Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

At this thought, Jia Tanchun's lips involuntarily lifted slightly, like a flower just opening in spring, revealing a faint, barely noticeable smile. This smile seemed to contain endless joy and anticipation, and also seemed to hide some unknown little secret.

Then, without hesitation, she opened her red lips and, in a clear and melodious voice, like the sound of a yellow oriole, ordered, "Hurry up and go to the storeroom and carefully select some fine clothes. Remember, they must be brightly colored, soft and smooth, and have exquisite patterns. I want to match them myself so that I can shine at the upcoming banquet and be the center of attention!"

Before she had finished her words, Jia Tanchun had already risen. Her movements were as light and graceful as a nimble swallow, her figure radiating with grace and grace. She casually placed the brush she clutched on the beautifully carved desk, then, like a gentle breeze, turned and hurried towards her exquisitely decorated dressing table.

Seeing her young lady so impetuous, the attentive maidservant, who had been serving by her side, dared not slack off even a bit. She quickly lifted her skirt and trotted after her, fearing that even the slightest delay would displease her master. Meanwhile, this clever and obedient maid secretly wondered what kind of banquet could have made the usually dignified and steady Third Young Lady so impatient.

At this moment, at the Lin Mansion, not far from the Jia Residence, Wang Xifeng and her charming daughter Jiaojiao stood in the storeroom, meticulously selecting gifts for their visit to the Zheng family the next day. Jiaojiao was still young, so she didn't know much about the Zheng family, knowing only that they were a distinguished family. However, Wang Xifeng, the mistress of the household, was particularly attentive. Her almond-shaped eyes pored over the gift list, meticulously selecting the items. After a long pause, Jiaojiao turned and walked out, leaving Wang Xifeng to slowly select on her own.

The next morning.

In the early morning, sunlight streamed through the window lattice onto the bed, yet the occupant remained soundly asleep, lost in sweet dreams. This person was Jiaojiao, the eldest daughter of the Lin family. She lay on her side, one arm casually draped over the pillow, her breathing even and steady, a faint smile playing at the corner of her mouth, as if she were in the midst of a beautiful dream.

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps came from afar, and then the door was flung open, and a little maid rushed in. She walked quickly to the bedside, reached out and grabbed Lin Tangyu's sleeve, shook her hard and shouted, "Miss, wake up! The sun is burning your butt!"

After all this hassle, Lin Tangyu, who had been soundly asleep, finally opened her eyes. Her eyes were still bleary and blurry. She rubbed them and muttered in dissatisfaction, "Oh, it's so early, and you're already making me so tired... I want to sleep a little longer." Then she yawned again.

Seeing this, the little maid responded with a smile: "Miss, there is an important matter today! You must not miss the time!" Hearing this, although Jiaojiao was still a little reluctant in her heart, she forced herself to sit up.

While Jiaojiao was still half asleep and a little confused, the clever and well-behaved maid ran to the bedside like a gust of wind. Then, she skillfully and neatly helped Jiaojiao up from the soft and comfortable bed. Then, she held Jiaojiao's arm tightly and walked steadily towards the clothes rack in the corner of the room.

Along the way, the little maid kept muttering, "Oh, my dear girl! Today is the grand spring banquet specially held by the Zheng family! As the eldest daughter of our Lin family, you must dress up carefully and never bring shame to our Lin family!" After that, she stopped, reached out and gently took down a fine dress with fine workmanship and excellent texture from the hanger full of colorful and gorgeous clothes, and happily prepared to help Jiaojiao put on this beautiful dress.

However, just as the master and servant were busy, suddenly, a clear and loud "creak" sound was heard. Everyone turned their heads to look at the sudden sound, and found that the door that had been closed was slowly pushed open again without any warning.

Then, a graceful figure appeared at the door. Everyone took a closer look and saw that the woman who walked in had a fair complexion, which made people feel favorable at first sight; she also exuded a unique temperament of dignity and generosity. It turned out that this person was not someone else, but the most capable maidservant beside the famous Madam Xifeng - Miss Baozhu. As soon as Baozhu entered the door, her eyes quickly swept through the room. When she saw Lin Tangyu who had not yet dressed, she could not help but shook her head slightly, smiled and said: "Madam had long expected that you would be like this, so she asked me to come and take a look. I didn't expect it to be true. You are about to go out, but you haven't even changed your clothes!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Baozhu was seen hurriedly, not caring about anything else. She took two steps at a time and quickly walked forward. When she came close, she carefully stretched out her white and tender hands. Her movements were extremely gentle, as if she was holding a rare treasure in her hands, and slowly straightened Jiaojiao's slightly messy hair.

At this moment, the maidservant standing nearby naturally didn't dare to slack off. Quickly, she grabbed the comb and various exquisite hair accessories that had been prepared long ago. She appeared a little flustered and nervous, but her movements were not slow at all. She first used the comb to carefully comb through Lin Tangyu's long hair that fell like a waterfall, then deftly selected the appropriate hair accessories and began to carefully dress her up.

For a moment, the whole room was filled with a cheerful and joyful atmosphere, and from time to time, bursts of clear and sweet laughter like silver bells could be heard. Everyone was busy and at the same time, they did not forget to joke and make fun of each other. It was really lively!

Not long after, when everyone's attention was focused on Jiaojiao again, they saw that she had changed into a stunning long dress of red honey embroidered with golden thread and embroidered with acacia flowers. This dress was well-cut and finely crafted, and the acacia flowers embroidered on it were so lifelike that they seemed ready to burst into full bloom at any moment.

Moreover, she was given a pink brocade cape over the long skirt. The cape was soft and smooth, with bright colors, which complemented the long skirt underneath, making Lin Tangyu look noble, elegant and extraordinary.

As for her hair accessories, she chose a relatively simple and elegant single bun style, cleverly matched with a small-leaf red sandalwood hairpin as an embellishment. This way, the overall look is both simple and elegant, yet also delicate and exquisite, making the already cute Jiaojiao even more petite and adorable.

Baozhu looked at Jiaojiao in front of her after she had carefully dressed her up, and secretly rejoiced in her heart: "Haha, I finally fulfilled my mission and successfully completed the task assigned to me by the madam!" When she thought of this, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise, revealing an imperceptible smile.

Jiaojiao noticed the unusual expression on Baozhu's face and was full of suspicion, but before she could ask any questions, Baozhu hurriedly pulled her to the door of the mansion.

When Jiaojiao saw the two ornate carriages parked at the entrance, she instinctively assumed she should board the front carriage with her mother, Yu. But then, something unexpected happened—she was pushed toward the rear carriage. This sudden change left Jiaojiao stunned, her confusion surging like a tide.

"Why is this happening? Is there some special arrangement or ulterior conspiracy quietly waiting for me?" All kinds of speculations kept churning in Jiaojiao's mind, causing ripples in her originally calm heart, and an inexplicable uneasiness gradually enveloped her heart.

However, just as the beautifully decorated carriage slowly pulled up to the Zheng family's entrance, the door swung open, and Jiaojiao floated down like a lithe butterfly. The moment her feet touched the ground, all the doubts that had previously lingered in her heart vanished in the blink of an eye, as if blown away by a gentle breeze.

Looking up, I saw the vermilion gate of the Zheng residence open, flanked by two majestic stone lions. Not far from the gate, Madam Zheng, so often mentioned by Wang Xifeng, stood with graceful grace and elegance. She was clad in a rich brocade gown, its sleeves swaying gently in the breeze, like a blooming peony. Her hair, adorned with pearls and jade, shimmered with a dazzling brilliance, accentuating her complexion, a rosy beauty that was alluring and alluring. Around her, gathered a group of equally splendidly dressed women, some smiling and some whispering, each one radiant and radiant. It was clear they had come specially to welcome the distinguished guest.

At that moment, seeing Madam Zheng approaching, Wang Xifeng's face suddenly blossomed with a smile as bright as a spring flower, and her pace involuntarily quickened a bit. She walked straight towards Madam Zheng as if she had met an old friend she hadn't seen in years. Before they even got close, they had already opened their arms and embraced each other tightly.

At the same time, Jiaojiao also stepped forward, ready to bow and greet Madam Zheng. But before she could even bend her knees and kneel, Madam Zheng reached out and firmly grasped Jiaojiao's delicate, boneless hands. Madam Zheng's gaze, like two rays of warm sunlight, surveyed Jiaojiao from head to toe. She first scrutinized her charming face, then shifted her gaze to her newly revealed figure, her eyes filled with fondness.

"This must be the second daughter of the Lin family, right?" Madam Zheng said with a smile, her voice clear and pleasant, as beautiful as a yellow oriole singing in a valley. "It's true that seeing is believing! Look at her eyebrows, her temperament, she is exactly the same as your mother back then, both are naturally beautiful and lovable! Please come in quickly, the ladies of the Wang family have arrived a long time ago, you can go into the house with the maids to rest first." As she spoke, Madam Zheng took Jiaojiao's hand affectionately and led everyone into the house.

After bowing to Madam Zheng, the mother and daughter followed the guide into the courtyard. As soon as they entered, they were stunned by the scene before them—the room was packed with people, a sea of people, shoulder to shoulder! The scene was so lively that it felt as if they were at a bustling market during the New Year.

Jiaojiao looked around curiously with her big eyes, like a clever little rabbit. Suddenly, she saw Mrs. Zheng walking towards her with a smile on her face. Mrs. Zheng came closer, stretched out her hands with enthusiasm, and held Jiaojiao's tender little hands tightly. Then she asked in a very kind and caring manner: "Jiaojiao, how have you been recently?" Faced with such enthusiasm from Mrs. Zheng, Jiaojiao was a little flattered for a moment. But soon, she came to her senses, a shy and well-behaved smile appeared on her face, and she replied softly and politely: "Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Zheng, I'm fine."

Meanwhile, Wang Xifeng stood quietly by, watching the scene with a smile on her face. When she heard something that needed additional explanation or clarification, she would interject a few words at just the right moment, helping her daughter to better and more comprehensively respond to the various questions raised by Madam Zheng.

And so, in this warm and harmonious atmosphere, the three of them chatted joyfully. Their conversation ranged from family matters to poetry and songs, from musical instruments, calligraphy and painting to romantic pursuits... Time flew by like a fleeting horse. Before they knew it, the sun was setting. As the sky grew darker, Madam Zheng hurriedly ordered the long-prepared banquet to be laid out and invited everyone to take their seats. Upon hearing this, everyone rose and moved to the table, taking their places. For a moment, laughter and joy filled the air, the whole scene abuzz with joy and excitement!

Wang Xifeng glanced at Jiaojiao calmly, still wearing her signature smile, and replied calmly, "Not yet."

When Madam Zheng heard this, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She then quickly turned around and ordered the maid standing at the door, "Go and call Cheng'er to me."

Upon hearing this, Jiaojiao felt a pang of fear and couldn't help but exclaim, "Ah!" Just as she was about to open her mouth to explain, she felt a hand gently press against her shoulder. She turned her head and saw Wang Xifeng smiling at her, her eyes urging her to wait patiently. Jiaojiao was terrified and could only stare at Wang Xifeng with pleading eyes, hoping she could help her out. However, Wang Xifeng simply shook her head, indicating that she should calm down and take her time.