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

Chapter 189 Steward Zhai's Thoughts, Trouble Brewing at the Ximen Mansion
Steward Zhai remained expressionless and summoned Baohe and Dai'an back to the side hall.

The warmth of the warm room still lingered, but the atmosphere suddenly plummeted to freezing point.

His gaze was like a cold awl, piercing straight at Dai'an: "Dai'an, raise your head. You... are you really the adopted son of Master Ximen?" His voice was not loud, but it carried an invisible pressure.

Thump! Thump! Lai Bao and Dai An collapsed to their knees as if their bones had been removed!

Cold sweat instantly soaked Dai'an's back, and his heart pounded wildly, almost leaping out of his throat.

His voice was exceptionally clear and loud:
"Lord Zhai, your judgment is as clear as day! I... I wouldn't dare to lie even if I had the audacity of the heavens!" With that, he slammed his head against the cold brick floor with a resounding thud, his forehead pressed firmly against the crack in the brickwork.

"I was originally a servant born into the Ximen household! My parents were both unfortunate people with death contracts with the household, short-lived and ill-fated..."

"Ever since I can remember, I've served tea and water to my uncle, never leaving his side. Although... although I don't have the proper title of adopted son, in my heart, my uncle is more important than my own father!"

"I dare say that even if my father has a son in the future, he may not be as caring and attentive as I am, treating him with the same respect, love, and devotion as I would my own father!"

Dai'an took a deep breath, not daring to rest for a moment, and said again, "Just now in front of the Grand Tutor... I dare to say that I was thinking that the Grand Tutor is so benevolent that he should bestow a reward upon me!"

"If I were to only use the humble title of 'servant,' firstly, it would make the Ximen family seem insignificant and disrespectful, thus failing to appreciate my great-grandfather's sincere and filial heart! Secondly... it would also waste the great favor bestowed upon the Grand Tutor and miss out on a tremendous reward!"

“I thought… my great-father has always treated me kindly, and I was only trying to collect more Thunder and Rain Grace for the Ximen family, so… so I dared to impersonate the ‘adopted son’! I deserve to die! I beg the head steward for mercy!”

After saying that, he kowtowed several more times.

Steward Zhai listened quietly, his face remaining calm as if he were listening to the most ordinary of trivial matters. After Dai'an finished speaking, he managed a slight smile.

"Heh... quite a clever person, and a big heart too." Steward Zhai's voice was slow and leisurely, with a kind of coldness that came from seeing through the ways of the world. "You don't need to be so frightened. What is a big deal in your eyes is nothing more than a speck of dust under the feet of a noble person."

He paused, his tone as dismissive as brushing away a speck of dust, "The Grand Tutor's inquiry about identity is merely an excuse to bestow titles when rewarding people. Conferring a few more honorary titles of seventh or eighth rank to him is like scattering chaff to feed sparrows, or setting up a few more chess pieces for idle games. To him, you are nothing more than a beggar writing a tragic play about the death of his father and mother to beg for a cold steamed bun. What a big deal!"

His gaze fell on Dai'an, as if he were looking at an interesting yet contemptuous object: "This 'begging bowl' you handed over, though crude, has at least been delivered to the right place. Get up."

Steward Zhai sat in his chair, took a sip of tea, narrowed his eyes, and said with a half-smile, "You two go back and pass on a few words for me. Don't say a single word wrong. Tell your master, Ximen, to know."

He paused slightly, then his smile froze at the corner of his mouth, revealing a hint of coldness: "Tell me, I'll remind him of three things:"

"First of all, what was his status back then?"

"Secondly, what is his current status?"

"The third thing, what identity does he want to assume in the future?"

Butler Zhai's voice wasn't loud, but every word struck like a hammer blow: "He must study it carefully, diligently, and thoroughly—"

He pointed at Lai Bao and Dai An, "Furthermore, the Grand Tutor's words are of the highest order, a tremendous favor! Why was he the only one granted this official position? Why was you, Lai Bao, also granted such an official position? And why was you, this little monkey's 'adopted son,' given such a respectable status?"

Butler Zhai leaned forward slightly: "Think it through! Think it through! Understand it! Only then can he go far and steadily on this path!"

After a few words of advice from Steward Zhai, the two hurriedly replied, "Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Even if our tongues were torn, we would not dare to say a single word out of place and would take it back exactly as it was! Please rest assured, Steward!"

Butler Zhai nodded, then abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming casual and conversational, like chatting over tea:

"There is one more minor matter."

He slowly picked up the warm Ding kiln cup beside him, pinched the lid with two fingers, gently skimmed off the foam, and didn't even lift his eyelids. "Didn't your master send a message last time, asking if I, Zhai, have any 'things that need to be done'?"

Butler Zhai's gaze drifted vaguely out the window, his tone indifferent: "I'm getting on in years, and I still have no children. The Zhai family is a large household; we can't let the family line die out. So I'll trouble your master," he then slowly glanced at the two people on the ground:

"Find me a young, pretty, fertile, and gentle girl and send her over. As for the bride price, I'll have someone seal it and send it over later."

Lai Bao and Dai An understood perfectly well—their master had taught them before that the steward Zhai hadn't spoken up because he felt their master wasn't important enough to do such a "private matter" for him.

The fact that he brought it up now shows that Steward Zhai already considers his father to be someone qualified to "run errands" for him!

Without the slightest hesitation, the two men pressed their foreheads tightly against the cool gold brick floor, forcing out the words: "Yes! We will remember! We will report back to our master without missing a single word, and we will do our utmost to handle everything properly for you!"

Steward Zhai slowly got up, strolled to the rosewood table next to him piled with various gifts, casually lifted the lid of a sandalwood box, and picked out two bright yellow, pure white gold ingots with two fingers.

The golden light was dazzling. It was pure gold that Lai Bao had personally visited all the silver shops the day before and painstakingly exchanged. Each ingot was a solid tael, which was worth twelve taels of snowflake silver!

He strolled back and, without saying a word, forcefully stuffed the heavy gold ingots, still cool from the bottom of the box, into Lai Bao and Dai An's trembling hands, one in each hand.

"Ouch!" The two of them felt as if their hands had been burned by a red-hot iron, so frightened that their souls seemed to fly out of the top of their heads!
This was clearly a generous gift prepared with great care by the head of the family to show respect to Steward Zhai. How could they dare to even touch it!

Butler Zhai lifted his eyelids to look at the two of them, a subtle, enigmatic smile playing on his lips: "What's the panic? Let's keep things separate, one thing at a time."

His voice wasn't loud, but every word struck a chord: "This gold is a gift from your master, Ximen. I, Zhai, accept it."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the dazzling gold in their hands. "Right now, this is what I'm 'rewarding' you with."

"Understood! Understood! Thank you, Steward, for your great kindness! Thank you, Steward, for your generous reward!" Only then did the two dare to accept it.

“Dai’an.” Butler Zhai’s unfathomable eyes suddenly fixed on Dai’an’s face, with a hint of amusement.

Dai'an shuddered violently, nearly dropping the gold ingot from his hand and smashing it into his foot. He hurriedly stood up straight with his hands at his sides, his spine tense, and managed to squeeze out a few words: "Master...Master Steward...is there...anything else you need?"

Steward Zhai smiled faintly, his voice light and airy: "Today, you've done a truly monumental service before the Grand Tutor, earning your master considerable face and securing yourself an official position..."

His gaze was like a cold hook. "But you should secretly guess in your heart, when you roll back to Qinghe County, will your master reward you or punish you?"

"Boom——!"

That statement was like a firecracker exploding in your crotch!
The fleeting warmth and thoughts that Dai An had just felt because of the gold and his official position were instantly frozen solid, and then with a "crack," they shattered into ice shards!

That's it! Pretending to be an adopted son, overstepping one's authority, acting on one's own authority... which of these isn't a capital offense punishable by being beaten to death or drowned in a pond or filled into a well!

The methods of his eldest father... Dai'an felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, and his vision went black.

The smile on Butler Zhai's lips deepened.

"Hehe... Why are you so scared?" Butler Zhai lowered his voice, but his gaze passed over Dai'an and fell on Lai Bao, who was also terrified. "Lai Bao, when you go back and see your master, plead for me."

He paused for a moment: "I've been saying this—I think this little monkey, though a fool who doesn't know his place and is incredibly audacious, has a burning desire to climb the social ladder... tsk tsk, that's quite impressive."

"Considering that he acted quickly and decisively in front of the Grand Tutor today, even his tantrums managed to earn him some respect and bring honor to the Ximen family... a token punishment, just to go through the motions, will suffice. After all, he is a clever, sensible, and capable person. Don't actually kill him, or you'll lose a valuable 'talent' in your household."

"Yes! Yes! I will definitely convey the head steward's words to the master of the family in their entirety!" Lai Bao nodded vigorously.

Only now did Dai'an's shattered soul barely return to its place. Overwhelmed with gratitude and lingering fear, his knees buckled, and he was about to kneel down and kowtow in thanks: "Thank you, Steward, for pleading for my life..."

"Hmm." Butler Zhai simply responded, his enigmatic smile still lingering on his face, accepting Dai An's kneeling without hesitation.

"Tomorrow at the beginning of the fourth hour of the day, the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Department and the Ministry of War's Military Affairs Department, remember to go and properly hand over your official documents for taking office, so as not to miss the appointed time." After saying this, he casually waved his hand, as if shooing away two buzzing flies, "Steward Li—take them out."

Lai Bao and Dai An clutched the two bare gold ingots, which seemed to be branded into their palms, and followed Steward Li absentmindedly until they stepped out of the suffocating vermilion gate of the Grand Tutor's mansion once again.

The door knocker, adorned with a ferocious beast's head, slammed shut behind them with a heavy clang, sending a shiver down their spines and bringing their souls back to their bodies.

Immediately, a near-manic, intense ecstasy, like molten lava, surged from the soles of their feet straight to the top of their heads! It made their scalps tingle, and they almost screamed out loud in the street!
It's done! It's really done!
This selfless and courageous act of presenting a gift has firmly secured his position as a member of the fifth-rank noble family.

They themselves also gained incredibly high official positions for free—one was a seventh-rank official, and the other was a ninth-rank official!
Let alone the small Qinghe County, even looking across the entire Shandong region, you can't find another family like the Ximen family, where one person attains enlightenment and even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven!
This time, the Ximen mansion's ship is truly going to carry the entire family, young and old, soaring into the sky!

After Steward Li escorted Lai Bao and Dai An out through the imposing vermilion gate, he watched as the two doors, adorned with ferocious beast heads, slowly closed, shutting out the cold wind and the noise of the city.

Only then did he shed the solemn, businesslike expression on his face, and with light steps, he silently turned back like a cat, passing through several quiet corridors where only his own footsteps could be heard, and returned to the warm pavilion where Steward Zhai handled external affairs.

Steward Zhai was reclining on a low couch covered with thick brocade, resting with his eyes closed. The silver frost charcoal in the charcoal brazier was burning brightly, making a soft crackling sound, warming the room and filling it with the fragrance of sandalwood.

Steward Li stood respectfully to the side, holding his breath for a long while. Seeing that Steward Zhai made no move, he cautiously asked in a voice almost touching the ground, "Steward... those two who came from the Ximen residence just now, especially the steward named Lai Bao, seemed quite clever and knew how to behave. May I be so bold as to ask... this Master Ximen, could it be... that he has caught the Grand Tutor's eye and been chosen?"

Butler Zhai paused slightly as he twirled the prayer beads. He didn't open his eyes, but let out a very soft, faint chuckle from his nose, tinged with a barely perceptible mockery.

"Taken a fancy?" he spoke slowly, his voice as if veiled, revealing neither joy nor anger. "What kind of status does the Grand Tutor have? What kind of position does he hold? Under the whole world, there are countless people who are eager to climb the social ladder by attaching themselves to the Grand Tutor's family. Why would he deliberately 'take a fancy' to just anyone?"

Steward Li stiffened upon hearing this, bowing even lower: "It was my fault, Steward is right. Then...Master, this time..."

Steward Zhai finally opened his eyes. There was no warmth in his eyes, only the calm of a deep pool and the insight of an old official.

“Sowing seeds.” He uttered two words, concise and cold, “like raising poisonous insects. Whether it’s Shandong, Huaihe River region, or even Jiangnan or Hebei… the Grand Tutor only needs to casually sow the seeds of ‘official positions’ and ‘future prospects.’ In this world, there are plenty of ‘insects’ who want to climb up and dare to risk their lives.”

He paused, his gaze seemingly piercing through the carved window lattice, looking into the distance: "Whether the seeds fall to the ground, take root and sprout, or are devoured by other Gu worms, it all depends on their own fate."

“Through wind, frost, rain, and snow, in a world where the strong prey on the weak, those who can struggle to climb out of that mire and reach a high and conspicuous position... are naturally the ‘talents’ that the Grand Tutor ‘chosen’ to be reserved and used by His Highness Prince Yun.”

"What the Grand Tutor wants is the result! It's the 'Gu King' that ultimately survives and becomes usable. As for the process? How many died? Who cares?"

Manager Li felt a chill run down his spine and couldn't help but ask again:

"Then...the head steward seemed to have shown extra leniency and treated those people from the Ximen household differently today?"

Butler Zhai's lips twitched upwards almost imperceptibly.

"Foolish!" He glanced at Steward Li, his eyes filled with a hint of disappointment. "The Grand Tutor sits firmly on the throne, naturally he has no need, nor does he deign to 'take a fancy' to any mudfish. But what are we? We are the stewards who look after this 'poison basin' for the Grand Tutor! We are the servants who run errands for this mansion!"

His voice was low, but each word was clear, carrying a shrewdness and long-term calculation: "Adding flowers to brocade is something everyone can do, but how much is it worth? There are many 'Gu Kings' under the Grand Tutor's command. They may be glorious today, but who knows what tomorrow will bring? Joining in is just getting an extra routine reward. What ability do you or I show?"

Butler Zhai's tone became meaningful: "But to offer help in times of need, to help those in dire need... that's what you call insight, that's what you call skill! I have high hopes for that Master Ximen!"

"I had someone investigate his background. He started from nothing in Qinghe County and managed to amass such a fortune. His methods and cunning are top-notch! He even managed to earn a prestigious and respectable academic title..."

"The gift presented today hit the nail on the head! It was perfectly measured and courteous. Even the two errand boys under his command behaved flawlessly. That servant boy named Dai'an even had a hidden cleverness about him."

He gently stroked the teacup with his fingers, as if weighing the value of a commodity: "This man has a shallow foundation but is ambitious. He is eager to climb the social ladder and prove himself. The Grand Tutor has only given him a 'seed'. Whether it can survive is still unknown."

"But at this moment, to me, offering him a little help is nothing more than a simple favor—a word of apology, a seemingly casual suggestion, or a favor that he considers 'immense'."

Butler Zhai raised his head, his eyes gleaming with shrewd calculation, as if he were talking to Steward Li, or perhaps to the scales of his own conscience.

“When he truly gains power and becomes a ‘useful’ Gu King in the eyes of the Grand Tutor and Prince Yun… at that time, Ximen Qing will surely still cherish our friendship.”

He let out a soft sigh and made his final judgment: "This Master Ximen, I think... is worth us trying to revitalize this neglected place!"

Manager Li suddenly understood and quickly bowed, saying, "The head steward is insightful and far-sighted! I... understand!"

Inside the warm room, the charcoal brazier still crackled and popped, making one feel lazy, while the wisps of sandalwood smoke still swirled and drifted upwards at a leisurely pace.

Butler Zhai closed his eyelids again.

The Grand Tutor is old, but he himself is still in his prime.
Lai Bao and Dai An, carrying the two ingots of scorching yet icy gold as if they were two thunderbolts about to explode, led a few servants who were shivering and trembling at the door, yet eagerly watching their master's expression, and practically ran towards the most luxurious place in the capital—"Thirteen Rooms Building."

This "Thirteen-Room Building" was one of the seventy-two legitimate shops in Bianliang City, operating both restaurants and lodging.

The building is four stories high, connected by flying bridges, with carved eaves and embroidered doors, and lights that burn all night long.

The guest room was filled with a warm, fragrant aroma, and the charcoal brazier was burning brightly.

The official stood by the window.

"We... kowtow to our great-father!" The voice trembled with the relief of surviving a disaster.

Lai Baoqiang calmed himself down and, from the moment he stepped into the Grand Tutor's mansion, recounted in detail everything, from the presentation of gifts to the grandeur of the mansion, the reception by Steward Zhai, and even the thrilling scene of Dai'an's "family reunion," without missing a single word.

When it came to Steward Zhai's last words, Lai Bao held his breath and repeated them word by word, even trying his best to imitate Steward Zhai's ambiguous tone.

The room was deathly silent, with only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire.

Ximen Qing's gaze, like that of a cold hawk, slowly swept over Dai An's neck, which had instantly tensed.

A cold snort pierced the silence.

"What an audacious lackey! Since Steward Zhai has spoken on your behalf..." His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried immense weight, "Go back and kneel in the ancestral hall for a whole day and night! You're not allowed to eat or drink anything! Think carefully about who gave you your dog's life!"

"Yes! Yes! Thank you for your mercy, Uncle!!" Dai'an trembled all over, his forehead pressed tightly against the ground, his voice trembling with sobs.

A day and a night of kneeling as punishment, though painful, was already an immense blessing!
Only then did Master Ximen turn his gaze away from Dai'an and look out at the night, as if pondering the deeper meaning behind Steward Zhai's words.

He began to explain to the two people kneeling on the ground:
Remembering one's original status—this is a reminder not to forget one's roots.

"My current status—this is a reminder that my current position was bestowed upon me by the Grand Tutor! I must be even more grateful and do my utmost!"

What identity do you want to have in the future?

The official lowered his voice: "Steward Zhai is warning me that I'm not qualified to wave the Grand Tutor's banner with my current abilities!"

"Want to truly qualify to use the 'Cai' name? Want to climb higher? You have to work hard to climb higher yourself. If there are any tasks assigned to you, you must handle them perfectly for the Grand Tutor! This immense wealth and honor is never given away for free!"

He put down his teacup, his gaze sweeping intently over the two kneeling figures:

“Give me this official position,” Ximen Qing pointed to himself, “it means real power! With this official hat, things will be easier, and I can better help the Grand Tutor solve his problems!”

“Give Dai’an this official position,” he glanced at Dai’an, who was still trembling on the ground, “It may seem like a nominal title, but it elevates his status. With this status, it will be easier to recruit some ‘capable’ people and raise some ‘useful’ henchmen!”

"In the future, when the Grand Tutor or I have some important matters that are inconvenient to handle openly... then we'll have someone we can use!"

Finally, he lowered his voice even further:
"As for why I came to protect your official position... why is it a captain in the Prince of Yun's mansion?"

"That's the Grand Tutor telling us to open our eyes and prick up our ears! The Grand Tutor is telling us that the person we're siding with isn't the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace..."

"Instead, it is that Prince Yun, Zhao Kai, or rather, your master, who is precisely the man that Grand Tutor Cai has been cultivating for Prince Yun, Zhao Kai."

The official was explaining to the two of them.

Something happened at the mansion in Qinghe County.

No sooner had Master Ximen left Qinghe County in high spirits with several cartloads of heavy gifts, heading towards the promising capital to scheme for advancement.

As soon as the sound of wheels rolling over the bluestone road faded away, Wu Yueniang, Jinlian, Xiangling, Guijie, and the others in the main house and courtyard of the mansion seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Even the sunlight shining through the carved window lattices seemed lazy and listless.

Wu Yueniang sat alone on the sandalwood armchair at the head of the main hall, holding a string of oily sandalwood prayer beads in her hand.

The burden of being the mistress of the household was already immense when her husband was still alive. What weighed even more heavily on her mind was the money that kept flowing out like water—it was true that her husband had brought back 15,000 taels of silver this time!

But the birthday gifts prepared just for Grand Tutor Cai in the capital cost nearly ten thousand taels of silver!
Even with immense wealth, one cannot withstand such treatment.

Adding in the expenses of dealing with superiors and subordinates, giving gifts, and feeding the hundred or so people in the household, the official had barely left the ground when she quickly checked the accounts. The jingling cash in the storeroom, after all the calculations, only amounted to three thousand one hundred and forty-five taels!
Just as he was filled with worry, the steward, Lai Lu, slipped in with the lightest of steps, almost skimming the terrazzo floor.

His face was full of embarrassment, his eyelids drooping. He glanced at Wu Yueniang's expression, bent down even lower, and cautiously reported, "Reporting to Madam, there's a stranger outside... insisting that our household owes him money and that he's here to collect the debt."

"Collecting debts?" Wu Yueniang's fingers, which were holding the Buddhist prayer beads, suddenly stopped, and the thin silk thread almost snapped. Her heart felt as if it had been doused with a bucket of cold water in the twelfth lunar month!
When his husband was alive, who in Qinghe County would dare to so brazenly block the gates of the Ximen residence to demand a debt? Did they have a death wish?

Even if there were some financial dealings, they were all handled quietly by the underlings or by Count Ying, Xie Xida and their cronies in a secluded teahouse or tavern.

Now look what's happened! The gentleman had barely left Qinghe County when these filthy debt collectors dared to show up at his door? Is it just a coincidence, or did they deliberately choose this time?
A surge of anger at being slighted and offended rose in her heart, accompanied by a deep sense of unease—could it be that some blind fool took advantage of her husband's absence and thought she, a mere woman, was powerless to wield a weapon?

(End of this chapter)