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

Chapter 90 The High-Ranking Official Enters the Game
Li Guijie stood under the eaves. The cool autumn wind swirled a few withered leaves around her, making her shiver and her thin shoulders hunch.

I had just dealt with my mother's questions flawlessly and eloquently, but now I realized that a thick layer of white sweat had seeped down my spine. My front and back were soaked with cold sweat, clinging softly and damply to my skin.

Especially in that narrow waist hollow and rounded back, the sweat was deep and heavy. The soaked silk clung tightly to her skin, revealing the soft, warm glow of her flesh beneath. The fragility of a naive virgin blended with the quietly emerging lust.

She subconsciously loosened her grip on the handkerchief she had been clutching tightly—the handkerchief was already soaked through with cold sweat from her palms, dripping wet and limp.

Li Guijie let out a long, silent sigh, her tense shoulders and neck relaxing slightly, but her heart remained suspended in her chest, pounding with anxiety and uncertainty. This deception, so easy to talk about, was a recipe for disaster if it slipped up at any point!

Just as she was about to calm down and lift her foot, a series of slick, sweet, and cloying laughter between a man and a woman, mixed with a few deliberately drawn-out moans that made her heart race, wafted out from the crack of the half-open guest room door next to her.

The sounds, the teasing, the panting—these were more familiar to her than her daily meals.

She learned it very well. She knew how to smile charmingly, how to speak sweet words that could melt a person's bones, how to read between the lines and cater to their preferences... and even how to use all her skills to turn that person's body into a pool of spring water, to please and delight them on the embroidered bed.

But deep in her heart, there was a cold disgust that grew and lingered day after day. Every time she heard such sounds from next door and smelled the air mixed with cheap cosmetics, sweat, and some indescribable "filth," she felt her stomach churn, as if she had swallowed a cold stone.

From the time she was old enough to understand, she had only one plan—to escape from here.

The main entrance of Lichun Courtyard.

Ying Bojue, Xie Xida, Chang Shijie, and their sworn brothers had been standing impatiently at the foot of the steps, craning their necks to look. In the distance, they saw lanterns leading the way, and Ximen Qing riding his chrysanthemum-green horse, wearing a parrot-green silk robe with a black cloak over it, and a Zhongjing hat on his head, followed by his two servants, Dai'an and Ping'an, swaying as they approached. He exuded an air of wealth and power, so much so that half the passersby on the street dared not speak loudly.

Ying Bojue, being the quickest and most observant, rushed forward, grabbed Ximen Qing's horse bit, and greeted him with a glib, slick voice: "My dear father! You've finally arrived! Hua Si Ge is inside, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, eagerly waiting for you to give the word so he can start eating!"

Xie Xida hurriedly bowed, saying, "Without you, brother, this banquet would be soulless!" Chang Shijie and the others just chuckled sheepishly to the side. Ximen Qing dismounted, tossed his riding whip to Dai'an, and said with a smile, "Thank you for waiting so long, brothers." Before he finished speaking, the madam, Li Mama, had already led a group of young maids dressed in red and green, their fragrant scents wafting out to greet the God of Wealth. Before she even spoke, she was already smiling, her voice sweet and coquettish:
"Oh my! My esteemed Master Ximen! You are a great honor to grace my humble abode with your presence! Please come in and have a seat. We have prepared hot wine and delicious food. Master Hua has been waiting for you!" As she spoke, she pretended to take Ximen Qing's arm.

Ying Bojue's thieving eyes darted over the prostitutes behind the madam, then he suddenly clapped his hands and shouted in a strange voice, "Mama Li! You old slick talker! My brother Ximen has graced us with his presence, what a great honor! Why isn't your precious son, Li Jiao, here to greet him? Has he climbed the social ladder again and is hiding from us? Or does he think our father's money is too hot to handle?" His words were laced with barbs and hit the nail on the head.

Beneath the thick layer of powder on Li's face, a hint of embarrassment shone through. She quickly forced a wide smile and spat, "Pah! Second Master Ying, you never say nice things! My servant is practically glued to Father Ximen every day! But... but..."

She leaned closer to Ximen Qing, lowered her voice, and feigned extreme embarrassment, saying, "But this girl is not clean. She's 'bruised and battered,' still dripping wet and filthy. I thought, Father, you are such a noble person, I was afraid of offending your good fortune and wealth, so I didn't dare call her out. She's just lying in the small room upstairs, waiting for her to clean herself up before I have her wash her skin clean and properly kowtow to you to apologize!"

Before Ximen Qing could speak, Ying Bojue jumped up, slapping his thigh and shouting, "What a load of rubbish! Granny Li, are you trying to fool a three-year-old? You said the same thing when my elder brother entertained that Xue boy! How long has it been? At least half a month! What? Has her relative settled down at Lichun Courtyard? Or is it that the flood season in your courtyard only starts when my elder brother comes?" He winked and made Xie Xida and Chang Shijie chuckle.

Ximen Qing remained outwardly calm, merely waving his gold-flecked fan twice, a faint smile playing on his lips. His gaze swept across Li Mama's face as he slowly and deliberately spoke:
"Alright, it's inconvenient, and there's no point in forcing it. Mother, just pick two fresh and clever little maids to serve us. Today is Hua Laosi's turn to host, so don't let this little thing spoil the brothers' fun." After saying that, he didn't even look at the old hag and went inside.

As if she had received a pardon, Madam Li replied repeatedly, "Yes, yes, yes! Father is truly a compassionate bodhisattva! I will call Yin Jie'er and Yu Jie'er here right away. They are both newly bred chicks, pure and innocent, guaranteed to please Father!" She hurriedly led the way.

The group passed through the noisy front hall, went up the stairs, and entered an exquisite warm chamber in the back building. There, gilded curtains hung low, red candles burned brightly, and a large black lacquered table in the center was already laden with fresh fruits, roasted geese and ducks, and delicate pastries.

Hearing the commotion, Hua Zixu hurriedly got up, his face beaming with a smile that couldn't hide a hint of timidity, and rushed forward: "Brother Ximen! I've been waiting anxiously! Please take a seat, please take a seat!" He then reached out to take Ximen Qing's arm.

Ximen Qing didn't refuse and sat down casually in the main chair. He wanted to see what kind of banquet Hua Zixu would throw; he couldn't renege on his payment.

(End of this chapter)