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

Chapter 47 Xiangling Rescue Plan
Ximen Qing shouted to Dai'an, "Quickly invite the lady to the front hall to see our distinguished guests!!" He then personally served Zhou Tong and Yue Fei a cup of tea made with candied oranges.

Before long, Wu Yueniang, dressed in a bright red brocade jacket, led about twenty maids and servants in a graceful procession and knelt down.

Ximen Qing pulled Yue Fei over and said to the crowd, "This young master is Master Zhou's esteemed disciple, and also my senior brother. You should all call him Master Yue!"

The maids and servants dressed in red and green knelt down with a "whoosh," calling out in sweet, melodious voices, "Greetings, Master Yue!"

Startled, Yue Fei blushed and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "You flatter me, young man! Just call me Wu Lang!" His voice still had a childish quality, but it was as clear as a golden chime.

Zhou Tong observed coldly, thinking to himself: "My nominal apprentice is incredibly wealthy, yet he only has one wife. Unlike those nouveau riche who are so arrogant, trying to take any decent-looking woman they see to make up their numbers. This kind of orderly arrangement shows he has the potential to manage a household and run a business!"

Just as she was pondering this, Ximen Qing suddenly asked Yue Niang, "Where is Jinlian? Is her injury any better?"

The maid, Yuxiao, interjected, "I just saw her go to the grape trellis in the backyard, playing on the swings and laughing loudly!"

"I haven't gotten out of bed since!" A weak, trembling voice suddenly came from the corridor.

Everyone turned to look and saw Pan Jinlian leaning against the vermilion door frame as she moved in. Her face was as white as freshly ground official powder, but her lips were bluish.

She forced herself to give a full curtsy: "This servant greets Master Zhou and Master Yue. I am not feeling well, so please forgive me for not being able to complete the full curtsy."

After saying that, she turned her gaze to Yuxiao with a deep look: "Sister, why have you wronged me for no reason? I've been in so much pain all day, drenched in cold sweat, and I haven't even gotten off the bed yet?"

Yu Xiao was surprised that Pan Jinlian, who usually ate her meals lying on the bed, was able to struggle to get up. Startled, she shrank back and stammered, "Perhaps...perhaps the sunlight was too bright, and I saw the wrong figure."

Ximen Qing's brows furrowed suddenly: "You're not fully recovered yet, and you're already running around like this. What kind of behavior is this!"

Jinlian heard a hint of concern hidden in her master's reprimand, and her heart warmed as if she had drunk a cup of scalding ginger tea on a freezing winter's day, warming her from her throat all the way down to her lower abdomen. She wished she could immediately crawl into her master's arms, begging for his large hands to caress her and his lips to kiss hers.

With a guest in front of her, she could only suppress all her emotions and soften her gaze, giving a gentle "Yes."

After Ximen Qing led Zhou Tong and his apprentice to their lodgings, and the crowd dispersed, Pan Jinlian quietly grabbed a maid named Xiao Luan. This girl usually only tended the fire in the kitchen; she was a quiet, unassuming girl, almost invisible to everyone.

Jinlian fumbled in her sleeve for a while before finally pulling out a piece of sweaty silver, weighing no more than three qian (a unit of weight). It was her savings, accumulated little by little through her daily needlework, mending, and frugal living. As she handed it over, her fingertips turned white from gripping it so tightly, her heart trembling, but she forced a smile on her face: "Good sister, if there's any noise or disturbance in the house, no matter how loud, you must let me know."

Seeing that Xiao Luan tiptoe away, Pan Jinlian leaned against the vermilion pillar, feeling a painful emptiness where she had just handed over the silver.

She was sold to these grand mansions by her mother at the age of nine, and witnessed firsthand the sordid affairs within those wealthy households. Which maid didn't have an affair? Which master didn't keep a mistress? Especially among these maids, not a single word could be taken seriously. Today they're all smiles and calls you "good sister," tomorrow they'll turn around and crush you, you lowly servant!
They're more familiar with illicit affairs, framing, and using others to do their dirty work; they're more adept at jealousy, veiled malice, and indirect criticism than with the "Admonitions for Women" or the "Inner Teachings." Without a trusted informant, they'd be sold out and still be counting the money for the seller!

If I hadn't struggled to get up today, and my husband had believed that little brat Yuxiao's slander, even if he didn't say anything, wouldn't he have a thorn in his heart?

In this secluded mansion, a man's suspicions are the most unpredictable. Today he may lose a little affection, tomorrow a little favor. As time goes by, even if there are beauties in front of him, he will not look at you with a second eye!
But this little bit of money... I originally wanted to save it up and ask someone to bring me some yarn to embroider a fancy bodice to please my master. Now it's filled this bottomless pit!

Jin Lian'er's lips curled into a cold smile: Fine, fine. If Yu Xiao dares to bully her like this today, who knows how many hidden arrows she will face in the future! It's more important to gain sharp eyes and ears than to be humiliated to death in the future!
After thinking it over, Jinlian wiped off the white powder from her face and then wiped away a bit of freckles from her lips. She shuffled back down, her buttocks swollen like dough, which was undeniable, especially after being beaten and subjected to some brute force last night.

Inside the guest room over there.

Ximen Qing personally pushed open the carved door and saw that the room had been tidied up: a brocade curtain hung on the mahogany bed frame, the bronze candlesticks on the table were polished to a shine, and even the rinsing bowl and towels were prepared.

He smiled and said, “Master and Senior Brother, please rest here. The fighting outside the city was exhausting. It’s already late, and we can’t prepare a proper banquet in such a hurry, which would be impolite. In a little while, I’ll have the servants send some delicate dishes to your room for you to enjoy. Tomorrow, we’ll have a feast to welcome you back, and you can have a proper drink with your Master and Senior Brother.”

He then personally tested the thickness of the bedding, saying, "If you need anything, just pull the rope and ring the bell—there will be a servant waiting outside the window all night." He then bowed and took his leave, but as he reached the threshold, he suddenly turned around, slipped two silver ingots with snow-white patterns from his sleeve, and gently placed them on the tea table: "Brother, you are young. If you find the room stuffy, you can use this silver to call a servant to take you for a walk in the street tomorrow."

Zhou Tong nodded without speaking, while Yue Fei, his face flushed, repeatedly refused. Ximen Qing simply smiled and waved his hand, then left with the rustling of his robes, closing the door behind him.
As he stepped out the door, he heard hurried footsteps behind him. Turning around, he saw Yue Fei chasing after him to the corridor, his fingers twisting the belt of his old robe, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

Ximen Qing put his arm around his shoulder and laughed, "Brother, why are you being so fussy? Although we are not born of the same mother, we have the same master and should be as close as blood relatives. Just speak your mind!"

Yue Fei then stammered, "Junior Brother is right, I was being too polite! Just now at the dock, I saw that girl being beaten and scolded so badly by Fatty Xue. If I had rescued her, her life would probably have been in danger if she went back. Junior Brother, do you have any way to save her?"

Upon hearing this, Ximen Qing's smile vanished: "Senior brother, you don't know. The Xue family is an extremely wealthy family in Jinling. Their ancestor was a high-ranking official, holding the rank of third grade. Now, they have two marriage alliances with the Jia and Wang families. Let alone killing a few girls, even if they cause a bigger uproar, the magistrate of Qinghe County will still applaud it. I am just a merchant in Qinghe County. How could I possibly rescue a servant of a wealthy imperial merchant family?"

Young Yue Fei sighed, "Actually, seeing the imposing presence of that three-masted, jeweled ship and the grand procession of hundreds of guards from the capital to greet it, I knew it was no ordinary vessel. This matter has indeed put my junior brother in a difficult position!"

Ximen Da Guanren chuckled mischievously, "Senior brother, have you taken a fancy to that girl? Although Xiangling was beaten and cried until her peach blossom face was splattered with rouge, her eyebrows were more charming than any painting, and her eyes held two pools of autumn water. She was gentle and weak, and after being beaten, she could only cry out. She was truly a beauty among beauties. Her pitiful, panting breaths were also the best for entertaining among women."

"Absolutely not!" Before he could finish speaking, the young Yue Fei raised his eyebrows and clasped his hands in a solemn gesture.

[Xiangling is begging for monthly votes from you all!]

(End of this chapter)