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

Chapter 183 Mrs. Lin's thoughtfulness, Meng Yulou falls into the trap

Meng Yulou lowered her eyelids and slowly walked into the room.

Behind the screen, the maid had already poured hot water, and the steam rose, creating a white mist.

Meng Yulou took off her silk robes and skirts, becoming completely naked and slippery, and crawled into the wooden tub filled with fragrant soup.

The warm water gently enveloped her, but it couldn't melt the ice in her heart. She leaned against the tub, closed her eyes, and her long eyelashes were covered with water droplets.

After a long while, she slowly opened her eyes, her gaze fixed on the water. The ripples reflected the candlelight, revealing a blurry human figure.

She slowly and gently lifted her right leg, placing it taut on the edge of the bucket.

Her legs were plump from the thigh down, then tightened at the knee, and then bulged out into a round and full curve at the calf. Finally, they became slender and delicate at the ankle. She was truly plump where she should be and slender where she should be!
Under the candlelight, there was nothing abrupt about the body; the lines were so smooth that it looked as if a craftsman had carefully polished it with sandpaper a hundred times.

She extended a slender, cool finger and gently stroked the skin that even warm water couldn't warm. From her delicate, round ankle, she followed the taut lines of her calves upwards, and then slid up to the plump, alluring flesh of her thighs.

The bitterness and self-pity in her heart rose up like the steam in the bucket:

"These legs that bring trouble... are so alluring, with the right curves, the right shape, the right slenderness, every part of them is captivating! Is it a blessing or a curse? So many thieving eyes are watching, so many filthy thoughts are swirling around them... I wish I could pounce on them right now, chew them up and swallow them whole!"

"Born into this dog-eat-dog world, with this body that others covet, I can't even protect the little bit of hope I want to hold onto!"

He recalled Master Li patting his chest and swearing oaths, saying things like "I'll take care of everything" and "What's mine is yours," his mouth uttering nothing but fervent words of kindness.

His words were full of arrogance, as if Meng Yulou, without his golden thigh, was only fit to wallow in the mud and deserve to be chewed up by those scoundrels until not even bones were left.

She could only manage a show of gentle gratitude on her face, but inside she felt like she was carrying a block of frozen tofu in the dead of winter. Instead of warmth, she felt nauseous and cold.

The more the man spoke loudly and forcefully, the more flustered and anxious she felt, like a bucket being drawn up and down.

Instead of offering shelter from the wind and rain and taking care of her in every way, it's better for Master Ximen to actually weigh the money and put the hard-earned silver on the table, so that she can feel at ease!
If it were up to her, who would want his charity-like "care"? It's as if she deserves to starve and freeze to death without a man!
Meng Yulou was never born a spineless vine, a creature that would collapse without a tree! Even when her deceased husband was alive, she managed everything at home and the cloth shop herself.

If God were to grant her a way out, she would rather stand tall and be a strong woman who supports her family, earns her own living, and controls her own finances!

The moment this thought arose, it felt like a fire was burning in my heart.
The rumors I heard in Beijing a few days ago unexpectedly surfaced in my mind:
Every day, the queue in front of the "Cao Po Meat Pie" stall is longer than a long dragon. The sizzling sound of the oil pan makes people on half the street's throats churn, and the aroma is irresistible!

That old woman Cao was also a widow who had lost her husband. With her excellent cooking skills, sharp tongue, and incredible courage, she managed to turn a roadside stall exposed to the elements into a renowned brand! Her money box was stuffed full.

And then there's "Wang Xiaogu Hotel," which, though small, attracts countless frivolous young men and refined merchants alike with its fine wines, delicious food, and generous hospitality. Wang Xiaogu is also a widow, yet she still runs her business with great success and a bulging wallet.

Not to mention that old woman Shi! A woman, yet she had such insight and incredible audacity, specializing in buying and selling real estate in the capital, dealing in bricks and tiles, and accumulating immense wealth! She wore fine silks and satins, and had maids and servants at her beck and call, how impressive!
And then there's the legendary Lady Yu Yan!

She was as beautiful as a fairy. It is said that even the princes and noblemen of Dali Kingdom were begging her, but she didn't even flirt with them and insisted on marrying into the impoverished Murong family of Gusu!

After the man died of madness, he single-handedly managed such a grand operation! He traveled between the Dali Kingdom and Suzhou in a tall, magnificent ship, trading rare and precious goods from both places! He had countless servants at his beck and call, living a truly life of wealth, comfort, and luxury, like a god!
These are all living, breathing widows! They can manage, but why can't I, Meng Yulou? I'm running the silk shop my deceased husband left behind, working tirelessly from dawn till dusk!

If it weren't for that Mr. Ximen...

Thinking of Ximen Qing, Meng Yulou felt a sudden pang in her heart, adding to her frustration, mixed with an indescribable itch that made her feel like her heart was being scratched by a hundred claws.

That Mr. Ximen, what a clever scheme! What a ruthless mind! How did he come up with that "ten-person group" plan to wipe out his family line?

This method is unheard of, so ingenious!
He single-handedly captured all the prominent and wealthy patrons in Qinghe County, like casting a net to catch fish, locking them all in his Ximen family's money box beforehand, leaving no room for anyone else!
This brain...this cunning...I really want to ask him face to face, how exactly did he come up with this vicious plan to undermine his own interests?

Ultimately, it's because I'm not as skilled as others; otherwise, how could I have ended up in this state?
How hateful! How lamentable! We have this unwilling spirit, but now we're at our wits' end, just one rope away from hanging ourselves!
The mountains of silk piled up in the warehouse were no longer goods; they were like silent creditors, weighing heavily on her heart, making it difficult to even breathe!

If it weren't for Master Li's repeated, uninvited "protection" of the thugs outside the door, the first two times they pressed for debt, they probably would have really broken down the door and torn her last shred of dignity to shreds!

Could it be... could it be that I'm really just going to accept my fate like this?

Meng Yulou felt a sharp pain in his heart.

Her husband's family members, who were eyeing her with covetous intent... Even if she gritted her teeth and stubbornly refused to marry, would those relatives let her go?
They will still use the guise of "helping" and "taking over" to legitimately devour the little property left by their deceased husband, leaving nothing behind!

At that time, Meng Yulou will truly lose both her wealth and her life, and she won't even be able to keep the last bit of her savings!
The smug face of Master Li, as if he already considered her his for the taking, flickered before my eyes.

His words sounded like poison coated in honey, and his promises were more like a golden lock hanging overhead, ready to fall at any moment.

Meng Yulou dug her nails deep into her palm, a sharp pain shooting through her, barely managing to suppress the agonizing cry and resentment that threatened to burst from her throat.

Stop! Stop! Stop!
In this dog-eat-dog world, there is no room for a widow to maneuver or dodge!

Although this wealthy man Li is not a good match, he is at least a temporary shield from the storm, and can shut up those hooligans and relatives...

As for that pitiful little bit of private savings, it was the last breath she kept for herself in this seemingly splendid but actually cold "home".

A faint, bitter smile, tinged with resignation, appeared on her lips.

The road ahead was pitch black. Whether it was a blessing or a curse, a mountain of knives or a pit of fire, all he could do was close his eyes, feel the cold, sharp stones, and wade into the river step by step.

Anyway... it's still better than drowning in this muddy pond right away.

But that tiny spark of resentment in my heart never truly died out; it lay buried, stubborn and faint, in the ashes of the cold stove, waiting to ignite at any moment!

Good heavens! Open your eyes and look!
Why was I born into this cannibalistic world?!

How can it be harder than climbing to heaven for a widow's family who just wants to stand tall and earn a decent living?

She suddenly slammed her towering jade leg back into the water, creating a huge splash. The water rippled rapidly, and the candlelight reflected on the tub trembled and shattered.

She simply lifted the other jade pillar as well, placing it side by side on the rim of the tub. The two legs, of equal length and thickness, equally smooth and plump, together in the candlelight, truly resembled a pair of flawless white jade shoots, dazzlingly white and radiant, making one's heart flutter.

As she watched, the pent-up frustration and resentment in her heart transformed into an even deeper, piercing pain.

With a bitter and self-destructive rage, she dug her long, slender fingernails deep into the flesh of her plump, white, and alluring thighs, instantly leaving a bright, glaring red mark.

Meng Yulou was wallowing in self-pity, surrounded by a misty haze.

Now, let's talk about the inner chambers of Wang Zhaoxuan's residence.
Ximen Qing lay sprawled on his lacquered and mother-of-pearl inlaid canopy bed, his arms around Mrs. Lin, who was only wearing a bright red mandarin duck bodice.

The strapless bodice was as thin as a cicada's wing, and between the half-concealed and half-revealed parts, the fragrance of perfume wafted through the air.

Mrs. Lin twisted her slender waist, giving him a seductive glance, her delicate fingers sliding down to the man's strong chest, the tips of her nails lightly scratching at him.

“My wretch. I am a widow, guarding this empty, ice-crystal-like mansion. How could I possibly swallow a thousand taels of silver? Just leave me five hundred taels to cover the mansion’s expenses.”

“I know you have a lot of social engagements and countless places to spend money. You have heavy responsibilities and need it more than I do.” She said this considerately, and then snuggled her head closer into her husband’s arms.

Seeing her so understanding and sensible, Ximen Qing lowered his head and kissed her fair neck hard, leaving a red mark. He laughed and said:
"It's the end of the year, a time when everyone needs to spend money! Just keep the extra money safe. If the daughter of Imperial Censor Lin comes to visit, how can she manage without some decent expenses?"

"Tomorrow I'll find you a decent chef and buy a few clever maids to keep in the mansion. Wouldn't that establish the grandeur of the Zhaoxuan Mansion?"

His peck, so tender and considerate, made Mrs. Lin's body go limp like a spring pond, and half of her body instantly went numb.

Just as their emotions were running high, a thought suddenly came to mind. She shifted her voluptuous body, finding a more comfortable position in Ximen Qing's arms, and said with a hint of worry:
"My dear...you treat my son and me so well, but I always feel like I have fifteen buckets hanging in my heart, so anxious and uneasy. Sanguan'er is almost at the age where he can have children, his marriage and his future should be settled by now, right? As his mother, I'm so worried!"

The official chuckled upon hearing this, "What's the rush? How old is San Guan'er? It's the perfect time for him to gain experience. I know his future well. As for his wife..." The official lowered his head and took a deep breath of her perfume from the crook of her snow-white neck.
"...You need to find someone of equal social standing, someone worthy of your third-rank family. There's no rush. Wait a little longer, and good opportunities will come knocking!"

Mrs. Lin felt somewhat relieved after hearing his words, but then an even greater sense of doubt arose within her.

She raised her watery, alluring eyes, looking at Ximen Da Guanren with a mixture of surprise and curiosity: "Speaking of San Guan'er... my nemesis, I'm truly amazed! What kind of magical tricks did you use? This child used to be completely unyielding; I could say ten things and he'd argue back nine and a half!"

"He spends all his time either in brothels or chasing friends over cockfights and dogs. He doesn't read books or practice martial arts. I'm so worried my hair is turning white! But ever since he went to your house to take care of him a few times, he's like a completely different person!"

She became increasingly surprised as she spoke, her body straightening slightly, her ample bosom trembling gently as she spoke: "Although he still can't concentrate much on his studies, he's stopped going to brothels! Every day he's willing to go to the training ground to ride horses, practice martial arts, and hone his skills with sticks. Although he's only inconsistent, he's at least trying to improve! What's even more remarkable is..."

Mrs. Lin's eyes reddened slightly, and she choked up with a touch of relief, "...He actually knows how to care for his mother now! The other day he even massaged my shoulders and said that I've worked hard."

The official laughed heartily, pulling his mischievous hand away from her waist and pinching her plump chin: "As the saying goes, 'Spare the rod and spoil the child!' What's so difficult about that? No matter how much you say, it will all go in one ear and out the other. It's better to just say one word—beat him! Beat him to death!"

"Hit?" Mrs. Lin was stunned, somewhat incredulous. "But...but I've tried hitting and scolding, but nothing works!"

Ximen Qing chuckled softly, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes. His hot breath brushed against Madam Lin's sensitive earlobe, his voice low and menacing, carrying a tone of ambiguity only the two of them could hear:
"The way you beat him is what a mother does—soft-hearted and all bark and no bite. My family's discipline is different. I whip him mercilessly with a salt-soaked whip. I know which brothel or alley in Qinghe County will take him in. I'll whip him until his skin is torn and his soul is shattered! Let's see if he dares not to tuck his tail between his legs and behave like a human being. How can he not be obedient?"

After saying that, she tightened her grip on his arm: "What? You feel sorry for me disciplining your son?"

"Oh! My darling, I belong entirely to you! Even if you're his godfather and have the right to discipline him, you can beat me, scold me, and whip me, I won't say a word!" Madam Lin whimpered, her body collapsing completely into Ximen Qing's arms as if all her bones had been removed. Her voluptuous body was limp, her eyes gazing at him with seductive allure, her small fists weakly pounding his chest.

"I only thought it was my father's love for me! You heartless scoundrel! Even if I die in your arms, I will have no regrets. My daughter and I... I'm afraid... I'm afraid we will die in your hands sooner or later! You are truly a living devil!"

The official laughed heartily: "How could I bear to?"

Mrs. Lin nestled in his arms, then suddenly raised her watery almond-shaped eyes, asking with a hint of resentment, "Father, tell me the truth... I can't compare to those delicate young ladies in your household, can I? At my age, my beauty has faded; I'm just a middle-aged woman..."

"You little slut, you're asking for it!" The man slapped her plump buttocks hard.
"They're nothing but unripe fruit, tasteless! How can they compare to you? You're a ripe peach, the juice of which flows through your fingers when you pinch it! This flesh, this figure, this graceful manner, this sensual and charming way of handling things!"

"Old? You are the most beautiful and alluring peony in full bloom! They are young, what do they know about love and romance? They only rely on their looks! Look at your body..."

These words struck a chord deep within Mrs. Lin. She felt a surge of warmth and joy, and all traces of self-pity vanished into thin air.

With a "woof," she pressed against him and cried out, "My darling! Your mouth is like honey mixed with poison! You've made my heart tremble! Quick... quick, say a few more insults! I... I could listen to your sweet words for a lifetime and never get tired of them!"

A few days passed quickly, and Meng Yulou was at home.

The main hall was filled with smoke, making it hard to breathe.

Before the memorial tablet, three sticks of incense burned weakly, their smoke drifting away, as if the soul of the family owner had nowhere to rest.

Meng Yulou wore a simple white lotus-patterned silk jacket and a pale yellow embroidered skirt. Her gold-threaded hair was adorned only with a plain silver hairpin, and she had even removed her kingfisher feather headdress.

Her face was bare, and beneath her glamorous appearance, she looked utterly haggard.

She sat upright like a clay puppet, resembling a jade Guanyin enshrined on a shrine, waiting to be weighed and sold. Her face was calm, but inside she had long since turned to ashes.

The hall was packed with people.

At the head of the table were several of Yang's old uncles and elders, the same ones who had been the loudest and most sarcastic during the forced marriage. Now, they held delicate porcelain teacups, their faces plastered with genuine or feigned "joy," sipping their tea, but their eyes seemed to have hooks, darting back and forth between the purple elm wood mother-of-pearl inlaid armchair and the pair of plum vases on the antique shelf in the hall.

The most conspicuous were the few strong young men behind them—Yang Zongbao and his group. Although they were also grinning, their smiles revealed an undisguised drooling and a sense of impending victory. Their eyes darted around, glancing at Meng Yulou one moment and then at the gilded trunk in the corner the next, as if they were counting the fat pieces of meat in their own bowls.

What's described as a wedding ceremony in this hall is less a practical description than a meticulously planned business transaction within the ancestral hall.

"Master Li has arrived!" The servant outside the door shouted, like a pebble thrown into a stagnant pool.

But then, Master Li, beaming with health, swaggered in. He was quite the dashing and handsome man. In his hands he carried a heavy, bright red and gold-embroidered marriage certificate, as if he were carrying an imperial edict. Behind him, a servant carried a food box draped in red silk, but it was merely a decorative item for the occasion.

"Oh dear! I've kept you all waiting! Please forgive me! Please forgive me!" Master Li's voice boomed like a bell as he bowed repeatedly, his eyes fixed on Meng Yulou, unable to look away. "Yulou! The auspicious time has arrived! Come with me to the capital and enjoy unparalleled wealth! I'll make sure you wear fine silks and satins, adorn yourself with gold bracelets and jade rings, and have servants at your beck and call. It will be a hundred or a thousand times better than staying in this empty house!"

He rushed into the hall, solemnly placed the marriage certificate on a red lacquered tray, cleared his throat, and raised his voice:

"Thanks to the noble spirit of the Yang clan members, this auspicious marriage has been made possible! I, Li, hereby solemnly declare that I will marry Meng Yulou as my second wife!"

"From this day forward, Meng will be a member of the Li family. I, Li, will cherish her as a treasure and never allow her to suffer the slightest grievance! Her residence in the capital, servants, clothes for all seasons, delicacies and necessities are all prepared in advance! Once you arrive, my lady, you can simply live a peaceful and comfortable life as a carefree and happy mistress of the house!"

These words pleased the elders of the Yang family, who nodded repeatedly, stroking their sparse beards, and hummed in agreement.
"Master Li is kind! Yu Lou is truly blessed!"

"Once you enter the capital, it's like falling into a honey pot!"

"We have done right by our nephew Zongxi in the afterlife!"

The young men from the Yang family were winking and making faces behind them, their cheeks trembling with laughter, their mouths practically stretched to their ears.

Meng Yulou listened quietly.

His gaze swept over Master Li's smug face, over the insincere smiles on the faces of his relatives, and finally landed on the bright red and dazzling gold cover of the marriage certificate on the tray.

A chill ran through her heart: this overwhelming "wealth" was nothing more than using a heavier scale to weigh her mere body and bones.

She rose gracefully, took light steps, and walked to the tray.

The wedding attendant hurriedly presented the brush dipped in bright red cinnabar.

The hall fell into a deathly silence; you could hear a pin drop.

Dozens of eyes, with light that was either greedy, calculating, eager, or indifferent, were all fixed on her bare hand holding the pen—a hand that was dazzlingly white and chillingly cold.

Master Li's Adam's apple bobbed as he held his breath.

The Yang family's sons craned their necks, their eyes wide open, as if they wished they could jump out of their sockets and stick to the marriage certificate.

Meng Yulou picked up the pen, the tip hovering above the marriage certificate. After a moment of hesitation, he finally put it down and wrote his own name.

Master Li hurriedly wrote down his name, dipped it in cinnabar, and pressed his handprint down heavily.

Just as Meng Yulou's fingertips, stained with crimson cinnabar, were about to press against the blank space on the marriage certificate—suddenly! Her gaze was struck as if by lightning, fixed on the other party's signature, dripping with ink and penetrating the paper!
Those three words were surprisingly—Yang Shouli!

Why Yang Shouli?
Not Li Shouli?
This Master Li! His surname is Yang?!

A chilling cold air shot up from the soles of my feet and straight to the top of my head!
His blood seemed to freeze instantly. With a tremor of his fingertips, a full, bright red drop of cinnabar, with a "plop," landed right next to the glaring name "Yang Shouli" on the marriage certificate, spreading out like a drop of scalding blood and tears!
Suddenly, a rough, large hand reached out from the side, grabbed her wrist like an iron clamp, and pressed it down hard without saying a word!
Printed!

Done!

No going back on my word!

She suddenly looked up!
His eyes flashed with disbelief, anger, and chilling coldness, like two icy daggers, first aimed at Master Li—no, at Yang Shouli's oily, repulsive, and mocking face!

Then, his gaze swept fiercely over the group of Yang family members behind him, who were now beaming with pride and almost bursting into laughter! Wherever his gaze fell, it was as if frost had passed through, and the warmth in the hall seemed to have been sucked away!
"You...you all!!" The color drained from Meng Yulou's face in an instant, leaving him as pale as paper.

Looking around, the faces before me, under the dim, flickering candlelight, all glowed with a ghostly green light, twisted and grotesque. They were clearly a group of evil ghosts who had just crawled out of the realm of hungry ghosts, their eyes glowing with two points of green will-o'-the-wisp, ready to devour me!
(End of this chapter)