be easily resolved, that they're afraid of the garrison commander's family, or... that they don't care about his small amount of tribute?"

Wang Xifeng's phoenix eyes, which had been half-closed, suddenly snapped open! The languid mockery in her eyes was instantly replaced by a burning excitement. Her red lips parted, revealing her pearly white teeth, and her smile carried a ruthless, murderous aura.
"Can't come up with any tricks? Haha! Abbess, you know me well!" She waved her hand, and the heavy gold bracelet on her wrist jingled.

"What underworld retribution? What hellish reincarnation? I, Wang Xifeng, don't believe in such nonsense! As long as I have the power to do what the Heavenly King himself wants, there's nothing I can't do! Go back and tell—" Her eyes flashed with a sharp light, like two clusters of eerie green will-o'-the-wisps.

"Tell him to obediently prepare five thousand taels of silver! Not a single coin less! Lay it out before me! I'll immediately avenge him! I'll make that garrison commander's family obediently break off the engagement without daring to utter a single utterance!" Upon hearing this, the old nun Jingxu's withered, bark-like face instantly transformed into a saturated, water-soaked mushroom, its layers of wrinkles smoothing out. Her cloudy old eyes gleamed with greed, and she was so overjoyed that she forgot to clasp her hands together, repeatedly replying:

"Yes! Yes! Grandma, don't worry! This is no problem! The Zhang family will definitely scrape together enough money even if they have to go bankrupt to send it over! Amitabha, Grandma is truly a living bodhisattva who saves people from suffering!"

Wang Xifeng raised her chin slightly, with a condescending arrogance, and snorted: "Hmph! Don't compare me to those lowly errand boys who run errands and skim money from under the door! This five thousand taels of silver..."

She held up three slender, delicate fingers and waved them in front of Jingxu, the bright red nail polish on her nails glaringly obvious: "It's just a little money to pay the lowly errand boys, to let them earn a few bucks for their work! I won't take a single copper coin from him! Let alone five thousand taels!"

She curled her full, red lips into a boastful expression, exuding an air of wealth and power: "Even if it were fifty thousand taels, I, Wang Xifeng, could pile it up right now! I wouldn't even blink an eye!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Grandma is of such high status! Of course she wouldn't stoop to such petty things; she's just being considerate of the servants' hard work!" Jingxu nodded and bowed, practically groveling to the ground, and impatiently urged them on.

"In that case, Grandma, please have mercy and grant us an audience tomorrow to settle this matter. The Zhang family will be eternally grateful and pray day and night, wishing you a long and blessed life!"

Wang Xifeng stretched lazily, her taut red dress outlining the curves of her voluptuous waist and hips with a satisfied air: "Look at me, which part of me can function without me? A thousand things depend on me! I'm so busy I barely have time to breathe! But..."

She drew out her words, glancing sideways at Jingxu: "Since I've agreed to your request, I'll naturally give you a quick end! Let's settle this quickly!"

Upon hearing this, Jingxu seized the opportunity, her old face beaming with a smile, and flattery poured out like spittle: "Oh my! Grandma, you've really hit the nail on the head! This little thing would probably keep others busy to the point of exhaustion, not knowing where to begin! But for you, Grandma, even if you added ten or eight more things, it wouldn't be enough for you to stretch and tidy up with a flick of your little finger!"

"This is what they call 'the capable are always rewarded'! It's precisely because Madam sees how capable and efficient you are that she entrusted all the affairs of the household to you. You are truly the pillar of our household! But..."

She changed the subject, feigning concern: "Grandma should also take care of her health and not overwork herself."

Before Wang Xifeng could say anything more, a small, icy hand silently reached out from the side! Its five fingers, like hooks, swiftly and ruthlessly twisted Wang Xifeng's waist and hips through the thin, taut crimson satin skirt!
"Ugh!" Caught off guard, Wang Xifeng was suddenly struck by a piercing pain! Her whole body trembled violently, turning into a short, suppressed cry of pain.

She turned around abruptly and met Qin Keqing's pitiful almond-shaped eyes, which were now unusually clear, sharp, and unfathomable.

Where was the trace of sorrow and grief from before in those eyes? They were now like a deep, icy pool, cold and piercing, carrying a knowing awareness of the ways of the world and an urgent need to stop. She shook her head slightly, a very small movement, visible only to Wang Xifeng.

Wang Xifeng felt a sudden chill run down her spine! After the excruciating pain, a cold sensation crept up her spine.

Ke'er has always been an extremely proper and cautious person, with a meticulous mind and thorough consideration. Walking in this mansion is like walking on thin ice, and she never easily crosses the line.

Wang Xifeng felt her mind, which had been burning with greed for money, instantly turn as cold as ice. The spot on her buttocks where she had been pinched stung, but it was like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, completely extinguishing her greed-driven irrationality.

Jingxu's fawning smile froze, and a hint of confusion and uncertainty flashed in her cloudy old eyes: "Second Madam? What's wrong with you...?"

Wang Xifeng took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the pain on her face, and put on her usual reserved demeanor, tinged with impatience. She raised her hand, pretending to cover her mouth with a handkerchief, and coughed a few times, until the corners of her eyes turned red.

"Cough cough...cough cough cough..." She coughed as she turned her body slightly away from Jingxu: "Never mind...never mind...what the nun said sounds like accumulating good deeds."

“But I’ve been thinking about it again and again.” She paused, her voice deliberately raised, carrying an undeniable distance and caution: “It’s just that… there’s a major event happening in the manor right now, Rong’er has just passed away, so many eyes are watching, so many important matters are waiting to be dealt with! My mind is a mess, like a tangled mess!”

"These kinds of outside disputes and lawsuits are complex and multifaceted, with one wrong move affecting the whole situation. How can we get involved so easily? One wrong move could ruin the reputation of our household! Abbess, you should... go back. Let me consider this matter carefully and make a long-term plan."

Jingxu's smile froze completely, like a clay sculpture frozen in the cold wind. Her cloudy eyes swept over Wang Xifeng's suddenly cold and distant face, then quickly glanced at Qin Keqing, who was standing to the side with her head down, as if the thunderous slap had never happened.

"Second Grandmother..." Old Nun Jingxu began, her voice hoarse, still trying to struggle.

"Alright!" Wang Xifeng waved her hand sharply, the gold bracelet on her wrist jingling, her voice carrying a resolute and fierce aura: "I'm tired! Rong's wife is also weak and can't be disturbed. Please make yourself at home, the ritual ahead is urgent!"

She stopped looking at Jingxu, picked up the cup of cold, leftover tea, brought it to her lips, but only touched it briefly before frowning in disgust.

Jingxu's throat bobbed, forcing back the words she was about to utter, as if swallowing a sharp-edged block of ice. A smile, more painful than a grimace, squeezed from the wrinkles on her face, her clasped hands trembling slightly: "Amitabha... In that case... this humble nun takes her leave... takes her leave..."

As soon as the nun left, Wang Xifeng looked at Qin Keqing with a puzzled expression.

"Auntie!" Qin Keqing's voice was extremely low, yet it pierced Wang Xifeng's ears like a needle chilled to the bone: "How foolish of you! You dare to take money from such a blood-stained lawsuit?!"

"It may seem like just a forced marriage, but think about it, Auntie. Throughout history, how many plays and stories have depicted tragic tragedies of bloodshed, broken families, and ruin, all of which started with the word 'marriage'?"

"This lawsuit involves the reputation and future of three powerful families! The officials in the yamen will decide according to the law. How can you, a woman from the inner quarters, interfere? One wrong step and you'll be burned to ashes!"

"Which of these horrific tragedies that led to the destruction of families and the loss of lives did not stem from this forced marriage? If the rejected woman had been a strong-willed one, she could have hanged herself from the rafters in her boudoir—that would have been a life lost!"

"If her young master is a lovelorn man, and seeing his beloved die tragically, his blood splattered everywhere, or even coming to seek revenge with a knife... then it will be another bloody tragedy, perhaps even several lives lost!"

"Haven't you heard that Xue Pan got into a murder case over a woman? When that happens, will the Zhang family still be able to keep their money warm? Will the lawsuit still be able to be suppressed? Auntie, what you're stained with isn't just money, it's boiling human blood! It's a death warrant! Breaking off the engagement is a small matter, but behind it lies an inexhaustible debt of lives!"

Wang Xifeng was jolted by Qin Keqing's sharp and logical words. The burning greed that had been stirred up by the "three thousand taels" and the "methods" vanished as if a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over her head, leaving only damp, cold ashes and lingering fear.

Looking at the sickly flush on Qin Keqing's pale face, caused by excitement, and her chest heaving violently, almost bursting out of her mourning clothes, she nodded subconsciously, her fleeting pride completely turning into relief.

"My dear Ke'er! It's all thanks to you! You are so thoughtful and considerate! If it weren't for you just now..." She patted her chest with lingering fear as she recalled the burning pain.

Then, her eyes flickered, and the relief of surviving the ordeal was tinged with a hint of the mischievousness unique to Feng Qi. Her full red lips curved into a playful smile, and she leaned towards Qin Keqing, bringing with her a warm, fragrant breeze: "However..."

She drawled, "Ke'er, that pinch you gave me just now really hurt! It still burns! No, you need to tell me something to make up for it! Otherwise, I'll be in big trouble!"

Qin Keqing was taken aback by her sudden turn of events and the blatant gaze. Two red clouds instantly rose on her pale cheeks, like red plum blossoms blooming in the snow. She instinctively crossed her arms over her chest: "What secret?"

She turned away in a panic, leaving Wang Xifeng with a back view of her alluring figure, clad in a plain white linen dress. She spat, her voice trembling with embarrassment and anger: "Pah! You're getting more and more shameless! What secrets could I possibly have?"

Seeing Qin Keqing's shyness, Wang Xifeng became even more interested. She stood up, moved close to Qin Keqing's back, almost touching her fair neck, and lowered her voice, her tone carrying a hint of malicious teasing and probing:
"Hey, just tell me what exactly happened at that Guanyin Temple last time?"

"What nonsense! You're just spouting lies and making things up!" Qin Keqing turned around abruptly as if burned, her face flushed crimson, even the neck exposed by the collar of her plain white mourning clothes was stained with a layer of red: "If you keep talking nonsense, I... I'll tear your mouth apart!"

She raised her hand as if to hit him, but the gesture was more like a feigned refusal, carrying a sense of panic and helplessness at having her secret exposed.

One was dressed in simple white, her beauty as captivating as a snow-capped mountain; the other was fiery and alluring, her pomegranate skirt billowing like waves.

Jia Rong's death was like a giant wheel of fate, violently creating a crack in the Jia family's path to ruin.

Two peerless beauties, who should have perished soon after, now playfully tease each other, their fingertips touching, and amidst the fluttering ashes, embark on another path of life imbued with the warmth of the mortal world.

(End of this chapter)