The Red Mansion.

Chapter 100 Jiang Nian Enters Rongguo Mansion (Part 1)

There is a starry sky above my head, and the stars are shining brightly.

With a beautiful woman by my side, I am dignified and elegant, and even more shy.

It should have been a beautiful and romantic scene, but instead, two lines of poetry emerged from Jiang Nian's mind, seemingly out of place. His thoughts seemed even more out of place: "For a commoner prince like me, the throne is like a high-hanging star. To ascend the throne and inherit the great dynasty, I must walk in the night with a sword. One day, I will pluck that star into my hands!"

Thinking of this, his expression became solemn, revealing an awe-inspiring dominance. His gaze towards the starry sky was like a torch, seemingly able to penetrate the heavens and point directly to the highest position...

Xue Baochai stared at Jiang Nian. With the light leaking from the main room and the east and west wing rooms, she noticed that Jiang Nian's expression had become solemn and domineering. Puzzled, she gently opened her red lips and asked, "What are you thinking about, Master?"

Jiang Nian quickly gathered his thoughts and hid his ambitions. He avoided Xue Baochai's question and asked, "Have you taken the Lengxiang Pills? You have a cool, sweet fragrance."

He had been standing with Xue Baochai for a while and could already smell the fragrance of Lengxiang Pills on Xue Baochai.

Xue Baochai said "hmm" softly.

Jiang Nian asked again, "I haven't seen you have any cough or asthma, so why are you taking Lengxiang Pills?"

Xue Baochai felt embarrassed, but she was too embarrassed to tell Jiang Nian frankly that she was depressed today because of the matter between Yuanchun and Qin Keqing, so she took Lengxiang Pills.

She said perfunctorily, "There are signs of illness. Take a pill first as a precaution."

Jiang Nian nodded without thinking too much. He didn't know that Xue Baochai also had the habit of taking Lengxiang Pills when she was in a bad mood.

Jiang Nian stretched his body and said to Xue Baochai, "I haven't washed my feet yet. Let's go to your room and wash them together."

Xue Baochai: “…”

Well, after just a moment of romance, he became domineering again.

Oh, when Xue Baochai reaches the marriage age for women stipulated in the Daqing Laws and Regulations and Household Laws next year, Jiang Nian will be more than just a "stepping stone".

Xue Baochai hesitated for a moment, but did not refuse. She lowered her head and followed Jiang Nian into the west wing, her shyness evident in her words...

……

……

May twenty-second.

It was drizzling in the morning.

Raindrops pounded against the Jiang family's small courtyard, making a subtle sound that seemed to chant. Two red gauze lanterns hung outside the gate swayed in the wind, like a pair of crimson eyes gazing out at the rain.

Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves was heard approaching, and a luxurious carriage stopped outside the gate.

A male servant named Wang'er jumped down first, walked to the door and knocked on the doorknob.

Dong Feng, the gatekeeper, opened the door upon hearing the sound.

Wang'er asked, "Is this Guard Jiang's residence?"

Dong Feng nodded in agreement.

Wang'er asked again, "Is Guard Jiang home?"

Dong Feng replied: "Yes."

Wang Er then said, "Please inform us that Mr. Lian from the Rongguo Mansion is here to visit us and would like to send an invitation to the Rongguo Mansion."

The Empress Dowager's arranged marriage between Jiang Nian and Yuanchun was known to all the Jiang family servants. It wasn't Jiang Nian, He Yun, or Xue Baochai who spread the news, but rather the Qin family next door. Qin Keqing told Ruizhu, who then spread the word.

Dong Feng knew about this and naturally did not dare to neglect it. He hurried in to report to Jiang Nian.

Soon, Jiang Nian came to the door in person.

Jia Lian had a clear face and eyebrows. He was wearing a rain-soaked sky-blue solid gauze gown, and a stone-blue bright gauze tasseled jacket. He did not have a jade belt around his waist, but only a black sash loosely tied around it. He casually pinned a mud-gold silk folding fan with pine-green tassels on his shoulder. Although he had the unrestrained demeanor of a young man from an aristocratic family, he also seemed to have the romantic feeling of a rich and dissolute playboy.

Jiang Nian personally led Jia Lian from the gate to the main house. Jiang Nian himself held a plain blue cloth umbrella.

Wang'er held up a gorgeous oil-silk umbrella for Jia Lian. The umbrella surface was painted with cloud patterns, the ribs were exquisitely carved, and the handle was inlaid with jade.

The continuous drizzle made the Jiang family's small house look even older and smaller.

Jia Lian looked around, then glanced at Jiang Nian, wondering to himself, "Why does he live in such a simple house?"

After entering the main hall, Jiang Nian and Jia Lian sat down, and the maid Qi'er poured Jia Lian a cup of fragrant tea.

Jia Lian looked serious as he asked Jiang Nian, "Does Guard Jiang know about the Empress Dowager's arranged marriage?"

Jiang Nian nodded slightly and replied calmly, "I understand."

If he had told Jia Lian directly that Emperor Taishun and the Empress Dowager had summoned him specifically for this matter, Jia Lian would probably have been surprised, but he didn't want to make it public.

Jia Lian took out an invitation and handed it to Jiang Nian, saying, "This is an invitation. My old lady and the second master want to see you. They invite you to come over tomorrow for a chat."

Jiang Nian took the invitation, examined it carefully, and asked, "Can this trip be considered a gift?"

Jia Lian shook his head and said, "It's not really a proposal, it's just that the elders in my family want to see you."

Jiang Nian paused and said, "Even if it's not considered a betrothal gift, I should still treat it with caution and not be disrespectful."

Jia Lian was pleased to hear this, thinking, "This untouchable boy actually has some manners."

Jiang Nian said, "Brother Jia, please tell me in detail who the masters of your house are. The old lady, the master, the mistress, the masters, the grandmothers, the brothers, the girls, and the younger generation. Please point them all out. I will prepare gifts for each one of them to express my gratitude."

Jia Lian waved his hand and said, "No need to be so polite."

Jiang Nian said seriously, "This is the proper etiquette. I hope Brother Jia will be willing to teach me."

Jia Lian then listed all the masters of Rongguo Mansion one by one.

The elders include: Lady Jia, Jia She, Lady Xing, Jia Zheng, and Lady Wang.

Peers include: Li Wan, Jia Lian, Wang Xifeng, Jia Baoyu, Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xichun.

The younger generation includes Jia Lan.

Jia Lian also mentioned Lin Daiyu who was living in Rongguo Mansion, but did not mention Aunt Zhao, Aunt Zhou, Jia Huan and Jia Cong.

Aunt Zhao and Aunt Zhou were both Jia Zheng's concubines and had humble status in the Rongguo Mansion.

Jia Huan was the illegitimate son of Aunt Zhao, and Jia Cong was the illegitimate son of Jia She, and both were still young.

In Jia Lian's opinion, these four people are not worth mentioning.

However, Jia Lian singled out Jia Lan because he was the great-grandson favored by Lady Jia and the only grandson that Jia Zheng and Lady Wang cared about very much.

After listening to Jia Lian's detailed account, Jiang Nian said, "I have noted down everything Brother Jia mentioned and will prepare gifts for each one."

Oh, he just said that he would give a gift to everyone Jia Lian mentioned, but he didn't say it would be a big gift...

……

……

In the Rongguo Mansion, in Lady Jia's courtyard, in the Rongqing Hall.

Jia Lian returned from the Jiang residence and entered the hall to report to Lady Jia, saying, "Jiang Nian has inquired in detail about the names of all the masters in our household, including the young men and women, and said he would prepare gifts for each one to express his gratitude."

Grandmother Jia said, "It seems that this boy has some sense of etiquette. If so, every master in our house should return the gift, and the boys and girls are no exception."

Grandmother Jia thought to herself, "Since Jiang Nian is so close to the Thirteenth Prince, and the Empress Dowager personally arranged their marriage, the gift she gave must be substantial. I should return a generous gift, and Zheng'er and his wife should also return generous gifts, so that our Rongguo Mansion will show its respectability!"

(End of this chapter)