Three Wives and Four Concubines in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Page 43

Daiyu lay limply on the bed, and when she saw Zijuan come in and sniff her nose, she could only blush and pretend not to see it, letting Zijuan help her up and clean her up.

During their passionate encounter in bed, the two poured out their hearts to each other, finally allowing Daiyu to truly feel Gu Yu's heart and realize the meaning behind his previous words.

Just thinking about Gu Yu's sweet words and the love in his eyes made Daiyu blush and her heart race, and she couldn't hide the happiness in her heart from her smile.

Zijuan could tell from her expression that the good thing had happened, so she stepped forward with a smile to congratulate her. Daiyu blushed and said coquettishly:

"You brat, tell me, what's the deal with that cup of tea?"

Zijuan didn't take it to heart, and instead tried to curry favor with Daiyu:

"I asked Miss many times before I could play matchmaker for her. Now that Miss has the good fortune, are you going to criticize me, the one who dug the well?"

Upon hearing this, Daiyu blushed and her eyes sparkled, exuding a charm that left Zijuan stunned for a long time before she came to her senses.

"Don't be so smug. Since your grandmother has bestowed you upon me, you will naturally have to come with me in the future. You should think about how to please her!"

Zijuan was also provoked by these words, her face flushed, but she could still barely bear it.

"Xueyan and I will naturally follow you, Miss. However, the more pleased you are, the more carefree we can be. If you are angry, we will not dare to get close to you. I wonder if you can bear to see us in such a predicament?"

Seeing the smile on Zijuan's pretty face, Daiyu felt a warmth in her heart. Although Zijuan was from the Jia family, since coming to her side, she had put her first in everything. In addition, she was mature and sensible, and Daiyu was willing to confide in her about many things.

With her help, Daiyu has fulfilled her greatest wish and is very grateful.

After the mistress and servant played around for a while, Zijuan helped Daiyu eat a quick meal and then half-supported her to take a bath.

When Daiyu took off her clothes, her fair and jade-like body was covered with large patches of blush, which made Zijuan tease her again.

……

"What? You don't have that...? But you can barely walk anymore, miss!"

……

"Hehe, that girl should eat more in the future and grow stronger, otherwise the young master might not be able to resist running out to steal food."

"Pah! What son-in-law? You brat, I'll tear your mouth off!"

"Cuckoo~"

……

After Daiyu finished soaking her feet in milk soup, she sat down at the dressing table and waited for Zijuan to finish tidying up before coming over to help.

Staring at her smiling self in the mirror, looking even more radiant after her bath, Daiyu was once again lost in thought about Gu Yu's madness.

When her hair was tied up and dried in a towel, Daiyu finally came to her senses. But when she looked in the mirror, who else could it be but Gu Yu?

"Oh dear! What are you doing here? Get out of here!"

Gu Yu chuckled, didn't reply, and directly picked up Daiyu by the knees, walking towards the bed.

He wouldn't say he was just waiting for you to finish showering so Zijuan could tip you off. The door had been closed sometime earlier, so it seemed Zijuan and the others would be moving to another room tonight.

Daiyu quickly noticed this and her struggles lessened considerably. With a blush on her pretty face, she subconsciously wrapped her arms around Gu Yu's neck.

"What are you doing here again? Aren't you afraid of being seen by outsiders?"

Gu Yu chuckled softly and whispered gently in his ear:

"The old ailment of Yangzhou has relapsed today..."

"Um~"

……

Chapter Thirteen: The Funeral Ends

The two young lovers on one side were inseparable, while Wang Xifeng on the other side was busy from six to nine, experiencing both pain and joy.

Because she had taken a break a few days ago, Wang Xifeng was able to manage despite the extremely complicated matters. However, she was so busy that she was constantly on the go and couldn't eat properly, which made her appear somewhat thin.

Because of the garden renovation project, and the fact that Lin Ruhai was still alive, Jia Lian was able to stay in the mansion to help out, which actually warmed up the relationship between the couple.

Sanchun and the others had already visited a few days ago, so they didn't need to go again. However, Yingchun had somehow fallen ill, and although it wasn't very serious, she wasn't getting better. Therefore, she didn't come to Gu Yu's courtyard. Instead, Gu Yu made a special trip to visit her twice.

Although Tan Chun and Xi Chun wanted to visit Gu Yu more often, they were both too embarrassed to ask. Neither of them brought up the idea of ​​traveling together, and they could only sit at home and wait to pass the time.

Without outside interference, Gu Yu indulged in unrestrained behavior in the courtyard, having a great time every day.

A month passed in the blink of an eye. Jia Zhen not only actually used his connections to get Jia Rong a Dragon Guard title and add a few more words to Jia Qinshi's memorial tablet, but Xue Pan also took out his rare coffin lid and proudly showed off his face.

Once, Gu Yu went out to visit Qin Keqing to cultivate their relationship. When he returned in the evening, he passed by the Ningguo Mansion and heard the Buddhist and Taoist chants still emanating from inside. He could only marvel at the professionalism of the team.

After all, reciting scriptures continuously for forty-nine days requires considerable skill. Especially since there's a rival chanting nearby, trying to steal their business, and you could easily be led astray if you're not careful.

Sister Feng was truly powerful for a whole month. The feeling of being authoritative and having her orders obeyed made her feel very proud. Although there were still a few troublemakers who needed to be dealt with, no matter how hard she worked, she couldn't hide the faint smile on her face.

As the 49th day approached, Sister Feng made preparations in advance. Early in the morning, she took a car to the place where the body lay in state at Huifang Garden and began to mourn.

After Jia Zhen and others comforted her, Fengjie stopped crying and went to the back room to continue her chores.

Today was a day when she was feeling down, and to make matters worse, someone broke the time she had set and didn't arrive. Sister Feng wanted to show off her power and make an example of someone, so she deliberately suppressed her and dealt with other matters first.

After arranging everything, Sister Feng gave the woman a good scolding, dragged her out and gave her twenty lashes, and the woman had to come back to thank her again.

Seeing that everyone else in the room was silent and trembling with fear, Sister Feng became even more smug and put on an even more authoritative demeanor, sneering:

“It’s not that I’m heartless and want to punish you on purpose. If I don’t punish you today, how will I punish you tomorrow? It’s better to be strict and just. If you make a mistake today, you’ll get twenty strokes of the cane. Tomorrow it will be forty, and the day after it will be sixty. As long as you’re not afraid of being caned, I won’t find any other way to make things difficult for you.”

"Let's disperse!"

The servants scattered like birds, and Sister Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief and rested for a moment.

These past few days, Baoyu had been seeing many guests coming to offer condolences. Although he was somewhat impatient, he still managed to behave appropriately given the solemn occasion. However, he was very worried about Qin Zhong, fearing that his low status might cause him any grievances, so he couldn't help but pay extra attention to him.

After dealing with another wave of idle officials who wanted to curry favor with the Jia family, Baoyu quickly pulled Qin Zhong to the back hall to sit with Fengjie.

Qin Zhong was amazed by the actions of the powerful families, but his face showed no trace of sorrow.

He was only nine years old when Qin Keqing married into the Jia family, a time when he was still playful and didn't have much affection for his older sister. At the funeral, Qin Zhong felt that even watching the officials currying favor with the Jia family was more interesting than mourning his sister.

The two stayed until lunchtime before making an excuse to study and slipping away. Fengjie had no choice but to send someone to escort them back to the mansion, and then continue to handle matters in the mansion.

On the day of the funeral, Jia Zhen went out of the city early to the Iron Threshold Temple to make arrangements, while Feng Jie was inside, meticulously assigning tasks and arranging the food.

Just then, the Duke of Shan passed away, and both Madam Xing and Madam Wang had to rush over to offer sacrifices and send off the deceased. Fengjie made all the decisions and managed to arrange everything perfectly.

The birthday gift for the Princess Consort of Xi'an, the congratulatory gift for the eldest son of the Duke of Zhenguo, the letter to greet parents and send gifts for her own elder brother returning south, the decisions made by the Ning and Rong mansions and the people in charge of the matter... Feng Jie sorted out and arranged everything, winning the praise of the whole clan.

Baochai had finally managed to come over for a visit, and upon hearing the news, she showed a hint of praise and envy on her face.

"It's remarkable that Feng girl could arrange things so well on her first time in charge of a funeral; she's far better than many men."

Daiyu didn't know when they had reconciled, and there was no trace of the fierce look she had shown that day, only...

After feeding Gu Yu a bite of watermelon, Daiyu replied to her friend with an air of 'elegance':

"I think Baochai may not be any worse than Fengyatou. She will definitely be able to make clear arrangements for whichever talented man she marries and takes charge of the household."

Baochai paused, her smile almost faltering. She was incredibly perceptive; even when Daiyu tried to conceal something, she could detect it, let alone someone so brazenly showing her true colors.

"Then I'll take Lin's kind words. But since you're so frail, you might not have the energy to manage things, and you might even be looked down upon. So you should take care of your health."

Seeing that the two were still bickering, Gu Yu could only subtly place her hand behind Daiyu's back to prevent her from arguing with Baochai any longer.

Baochai was waiting for Lin's counterattack so she could retaliate a few more times to vent her frustration, but she was surprised to see Lin's face turn red and she softened.

Daiyu swayed slightly, and Gu Yu hid one hand behind her back, as if she had understood something. So the two girls blushed and quieted down.

……

On the day of the funeral, not only did the Eight Immortals gather, but Prince Bei Jing also made an appearance, praising Bao Yu before leaving, which made Bao Yu a little shy.

The group went to the Iron Threshold Temple outside the city and returned several days later. As soon as Baoyu returned, he rushed back to his courtyard. After doing something, he let Xiren run out with a blush on her face.

After finishing this important matter, Wang Xifeng returned the token with a sense of satisfaction. Recalling the strange events that had occurred a couple of days ago, she had an idea and decided to take the opportunity to go to Gu Yu's place for some fun with Sanchun and the others.

Xi Chun had just been intimate with Gu Yu not long ago, and she couldn't bear not seeing him for more than a month.

Upon meeting, Xichun rushed into Gu Yu's arms. Fortunately, she was still young, and Fengjie didn't think much of it. Her attention was mostly focused on Daiyu beside her.

She had noticed the difference in Daiyu's gaze towards Gu Yu before, but now it seemed somewhat different again. She observed for a long time but still couldn't discern anything, and could only inwardly mock herself for overworking.

Wang Xifeng served the group of sisters-in-law with great enthusiasm. Since they were in Gu Yu's courtyard, she didn't need to arrange anything. She kept talking non-stop, displaying the generosity of her sister-in-law, Feng Jie, treating everyone to meals and Gu Yu paying the bill.

Amidst the laughter, Wang Xifeng giggled twice, attracting everyone's attention, and then spoke:

"When I went to the Iron Threshold Temple to send off the spirit this time, I heard about a strange case. I can't make up my mind. How about Yu-ge'er gives me some advice?"

Chapter Fourteen: True Love Ends in Harmony

Young ladies like Daiyu rarely left their homes, so they were quite interested in strange and unusual things happening outside. In addition, Fengjie heard about it herself on her way to send off the deceased, which added to their curiosity.

Seeing that everyone was urging her to speak quickly, Sister Feng smiled and said:

"This time when I went to the Iron Threshold Temple, I found it too crowded and noisy, so I took Brother Bao and the others to the Water Moon Nunnery to stay."

"Shuiyue Nunnery? Is that the temple where Zhineng'er's master lives? Zhineng'er hasn't come to visit me in a long time."

Upon hearing this, Xichun immediately thought of her friend Zhineng'er. It had been more than two months since they last saw each other, and she wondered how Zhineng was doing.

“That’s right. It just so happens that this case was brought to me by Jingxu, Zhineng’s master, who wanted me to take charge.”

It turned out that after settling in at Shuiyue Nunnery that day, Jingxu asked Fengjie for help, saying that a wealthy man named Zhang was engaged to the son of the former garrison commander of Chang'an. Unexpectedly, when his daughter came to the temple to offer incense, she was spotted by Li Yanei, the brother-in-law of the prefect of Chang'an, who insisted on marrying her.

The Zhang family explained that the engagement was already arranged, but it was no use. Just as they were worrying, the garrison commander's family heard rumors and started insulting them, saying that their daughters had been engaged to several families. The Zhang family was furious and wanted to break off the engagement to vent their anger.

Unexpectedly, the garrison commander's family insisted on not backing down and was determined to marry his daughter to humiliate her. The Zhang family felt sorry for their daughter and could only seek help everywhere, which led them to Wang Xifeng.

Although Jingxu flattered her in every way and promised her great profits, Fengjie had recently stopped taking out high-interest loans. During this period, she had been busy making a fortune for Jia Qinshi, with mountains of gold and silver passing through her hands. She was exhausted and had no interest in spending a few thousand taels of silver.

Unexpectedly, Jingxu sighed with regret, "Even so, the Zhang family already knows that I came to the manor for help. Now that we are not involved in this matter, the Zhang family does not know that we have no time to deal with this matter and do not care about his reward. It is as if the manor does not even have this much power."

Wang Xifeng was at the height of her success, how could she bear such a provocation? She was about to agree and show them her skills.

Before she could even speak, Sister Feng suddenly remembered the case Gu Yu had mentioned that day. She hesitated for a moment, then gave a vague answer without giving a definite answer, wanting to go back and learn from Gu Yu's experience.

Jingxu looked back, completely baffled. She never imagined that even though she had clearly seen through Wang Xifeng's nature, how could her schemes have failed?

After hearing Wang Xifeng's words, Yingchun and Baochai did not react. Although Xichun was close to Zhineng, this was a case brought up by her master, so she did not say anything.

Tan Chun, usually so straightforward, raised an eyebrow and sneered when she heard the garrison commander's family being so aggressive:

"Why keep such an in-law who can't distinguish right from wrong? Not to mention that the old nun Jingxu is usually quite close to the family, the fact that she was able to save an innocent woman from the fire is already a great act of kindness."

Sister Feng replied with a smile:

"I knew Tan Chun was always chivalrous and couldn't tolerate any injustice. She truly hates evil!"

Tan Chun felt a little proud after receiving the praise. She subconsciously looked towards Gu Yu, but saw that Gu Yu and Daiyu were both smiling without saying a word, which made her a little puzzled.

"Does Sister Lin have any thoughts on this?"

Seeing Tan Chun looking at her, Daiyu raised an eyebrow, secretly hoping to impress Gu Yu, and sneered:

"Although Sister Feng is beautiful and kind-hearted, she can't stop others from harboring evil intentions. What that old nun said sounded nice, but wasn't it just that Young Master Li wanted to force himself on any beautiful woman he saw, and the Zhang family wanted to break off the engagement? As for the garrison commander coming to insult them, and the Zhang family just venting their anger, it's all just empty talk. Who can testify to that?"

"If I were the garrison commander's family coming to ask for help, I could say that the Zhang family is materialistic and that they are unwilling to fulfill the marriage agreement because my family is no longer the garrison commander of Chang'an. They want to curry favor with the magistrate's family instead."

Tan Chun's eyes widened slightly. She hadn't expected such a saying, but upon closer inspection, it seemed to make sense, and she couldn't help but feel a little discouraged.

Sister Feng's eyes flashed. She had been worried that the situation might not be as she had hoped, which was why she had hesitated to agree. She hadn't expected that Lin Yatou, at such a young age, would have such insight. It was truly amazing.

However, her main concern was getting Gu Yu's opinion. After all, Gu Yu was a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations at a young age, and his knowledge and understanding were undoubtedly far superior. He had also witnessed many cases and would surely be able to offer his advice.

Seeing that Sister Feng had asked her again, Gu Yu smiled faintly and said:

"Sister Feng, why don't you send someone to inquire? If it's true that the garrison commander's family is rude and trying to torment her with a new bride, it wouldn't be a bad thing to do a good deed. But if the Zhang family is greedy and ungrateful and breaks off the engagement, we must not agree to such a bullying act."

"If another story of Wei Sheng embracing the pillar were to occur, not only would Sister Feng be scorned, but the reputation of the Jia family would also be damaged. It would be a disaster with no benefit whatsoever."

Although Sister Feng didn't understand the meaning of "Wei Sheng hugging the pillar," she understood the implication in Gu Yu's words. She deliberately patted her chest, feigning lingering fear, and said:

"Amitabha! I hadn't even thought of that. It's all thanks to Brother Yu's wisdom that I was spared this ordeal. Tomorrow I'll ask Brother Yu's article to take back and pray to him often, hoping it will help clear my head!"

Seeing her exaggerated expression, which had already made all the women double with laughter, Daiyu said mischievously:

"I see you still haven't figured it out. The Living Buddha is right in front of you, and instead of paying your respects, you're making a huge fuss about getting the article back. Wouldn't that be penny-wise and pound-foolish? If you paid your respects on the spot, you might even open your six orifices!"

"Cuckoo~"

"Pfft~"