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

Chapter 177 Protecting the Adultery, Hua Zixu Pays Back the Money
royal palace.

Although there was no frost or snow in the palace gardens, the chill had already seeped into the bones. When Zheng Juzhong received the news of his promotion, the warmth in his heart actually dispelled some of the coldness in the deep palace.

Today he specially changed into a brand new official robe, a purple-brown brocade, which faintly shimmered with a dark halo under the palace lanterns in the hall.

The color of the fabric only accentuated the air of nobility on his face. He strode into the imperial study, where a rich, warm fragrance mixed with the sweet scent of fruit wafted towards him, making him feel slightly dizzy.

"Your Majesty, I, Ju Zhong, kowtow to express my gratitude!" He knelt down, his forehead striking the gleaming gold bricks with his hands, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement and gratitude. "If it weren't for Your Majesty's favor, I wouldn't be where I am today!"

Inside the warm pavilion, Empress Zheng leaned against a low couch covered with thick mink fur, a stack of memorials beside her. She was playing with a large, round tangerine that had recently been presented as tribute, its round, bright red color resembling a solidified bead of blood.

Hearing Zheng Juzhong's words, she didn't even lift her eyelids, but just lazily hummed. With a flick of her finger, the tangerine fell back into the mother-of-pearl inlaid agate plate beside her, making a soft "thump" sound. It rolled twice and stopped next to a few equally plump fruits.

"Thank me?" She finally raised her eyes, but her gaze was like the early winter sun outside the palace, seemingly warm but actually quite distant. "We are relatives, one family, why do you need to say it?"

A faint smile played at the corners of her lips. Her voice was soft, yet each word was clear and carried an undeniable force: "The person you should thank is the one who truly deserves it. Remembering their kindness and keeping it in your heart—that's the right thing to do."

Zheng Juzhong knelt on the ground, his heart skipped a beat, and he immediately understood. He hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes, yes! Your Majesty's reprimand is absolutely right! I was confused!"

After a moment's thought, he put on a respectful yet knowing smile. "Your subject will leave the palace immediately to pay my respects at the Grand Tutor's residence! I will never forget Grand Tutor Cai's kindness in helping me!"

Empress Zheng was taken aback, then laughed in anger. With a flick of her wrist, the large tangerine she had been playing with, imbued with the fragrance of fruit and her fury, hurtled straight at Zheng Juzhong's face! How could Zheng Juzhong dare to dodge?
With a "plop," it landed squarely on the front of his brand-new purple-brown brocade official robe. The bright red juice instantly splattered, soaking a large area and leaving a sticky, messy stain, with a sweet, fishy smell hitting his nose.

"Fool!" Empress Zheng's eyebrows shot up, her sharp words piercing the eardrums. "You want me to thank Cai Jing? Whose orders does Cai Jing carry out?! And whose will is he trying to fathom?! Is the thing on your neck just a decoration?!"

Her chest heaved with anger, and the gold bracelets on her wrists jingled loudly.

Zheng Juzhong was terrified, cold sweat pouring down his back, soaking his undergarment. He frantically kowtowed repeatedly, his head hitting the ground with a loud thud, daring not to utter another word: "Your subject is foolish! Your subject deserves to die! Your subject... Your subject understands! Understands!"

Seeing his terrified appearance, Empress Zheng's nameless anger subsided slightly. She took a deep breath, the rich scent of Annam sandalwood filling her lungs, barely suppressing her surging rage.

She leaned back against the soft pillows, her voice returning to its previous calmness, even carrying a hint of languid weariness: "Going to the Cai residence to express my gratitude is only proper etiquette. Go."

Her fingertips unconsciously caressed the smooth, cold mink fur beneath her, but her gaze was sharp as needles, piercing through the fragrant mist in the warm chamber, fixing firmly on Zheng Juzhong, "Just remember this well—"

She paused, each word like a needle chilled to ice, piercing Zheng Juzhong's ear:

"Whichever favored minister the Emperor turns to, you must firmly stand on that side! Cai Jing?" A cold, sarcastic smile curled at the corner of her lips. "He has risen and fallen, firmly holding onto the high position, that's true. But if he were to fall from grace one day, would you follow him into the mud?"

The warm chamber was deathly silent, with only the faint crackling of sandalwood burning in the gilded beast-head incense burner.

"Cai Jing did promote you," Empress Zheng continued slowly, her gaze sweeping over the glaring red stain on Zheng Juzhong's robe. "But no sooner had you been promoted than the Emperor approved Tong Guan's petition to promote Wang Ziteng, and even took Jia Yuanchun, the niece of the Duke of Rong, into the palace as a concubine... Don't you understand all of this?"

She stopped looking at Zheng Juzhong's pale face and turned her gaze to the window. In the courtyard, several old plum trees, their gnarled branches twisting and turning, stretched their bare branches toward the leaden sky, brewing a silent storm.

"The Emperor's feelings for Grand Tutor Cai..." Her voice was as soft as a sigh, yet it carried a chilling insight that seemed to know everything. "He's probably harboring other thoughts again. It's been like this for years. He gets tired of him after a while, then drives him away, then regrets it. He doesn't cherish those around him, but insists on thinking about the dead. This man... Ha, he's truly born with a wicked nature!"

Zheng Juzhong felt a chill in his heart, a hundred times more biting than the early winter north wind outside the palace.

"Your Majesty's teachings will be remembered!" His throat tightened, and his voice was as dry as sandpaper.

Empress Zheng remained silent, only slightly raising her hand adorned with nail polish, her fingertips gleaming faintly in the light.

Zheng Juzhong felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He kowtowed again and then, with a hunched back and dragging his stained official robe, he carefully and gently backed away from the warm pavilion.

The moment the curtain fell, it shut out the warm, cloying scent of incense from inside, and the chill of the deep palace corridor suddenly swept over him, making him shiver violently.

In the warm pavilion, Empress Zheng still leaned against the couch, as if her thunderous rage had never happened. Her gaze fell on the remaining tangerines in the agate plate.

She extended her brightly colored fingernail and gently touched the smooth skin of a tangerine. With a slight pressure from her fingertip, the delicate red skin silently dented, cracking open a tiny fissure and oozing a little clear juice.

The smell of medicine lingered in the bedroom, mixed with the fragrance of ink.

Emperor Huizong of Song leaned against the bright yellow brocade dragon bed, his forehead wrapped with a circle of plain white cloth, which faintly revealed a dark red color, making his already thin face look even more sickly and pale.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects." Empress Zheng's voice was soft and gentle, like the first snow of early winter falling silently.

"Hmm, no need for formalities," the Emperor hummed in response, his eyes closed.

Empress Zheng took out a stack of memorials from a sandalwood box held by a senior palace maid.

"I have already sorted out the details for Your Majesty regarding these few documents," she said softly in a gentle voice.
"Regarding the salt tax in Liangjiang, Censor Lin Ruhai is awaiting an audience and has submitted another memorial."

"Tong Shumi submitted a memorial regarding the deficit in the border troops' pay."

"In Shandong, winter has been here for over three months, and the land is barren and desolate. Starving people are everywhere, and the starving masses are gathering in droves. I have heard that in the areas of Yuncheng County and Dongping Prefecture, there is already a name known as the 'Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King,' who specializes in robbing government granaries and wealthy households."

She analyzed things meticulously, her voice low but clear, peeling back the layers of complex government affairs to reveal their intricacies.

Emperor Huizong closed his eyes and said, "Put it aside. I will annotate it when I feel more energetic."

After saying that, she whispered in praise, "Zitong is truly my wise and capable wife! With you by my side, I am spared so many worries!"

Empress Zheng was pleased with herself, but two perfectly placed blushes appeared on her face, making her even more beautiful.

She lowered her head slightly, adopting a shy posture, her long eyelashes casting a fan-shaped shadow under her eyes, obscuring the fleeting glint of light in them.

As she lowered her head, her gaze involuntarily passed over the low table and landed on a framed painting spread out on the other side of the dragon bed. It was like a poisoned ice needle, suddenly piercing her eyes!
The ink marks on the drawing were rather strange, composed of countless lines.

The portrait of a woman in the painting has exquisitely beautiful lines, and it bears a striking resemblance to that despicable person who has long since turned to dust!
Empress Zheng felt a sudden chill rush from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head, chilling her entire body!
That vixen! It was that seductive face that bewitched the emperor back then, making him linger day and night with her!
It was she who stole all the Emperor's passion, rendering the harem a mere formality, and turning the Empress herself into a mere decoration!
For many years, although the emperor has delegated power to him, even allowing him to review memorials and documents,
He hates it!!!
He has touched himself very few times, so much so that to this day... to this day, he has no children!
He's punishing himself in this way again!

He's cutting flesh with a dull knife!
To slowly torture this widow-like existence, slice by slice, piece by piece!
She was an empress, wearing a golden phoenix crown, outwardly glamorous, but inwardly a widow guarding a mountain of gold and silver, only able to swallow bitterness!

I thought that once that bitch was dead, her vengeful spirit would dissipate.

Unexpectedly, after so many years, I saw that nauseatingly familiar silhouette again in this deep palace, at the bedside where the emperor was recuperating!

Although it was only sketched with a few strokes, the charm, the seductive look in the eyes and brows, clearly belonged to that lingering vile woman!

The jealousy and hatred in her heart instantly burned away her previous smugness. She felt a metallic taste rush to her throat, and the blush on her face vanished completely, leaving only a horrifying paleness.

She stared intently at the painting, her voluptuous body trembling slightly uncontrollably. Beneath her black fox fur coat, her full breasts heaved violently, almost bursting through the scarlet brocade.

"Zitong?" Emperor Huizong noticed her unusual behavior and called out in confusion.

Empress Zheng snapped back to her senses, using all her strength to suppress the metallic taste in her throat and the urge to tear the painting to shreds.

She forced herself to lift her face, squeezing out a stiff smile on her pale face, a smile that looked worse than crying: "No...it's nothing, I'm just...just a little tired."

His voice was dry, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

Inside the study of the Ximen Mansion.

After practicing the Five Animal Breathing Exercises, the official went to his study to practice calligraphy.

Xiang Ling'er was only loosely dressed in a light red bodice, and fine sweat seeped out, making the thin silk half-transparent, clinging softly to her slightly undulating skin.

She nestled in her master's sweaty arms like a steaming little dumpling just out of a steamer, panting softly, a hint of annoyance mixed with an indescribable sweetness: "Master~"

She stretched out her slender, onion-like fingertips and gently poked the official's sweaty chest, her voice soft and sweet, "You must never practice calligraphy like this again!"

The master was savoring the exhilarating strokes of his calligraphy with his eyes closed when he heard this. He opened his eyes, looked down at the vibrant little girl in his arms, her cheeks flushed with sweat, her eyes watery, and asked in a deep voice, "Oh? This little rascal is now meddling in my studies? Then, according to you, how should she practice?"

Xiang Ling'er shifted her body, the slippery, sweaty touch making her blush and her heart race. She bit her lower lip, her eyes darting around, her voice as low as a mosquito's buzz, yet with a hooking quality: "Next time... next time you sit down and write properly... I... I'll stay away from you..."

She paused, her little tongue quickly licking her slightly dry lips, before mustering her courage and adding the second half of the sentence in a barely audible voice, "...at least three feet apart! Otherwise, how long will it take to develop good handwriting? You yourself said that in the future, if your handwriting is too ugly, you'll be incredibly embarrassed in the imperial court."

The official was delighted to hear this and laughed heartily. His large hand then began to slid down her smooth, sweaty skin: "Three feet away? You little hussy, if you're too far away, my brush won't be accurate. You'll ruin the paper, what a pity! You have to be close to the paper, carefully moving the brush and slowly grinding it. Only then will the characters have strength and spirit!"

Outside the study.

Li Guijie and Pan Jinlian's voices, tinged with coldness, struck the door curtain almost simultaneously: "Master—!" Before they finished speaking, the two of them let out a tacit and defiant "humph!"

"Come in." The official's voice drifted from the warm and cozy study, carrying a hint of languor.

With a crisp "whoosh," the thick cotton curtain was lifted, and two gusts of fragrant air carrying coolness rushed in, only to be instantly enveloped and melted by the scalding hot air from the floor heating system.

Li Guijie wore a brand-new silver-red satin jacket that accentuated her slender waist and plump hips, revealing her curves perfectly. In her hands, she steadily held a red lacquered and gold-painted tea tray, on which a celadon covered bowl was steaming with wisps of white vapor.

Pan Jinlian wore a peach-pink silk vest paired with a bright green horse-face skirt with gold trim, making her figure appear even more graceful and charming. She held a lacquered snack plate in her arms, piled high with hazelnuts and pine nuts.

The two men's eyes were like hooks, first scrutinizing Xiang Ling'er's body—the little hussy was only wearing a thin apricot-red bodice, which was sticking to her body with sweat, half-revealing the pink flesh underneath, and a few strands of sweaty hair stuck to her temples.

These two, who usually fought like roosters, suddenly felt a little less jealous when they saw Xiangling, that little vixen.

Firstly, it's the time of night to warm the bed and serve the bed, and after all, they've been fighting for their lives these past few days, so they really don't have the energy or spirit to enjoy the company of their little study companion.

Secondly, Xiangling is truly a heartless "silly girl" who spends all day holding a tattered book of poems and staring blankly at the plum blossoms and snowflakes outside the window. She can't even keep up with the open and covert attacks and gossip in the inner quarters.

The official looked at what they were carrying and chuckled: "Oh, one brings warm tea, and the other brings snacks. You two are really meeting up today. Is the sun rising in the west?"

Li Guijie and Pan Jinlian spoke almost simultaneously, their voices colliding: "Master—" "Master—" The two paused, glaring at each other fiercely, their gazes almost sparking through the air.

Finally, Li Guijie, taking advantage of being half a step closer, spoke first, gesturing with her chin towards the outer room: "Reporting to you, sir, it's Fourth Master Hua! He's waiting in the front hall, saying he's come to 'return the money'!"

"Hua Zixu?" The official was taken aback. He had just sent Dai'an to urge him on the matter a couple of days ago, and the sickly fellow had cried and begged that he couldn't gather the money in time. He didn't expect it to be only a day later. "He's quick to gather it."

"Understood." The official replied, giving Xiangling'er a light pat on her sweaty back. "Go, help the master change his clothes and receive the guests."

His words, spoken casually, were like salt sprinkled into a pan of oil. The three women immediately sprang into action.

Xiangling felt as if she had been granted a pardon and quickly broke free from the burning embrace. The coolness sent shivers down her spine, and she hurriedly searched for the warm robe draped over the incense burner.

Li Guijie and Pan Jinlian exchanged a glance and immediately rushed forward—Li Guijie put down the tea tray and quickly grabbed the belt inlaid with mutton-fat jade.

Pan Jinlian put the snack plate on the table and reached over to take the black silk robe hanging on the clothes rack.

In an instant, three fragrant, soft bodies gathered around the official.

The warm robes, fresh from the incense burner, carried the scent of pine. Li Guijie smelled strongly of jasmine hair oil, while Pan Jinlian exuded a sweet, cloying fragrance of rose dew. These scents mingled with the lingering scent of sweat from Xiangling'er, along with the warm, woody aroma rising from the earthen ceiling, creating a suffocating and intoxicating atmosphere.

Wearing robes and fastening belts inevitably involves bumping into each other. You touch his chest, I "accidentally" pinch her waist. Undercurrents surge, and eyes dart about, making it even more lively than the calligraphy practice on the desk just now.

The three men moved swiftly, and in a short while, the high-ranking official was impeccably dressed. He wore a fine black silk robe with subtle patterns, which accentuated his tall and imposing figure. The mutton-fat jade belt buckle at his waist gleamed warmly, and over it, a sable fur cloak with sharp edges, exuding an air of wealth and nobility. He straightened his sable hat in front of the dressing mirror, then, with an air of authority, strolled leisurely to the front hall.

There sat Hua Zixu, his neck hunched, hands rubbing, looking sickly, on a hard wooden chair at the lower end of the room. Although a charcoal brazier was burning in the hall and the underfloor heating was off, it was not as warm as the study.

Hua Zixu's face was sallow, his eye sockets were sunken and bluish, and his two large eye bags drooped, making him look like a tattered bag that had been emptied of wine and women. When he saw the official come out, he hurriedly squeezed out a fawning smile, struggled to stand up, and coughed as he did so, which he quickly covered with his sleeve.

"Brother, are you well?" Hua Zixu bowed and tremblingly pulled out the tightly clutched blue cloth bundle from his bosom. He unfolded it layer by layer, revealing five large silver ingots neatly stacked inside! Each ingot was of full quality and weighed one hundred taels, totaling a full five hundred taels of snowflake official silver!

Hua Zixu presented the silver with both hands, a strange blush and smugness appearing on his sallow face. "I dare not delay. Today... today I will return the principal and interest in full! Please take a look, sir!"

The official's gaze swept over the pile of silver before landing on Hua Zixu's face, which was filled with a superficial excitement, and he was puzzled.

This sickly fellow, he was complaining about being poor just a few days ago, but in the blink of an eye he pulled out five hundred taels of silver.
He slowly picked up an ingot; it felt heavy in his hand, icy cold, and of excellent quality.

He ran his fingertips over the smooth silver surface and suddenly noticed that there were marks on the surface of the silver that had been filed down. He knew what was going on.

He then casually handed it to Dai'an behind him, asking in surprise, "Fourth brother, it's been a few days, have you... struck it rich?"

Upon hearing this, Hua Zixu could no longer suppress his smugness. He straightened his back a bit, chuckled dryly twice, and his voice became louder:

"Not at all! Thanks to your great fortune, brother! With the help of the family, we managed some of our old savings, and... we also found some new connections, so we're a little more financially secure! As soon as the money arrived, the first thing we thought of was to repay you, brother, so as not to break our promise!"

He paused, then put on an extremely ingratiating smile, took half a step forward, and lowered his voice, saying, "I've come today for two reasons. First, to repay the money, and second... to invite you, brother. The newly opened 'Drunken Spring Pavilion' is located west of Lion Bridge, and it's quite impressive!"

"I've been there for a few days, and the horses there are all foreign, their skin whiter than mare's milk. I'll treat you to a meal, please do me the honor of coming, brother. Be sure to bring along my good brothers, Brother Ying, Brother Xie, and Brother Chang, so we can have a good time and drink until we're completely drunk! It's also a way of... thanking you for your previous generosity, sir!"

The high-ranking official looked at Hua Zixu's face, contorted with excitement and morbidity, and stroked the uneven creases under the silver coins. His expression remained impassive; he merely adjusted the collar of his sable cloak and said calmly, "Oh? Zuichunlou? Hua Si, you have quite the nerve. You just paid back five hundred taels, and now you're throwing another lavish banquet?"

Hua Zixu rubbed his hands together and chuckled, "It's nothing, it's nothing! It's all thanks to you, brother! Your presence is a huge honor for me!"

The official's gaze swept over his face twice more, and a cold smile finally appeared on his lips: "Heh, good, good 'new trick'! Hua Si, your fortune is... quite interesting. Alright, I'll accept this banquet. Dai An, go and inform Ying Er and the others."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and gently patted Hua Zixu's thin shoulder. The pat was light, but it made Hua Zixu lower his body. "Fourth brother, you'd better keep your 'connections' safe. Don't let it turn out to be just a mirage and a false hope."

Hua Zixu flinched from the slap, his smile froze for a moment, but then quickly returned, and he nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, brother is right! I'm fine! Don't worry! Tonight at Zuichun Pavilion, I'll be waiting for you!"

When Ximen Da Guanren saw that Hua Zixu had taken his leave, he called out to Dai'an: "Where is Lai Bao? Call him here, I have something to tell you."

Dai'an, the servant boy, was standing to the side when he heard the master ask about Bao. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly bowed and replied, "Father, Uncle Bao... he... just went out to do some business, and he should be back soon."

The official was just picking up his teacup when he heard this and paused, then gently tapped the delicate porcelain bowl, producing a crisp sound.

He glanced up at Dai'an, his brows furrowing slightly: "Oh? What's he doing out at this hour?" His tone was now tinged with inquiry.

Dai'an felt as if there were thorns on his back. He stammered, as if his throat was stuffed with cotton. He could only utter a few "hmm" and "ah" sounds, but could not come out a coherent sentence.

The official slammed his teacup on the table, his brows furrowing suddenly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, his voice deepening: "Hmm? You little smooth talker, you can't even tell me? Is it some shady business?"

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried the imposing authority of a master. Dai'an's legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground with a thud, urgently saying, "Father, please calm down! I dare not lie! It's just... it's just that Uncle Laibao... he's been having an affair with a new woman lately, named Wang Liu'er..."

Ximen Qing curled his lips into a knowing yet disdainful sneer: "Ha, I thought it was something big. Turns out it's nothing more than a private affair! Where is Wang Liu'er staying?"

Seeing that his master was not deeply angry, Dai'an grew a little bolder and hurriedly said, "That Wang Liu'er lives at the entrance of Shiqiao'er Alley—in that filthy, dilapidated hole where the roof tiles leak into the sky!"

"It's strange, but Uncle Lai was willing to spend money to rent a small courtyard in that alley for her and her husband. Just now... just now he must have gone to look for Wang Liu'er."

Upon hearing this, Master Ximen became curious. He leaned forward slightly, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and chuckled:
"Ha! There's another man here? This scoundrel isn't afraid of his wife tearing his face apart? Is this some 'wonderful woman' worth him spending money to build a nest for? I'd like to see for myself! Dai'an, do you recognize that nest? Take me to see it!"

Dai'an dared not disobey and had no choice but to agree.

At that moment, the official asked Dai'an to lead the way. The two of them rode their horses out of the mansion quietly, passing through streets and alleys, and soon arrived at the entrance of the Stone Bridge Alley on Lion Street.

It was indeed a dilapidated place, with sewage flowing everywhere and a stench filling the air. Several dilapidated mud-brick houses stood there like consumptive ghosts.

Dai'an gestured towards a rotten wooden door and whispered, "Uncle, that's the house."

Before the words were finished, a piercing creak was heard, and the broken door opened halfway.

Lai Bao, with his neck hunched, scurried out through the crack in the door like a thief, his face still showing a mixture of satisfaction and guilt at his successful illicit affair.

He had just stepped out of the doorway when he looked up and saw the master and his servant standing in the alley. He was instantly struck dumb, his face turned ashen, and his limbs froze, as if nailed to the spot like a clay or wooden sculpture.

What's even stranger is the woman inside the door. She seems to be seeing a guest off, yet she stands there brazenly, leaning against the doorframe, completely oblivious to whether anyone is in the alley! The official stared at her closely and thought to himself, "What a bold woman!"

This Wang Liu'er was tall and slender, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a purplish-brown oval face and gold-plated flowers on his forehead.

Although it was a coarse, old dress, it couldn't hide the soft curves of her waist. What was most eye-catching was that she had left her dress open, revealing a glimpse of her purplish-brown breasts.

A few silver hairpins were sparsely inserted in her hair, a half-worn velvet flower was tucked at her temple, and cheap rouge was applied to her face. She was not even as beautiful as the ordinary maids in the Ximen mansion, let alone the three little pink dumplings. However, she did have a bit of the shrewishness and wantonness that came from being a womanizer.

Seeing that Lai Bao was stunned, and then noticing that a distinguished-looking, well-dressed man was staring intently at her in the alley, she was not ashamed at all. Instead, she puffed out her chest and boldly looked back with her slanted eyes, a half-smile on her lips, before walking back.

The high-ranking official had already made up his mind. He remained outwardly calm, only offering a faint smile to the terrified Lai Bao:
"Oh? You little scoundrel! You know how to find such a secluded den to have your fun! I didn't even notice you, but you have some really heavy tastes! Aren't you afraid that her husband will catch you in the act, give you a good beating, skin you alive, and break your legs? By then, it will be too late for you to crawl to me crying for your parents!"

(End of this chapter)