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

Page 93

"Brother Bao is getting lazier and lazier. He doesn't even discipline the maids in the courtyard who are making a ruckus. They just take advantage of him and can't bear to punish them."

As the half-sister who was closest to Baoyu among the group, she had no choice but to speak first and define the matter. The other sisters naturally understood the meaning behind her words, but since Baoyu had always acted this way, they did not think that her words were biased.

Baochai smoothed things over:

"It's one thing for a few maids to quarrel, but Brother Bao has always been gentle and chivalrous towards women. If Third Sister were to ask him to suppress her, wouldn't that be putting him in a difficult position?"

"Besides, Brother Bao is currently studying diligently behind closed doors, so it's understandable that he's been neglected in his upbringing. You can have Feng'er look after him later."

There was one more thing she didn't say: that Xiren, who was by Baoyu's side, didn't come out to stop it. Judging from the way Lin Daiyu and the others were acting, they probably all vaguely understood the intention behind it.

Tan Chun nodded, too lazy to pay attention to the trivial matters of Yi Hong Courtyard anymore. After walking a distance, she continued chatting and laughing with her sisters. However, as soon as they approached Xiao Xiang Pavilion, Xi Chun, looking rather unwell, hurriedly asked for leave to go back and change her clothes.

Ru Hua hurriedly chased after her, but unexpectedly, after passing two small gardens, she saw Xi Chun waiting for her in the same spot. Xi Chun asked her to wait there, but before she could say anything, Xi Chun ran off on her own.

Watching Xichun's departing figure, Ruhua hesitated for a long time, but could only obey her orders. After all, she had no favoritism towards this cold-hearted fourth young lady. She would just have to take care of her for the next two years and then let her go. If she caused any trouble, she would lose more than half of her money!

Xichun lifted her skirt and ran all the way past the Lotus Fragrance Pavilion without hesitation, heading straight for the Pear Blossom Spring Rain. Thinking of the conversation she had overheard earlier because she had been a step too slow, she felt wronged, helpless, and bitter. At this moment, all she wanted to do was throw herself into Yu-gege's arms for comfort.

However, the girl eventually ran out of strength and could only slowly pace around as the pear blossoms and spring rain began to fall, before finally giving up and trying to recover.

The maidservant in the distance saw Xichun approaching, hesitated for a moment, but decided to pretend she didn't see her. After all, the courtyard was bustling with activity, and rather than interrupting the young master's enjoyment, she might as well let the fourth young lady pass by...

Xi Chun slowly approached Pear Blossom Spring Rain, but found no movement at all. She wondered why Xiang Ling and Qing Wen were not there. However, she was in a low mood and did not care about these people. She pouted and walked into Gu Yu's room.

As she approached, she vaguely heard a strange noise coming from inside the room. Xi Chun took a few more steps, blinked, and then realized what was happening, a blush spreading across her face.

"Is it Xiangling or Qingwen...?"

Just as she was about to turn and leave, the faint, soft moans seemed to linger in her ears like a seductive charm. Xichun bit her lip, looked around the empty courtyard, her heart pounding. She couldn't help but move a few steps toward the window, trying to hold her breath and eavesdrop.

"...Why does it sound like my second sister's voice?!"

After listening for only a few sentences, Xichun blushed and looked up in disbelief. The more she listened, the more she felt it sounded like her second sister Yingchun's voice. Coincidentally, her second sister had stayed in the garden and hadn't gone to Qingxu Temple...

But the soundproofing of Pear Blossom Spring Rain was really good, and the faint noises always made her unsure of what was going on. After thinking for a moment, Xichun tiptoed around to the other side, pressed herself against the window of the inner room without daring to breathe, gently covered her mouth, and listened more attentively after calming herself down.

"...Mmm...No..."

"...Wow, that's a lot... Did you like what you just experienced...?"

"Well……"

As she listened, Xichun blushed and squeezed her legs together. Although it wasn't very clear, she was now certain that it was her second sister, Yingchun, inside. The thought that her usually quiet and reserved second sister was pretending to be sick and being intimate with her brother Yu made Xichun feel both ashamed and bitter.

Thinking back to her original purpose for coming here, Xichun felt even more empty inside, as if an invisible label of "loser" had been placed on her head. She sullenly prepared to get up and go back. Unexpectedly, another sound came from inside the room, startling Xichun.

"No more~ I really don't want to~... Waaah~ Daddy~! No more~"

"Second sister is finally calling out now? Hehe..."

Xi Chun froze suddenly, her pupils widened slightly, and it took her several breaths to react before her eyes suddenly felt sore.

I was here first... and I was the first to call him "Dad"... why...?

Of the three sisters, she was probably the most restless. After all, she was a young lady from the Ningguo Mansion. Even though she loathed the Ningguo Mansion, which was filthy except for the two stone lions at the entrance, she still couldn't separate herself from it.

Xi Chun, who was feeling wronged and uneasy after hearing that the Ningguo Mansion was going to interfere with her marriage, came to seek comfort. Unexpectedly, she ran into her good sister who was stealing her home, and even the title of "father" was no longer hers to keep!

The more Xichun thought about it, the sadder she became, and her eyes reddened. Just then, another groan escaped her lips. Finally, she couldn't hold back any longer, covered her mouth, and quietly ran away, sobbing softly.

Inside the room, on the large bed, Gu Yu had just sprayed Yingchun's face and was enjoying the afterglow of victory when he suddenly tensed up and subconsciously looked towards the window. Although he couldn't see anything through the screen, he was certain he wasn't hallucinating.

"Who was it?...Could it be Qingwen and the others eavesdropping again? No, it seems they ran away crying..."

After thinking for a while without any clue, Gu Yu had no choice but to give up her plan to chase after Yingchun immediately and focus on comforting her first.

After all, even though he was very careful, he only did it once, but it was the girl's first time, and it would probably hurt later.

"Sister, shall I carry you to wash up?"

……

The defenses were breached and the Dao Heart shattered.

I forgot the rest of the text, and the Xirang doesn't allow screenshots, so I'm too lazy to type it out. Just go check out the scholar's; that's about it.

Chapter Seven: The Bodhisattva at the Dock

In Xiaoxiang Pavilion, the sisters waited for a long time before Xichun returned. Even though she had tidied herself up carefully, the girl's slightly red eyes and downcast mood could not be hidden from them.

Baochai and the other girls exchanged glances, and naturally pulled Xichun to sit down together. They pretended nothing had happened and smiled as they were about to start eating. After Xichun listlessly ate a few bites, she was about to leave when Baochai grabbed her hand.

"Could Sister Xichun accompany me for a walk? I think the scenery here is quite nice; how about we go for a stroll to digest our food?"

"this--…"

Before Xichun could refuse, Baochai smiled and turned around, instructing Ying'er and Ruhua to go ahead first. She then pulled Xichun along and headed towards the Dripping Green Pavilion. Tanchun, on the other hand, sat for a while longer and chatted with Daiyu.

The two left without lingering, walking all the way to the Dripping Emerald Pavilion. Only then did Baochai release Xichun's hand, smiling as she invited her to sit down, saying:

"I noticed you looked sullen earlier, what's wrong? Ruhua isn't an arrogant person."

When Xichun heard her say that, her heart ached, and she couldn't help but turn her head away. She was too embarrassed to say it, so she just forced her eyes open and pretended not to understand.

"I don't understand what Sister Bao is saying. It's just that I got sunburned on the way here, and I feel a bit down."

Baochai smiled faintly as she looked at Xichun's stubborn back, then suddenly sighed:

"I must have misunderstood. Sister, you should go back and rest. Ying'er made an appointment yesterday, and I still have to accompany her to Brother Yu's place..."

"!!"

Xi Chun's heart skipped a beat. She stood up abruptly, looked at Baochai, opened her mouth to speak, but ultimately held back her words. She no longer believed any of those reasons; Baochai was definitely secretly going to be intimate with Yu-gege!

"I... Sister Bao, I really feel a little uncomfortable. I'm telling you, but please, please don't tell anyone..."

Baochai smiled and gently pinched Xichun's nose, then sat down next to her and comforted her tenderly:

“What can’t we sisters talk about? I’m a few years older than you, so just tell me what’s bothering you. If I can help you, I will definitely do so.”

A touch of emotion flashed in Xichun's eyes. She subconsciously glanced around the pavilion and, seeing that it was deserted, she hesitated for a moment before whispering the news she had overheard in the Rongguo Mansion, but concealed her true thoughts.

When Baochai heard that the East Mansion and Gu Yu were getting along for some reason, she frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed. After all, she was quite worldly-wise and knew that this was nothing serious. As for Xichun's behavior...

Baochai suppressed a laugh, deliberately frowning as she stared at Xichun and said:

"This is troublesome. When it comes to marriage, even the old lady can't get past him. If Master Zhen deliberately betroths you to someone randomly, wouldn't that ruin your life?"

Xi Chun felt even more anxious and almost burst into tears. Seeing how easily she could be teased, Bao Chai's face flashed with embarrassment, and she quickly spoke up:

"Why don't you go and discuss it with Brother Yu, sister? I've always seen him as someone who's always been helpful. If you were to ask him for help..."

After carefully examining Xichun's face, Baochai leaned closer and whispered a few words. A strange light flashed in Xichun's eyes, and she clutched her handkerchief tightly in her sleeves. Finally, she made up her mind, looked up, and thanked Baochai, saying:

"Thank you so much, Sister Bao, for comforting me..."

Baochai gently touched Xichun's temple, and where Xichun couldn't see, she secretly curled the corners of her lips, looking somewhat cunning that no one else had ever seen.

These sisters were all vaguely aware of each other's feelings for Gu Yu. Although they didn't know how close Xi Chun and Gu Yu were, they were definitely in love with him.

Now that I've already hooked up with Ying'er, there's no way I can escape. So naturally I have to drag them all down with me. Otherwise, given Gu Yu's greedy nature, what's the point if she just watches me get bullied all by myself?

……

It wasn't until evening that Grandmother Jia and her entourage returned from Qingxu Temple. After Fengjie served them dinner, Grandmother Jia finally breathed a sigh of relief and said:

“Today wasn’t anything serious, we were just strolling around, and we didn’t expect that this ceremony would disturb everyone and make me dizzy. I think we should just skip it tomorrow.”

Although Sister Feng had worked very hard running around today, she was quite pleased with herself, with so many ladies flattering and fawning over her. She also had several invitations to go to the opera with her, and not wanting to break them, she smiled and said:

"Our ancestor is being considerate of others and doesn't want to cause a commotion in this hot weather. But building a wall is still moving earth, and with so much preparation already made, it's bound to disturb people anyway. If our ancestor isn't going, I'm going to have some fun."

"You! Fine, fine, you hothead, go if you want, but you'd better take good care of Yu'er and the others, or I won't let you off the hook."

Wang Xifeng deliberately put on a wronged expression and said:

"Oh dear! Ancestor! How could I possibly forget them? They've been working so hard all this time, and if I forget them all now, their names won't be on the list of merits. Who can I complain to then?"

"Hahaha--"

Grandmother Jia smiled and pointed at the mischievous Wang Xifeng, then called Yuanyang to fetch a hairpin as an "apology." Xifeng happily accepted it, and her playful antics made everyone in the room burst into laughter.

When Sister Feng finally finished her work and returned home, Jia Lian was also in the room. Ping'er looked at the sky outside and was about to go to the garden to inform them herself when Sister Feng stopped her.

"The old lady just told Grandma to take good care of the young ladies, so why are you stopping me now?"

Wang Xifeng glanced at Jia Lian, who was only focused on resting, then pulled Ping'er closer to her and whispered with a smile:

"You've been with me for so many years, how could you not even notice this little commotion? Now that they're back, why would they want to go to the theater with me? They don't want to offend anyone."

"Tomorrow, you can deliver—just a few boxes of tea. Don't say anything else, just tell Brother Yu and Brother Zhen..."

Ping'er covered her mouth slightly as she listened, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. However, she was also an insider about the You sisters' affairs, so it was no wonder that Sister Feng had to avoid their master, since he wasn't exactly a respectable person.

"knew…"

On Gu Yu's side, after resting all afternoon, Yingchun, though sore all over, was finally able to get out of bed. Siqi went out and did something, her face full of smiles, but when she returned and saw Yingchun's unsteady posture, she was both ashamed and surprised, and quickly came to support her.

"Young Master Yu, you—! If people find out about this, the young lady will be doomed!"

As Yingchun's head maid, she was going to be beaten to death. Thinking of the consequences, Siqi's face turned pale. She never expected Gu Yu to be so bold. She thought he was just tricking her young lady over to take liberties with her as usual. What was she going to do now?!

Gu Yu smiled nonchalantly, then adjusted the jade hairpin in Yingchun's hair before slowly replying:

"After you go back, just be careful not to let those maids in the courtyard know, and you don't need to worry about anything else."

"If, by some chance, an old woman notices something amiss, come and tell me as soon as possible, and I'll handle it..."

Although Gu Yu spoke lightly, Siqi couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine and her heart pounded. Even though this was the Jia family's garden, she felt as if she had already taken Gu's surname...

"...I understand. Miss, shall we go back together? It's getting late."

Yingchun gave a soft "hmm," her face flushing as she watched Gu Yu's subtle movements. She quickly turned and leaned against Siqi as they slowly left. Gu Yu had just tucked the handkerchief into his sleeve right in front of her; this precious memento hadn't been missed after all…

That evening, in Gu Yu's small box, next to several colorful undergarments and several handkerchiefs stained with red plum blossoms, another new one was added. Looking at her overflowing collection, Gu Yu nodded in satisfaction.

"The revolution is not yet complete... We must guard against arrogance and impetuosity, and continue our efforts!"

Chapter 8: Turning Evil

Early the next morning, Ping'er entered the garden with two maids. When they arrived at Pear Blossom Spring Rain, a maid came out to stop them and announce their arrival.

The two maids behind him curled their lip indifferently, thinking it was all just posturing. The entire Pear Blossom Spring Rain Garden was, after all, just a garden; it didn't even have a gate. Who was this show for?!

After the maid let them in, Ping'er went straight to the study, where Gu Yu was indeed practicing calligraphy. Handing the gift box to Xiangling, who was serving nearby, Ping'er bowed to Gu Yu and smiled:

"Young Master Yu is still so diligent in his studies. It seems he really is going to become the top scholar in the imperial examination!"

Gu Yu put down her calligraphy brush, raised her eyebrows to signal Xiangling to pour tea, and replied with a smile:

"Then I'll accept your kind words, Sister Ping'er. But it's still so early. Is there something you need, Sister Ping'er?"

Ping'er covered her mouth and chuckled. Seeing Xiangling leave, she quietly took a few steps closer.

“Our grandmother received these fine teas yesterday and is thinking of these young ladies. Could she perhaps send me on this trip? But she is also worried about something else and specifically asked me to come and inform her, so that Young Master Yu will not complain about her later, which would make her seem like she is caught in the middle.”

Gu Yu paused, glanced at Ping'er's expression, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed and waved her hand to indicate that she didn't need to speak:

"Sister Feng has misunderstood. I roughly know what it is. It's kind of her to think of me. Sister Ping'er, you must thank her for me."

Ping'er had just been holding her breath under Gu Yu's gaze when she was suddenly told to go back. She didn't know if he meant "knowing" or not, but she didn't dare to ask any more questions. She forced a smile and took her leave without even waiting for Xiangling's tea.

After the pear blossoms and spring rain subsided, Ping'er finally breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn't help looking back, feeling a mix of emotions.

"This young master Yu is even a little younger than second master Bao, but he seems more powerful than Master Zheng and the others... I never imagined that there were such powerful figures in the world besides my grandmother. I don't even dare to speak."

Since Gu Yu and Daiyu borrowed a courtyard from the Jia family to live in, she had been frequently seen serving her sisters-in-law alongside Wang Xifeng. She had thought that the servants' rules in the Gu family were just old-fashioned and not as sophisticated as her grandmother's methods. Now that Gu Yu had returned, she realized that a certain kind of master deserves a certain kind of servant.

Ping'er sighed to herself for a moment, then, before she had gone far, she caught sight of Daiyu and the others she had just seen walking towards Pear Blossom Spring Rain, chatting and laughing together. She couldn't help but open her eyes, and thankfully remembered that she had two maids following her. She resisted the urge to turn around and take a closer look and continued to leave the garden.

"Could it be that Grandma meant something like...?"

……

"Master, where is Sister Ping'er?"

Xiangling arrived late, carrying a freshly brewed teapot, but not seeing Ping'er, she didn't react for a moment. Gu Yu smiled and quickly told her to put it down, then tapped her little nose and said:

"You're serving tea so slowly, Ping'er is naturally impatient to wait for you to come over. She'll probably think I'm being stingy with the tea leaves."

Xiangling lowered her head shyly and said: