Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

With this thought in mind, Feng Bao hurried to the back of the guest room. Behind the room was a lush bamboo forest. The breeze rustled the leaves, creating a beautiful symphony of nature. It was a quiet and peaceful place, perfect for him to calm down and think.

At that moment, Baozhu, the head maid, and a nanny were busy by the waterside pavilion. They didn't call on the other maids for help, but instead took matters into their own hands, collecting the rootless water from the lotus leaves. The pavilion was nestled against a bamboo forest, and the surrounding environment was exceptionally cool and pleasant. Even walking outside under the scorching sun, the heat wasn't unbearable at all.

Unfortunately, the wife and the delicate young lady had no interest in these rootless waters, whether it was winter snow, morning dew, or summer rain. They disdained them all. Baozhu, however, was delighted, concentrating on her work with skill and grace. Just then, Feng Bao, hiding in the bamboo grove, peeked over. When he saw Baozhu's pretty face, he was stunned.

The Feng family had been farmers for generations, and the women they usually interacted with were nothing more than their mothers, sisters-in-law, and the older, less attractive women in the village. He had never had the chance to see a lady like this, a lady from a prominent family with dignified manners!

Today, Baozhu wore a sky-blue dress, a hue reminiscent of the clear sky, a dazzling sight. The collar and cuffs were meticulously embroidered with delicate white flowers, evoking the elegant beauty of pear blossoms in spring. The golden hairpin in her hair was a truly unique piece, not only exquisitely shaped but also inlaid with glass beads in the same color as her dress. These beads reflected a captivating halo in the bright sunlight, giving Baozhu a dazzling yet gentle glow. Her skin, as white as snow, and her face, as radiant as a flower, were truly exquisitely beautiful.

Not to mention Baozhu's own outstanding appearance, just look at the nanny standing beside her. Her face is serious, like a tiger coming down the mountain. The nanny is holding a bamboo tube tightly in her hand, seemingly waiting patiently to provide services to her master.

Baozhu asked softly, "Madam Zhao, do you think it's okay to use this water to brew Biluochun?" Her voice was crisp and pleasant, like the sound of a yellow oriole singing in a valley.

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhao shook her head and said with embarrassment, "In my opinion, this is not appropriate. Green tea has always been known for its freshness. If lotus leaves are added, while it may add a touch of color, it will also easily mask the aroma of the tea leaves themselves. In this way, the main and secondary elements are blurred."

Baozhu nodded slightly, agreeing with Madam Zhao's opinion. Then, she carefully collected all the crystal water droplets from the lotus leaf into an exquisite porcelain vase. After she finished, she slowly stood up and began to scan the surroundings, looking for any other lotus leaves with water droplets still on them.

At this moment, something unexpected happened! Feng Bao suddenly rushed out from the dense bamboo forest like a gust of wind...

"I was walking in the yard and didn't expect to run into Miss Lin."

"I get along very well with your young master. I am honored to be your guest today. Thank you for your warm hospitality. I haven't had the chance to express my gratitude to you yet." After saying that, he bowed to Baozhu repeatedly.

This sudden action startled Baozhu, and her hand trembled, and she almost dropped the delicate porcelain vase she was holding. Nanny Yan, standing by, reacted quickly, dashing forward and steadily raising her foot to block Baozhu's attack.

Nanny Yan said sternly, "This young man must have taken the wrong road. We are near the inner courtyard, and there are differences between men and women. It would be best for you to turn around and leave immediately!" However, the young man named Feng Bao didn't seem to listen to Nanny Yan's words. It turned out that just now, after he saw Baozhu's beautiful face, a very bold idea suddenly emerged in his mind.

After all, after today's visit, he had witnessed firsthand the Lin family's wealth, splendor, and extraordinary grandeur. Furthermore, the elegant demeanor exuded by Lin Jingyu's every move was proof enough of the Lin family's meticulous upbringing. Therefore, if he could become a son-in-law of the Lin family, he would surely receive abundant care and support in the future. Furthermore, based on what he had seen and heard today, he was certain that Master Lin would prepare an incredibly generous dowry for his beloved daughter. With this thought, Feng Bao's resolve hardened, and he refused to leave easily, no matter what.

Lord Lin now holds the high position of Minister of Personnel, his influence in the officialdom at its peak. Given his prominent position, wouldn't it be easy for him to grant me some favors? Moreover, this deal is a sure win! Putting aside the other advantages, just the daughter of his family is truly beautiful!

Feng Baogu waved his hand generously and said loudly, "Haha, Madam, please don't be so formal! Brother Lin and I have a deep relationship. Although I am a few years older, when it comes to friendship, calling him brother is not an exaggeration." Then, he glanced at the slightly shy Miss Lin standing beside him with a half-smile and continued, "In my opinion, Miss Lin seems to be a little younger than me. In that case, it is natural for you to call me brother."

After saying this, he burst into laughter. However, to the ears of others, that laughter had a faintly unpleasant undertone. Then, as if deliberately showing off his unrestrained demeanor, Feng Bao first reached out and gently picked up the ribbon hanging from his shoulder for tying his hair, then suddenly swung his hand, handsomely throwing the ribbon behind him. At the same time, he deliberately raised his arm and pretended to nonchalantly adjust his sleeve. Then, with his hands behind his back, he walked slowly towards Baozhu with square steps. When he got closer, he suddenly stopped and gave Baozhu a smile that he thought was suave and charming. However, the flickering light in his eyes and the slightly raised corners of his mouth all revealed the dirty thoughts hidden in his heart.

Madam Zhao's face flushed red with rage, her forehead throbbing with veins, as if it were about to explode. She muttered "Amitabha" to herself, trying to calm her anger, while secretly congratulating herself on having her young lady wandered through the gardens. After all, her young lady always rose early to exercise, so she never set foot in the gardens between breakfast and dinner.

At this moment, the garden was filled with maids and old women, and the ill-intentioned Feng Bao actually wanted to climb the ladder here. It was simply a fantasy! He didn't even consider that there was no place for his young lady. But then again, this man was not only malicious, but also extremely shameless. He dared to have delusions about his own pure and innocent young lady. He was truly shameless to the extreme!

Madam Zhao suppressed her anger and said to the ignorant young man in front of her, "Since you are a friend of our young master, you should know the etiquette better. Look, if we go any further, we will almost reach the inner quarters. It is really unreasonable for an outsider to approach so rashly. How about this? I will send a servant to escort you out of the mansion. I believe that the young men in the outer courtyard are eagerly waiting for you to return, Master Feng."

However, Feng Bao turned a deaf ear to Madam Zhao's words. His cunning eyes were fixed on the beautiful woman standing silently beside him, his expression as if he thought she was too shy to look him in the eye. Little did he know that the real obstacle to his success was the chattering old woman before him. Feng Bao cursed inwardly, "What a nosy old woman! You're so clueless that you're actually blocking my path to wealth and romance!" "Hey, my! You ungrateful old hag, how can you be so stubborn and unyielding? Your young lady hasn't even spoken yet, and yet you're acting like a hen protecting her chicks, blocking her here and there. It's simply incessant!" Feng Bao, his eyes wide with anger, hands on his hips, shouted at Madam Yan.

"Hmph! Look at the rules of your family. Could it be that the master doesn't say a word and lets you servants make all the decisions? This is outrageous!" He became more and more angry as he spoke, his chest heaving violently.

"They were such good young ladies and young masters, but I see they have all been led astray by you, a bunch of lawless, audacious and ruthless slaves!" Feng Bao cursed with gritted teeth, his eyes full of contempt and anger.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Get out of my way quickly! Find a pavilion for your young lady and me so we can sit down quietly and have a good chat." Feng Bao waved his hands impatiently, as if he was driving away a nasty fly.

"Oh, by the way! Bring us some more tea, sake, and the like, so that our mouths won't be so dry that they'll smoke while we're talking later!" After saying that, Feng Bao no longer paid attention to Nanny Yan and began to look around on his own.

Soon, he spotted a pavilion in the distance. The flowers planted around it were even more numerous than elsewhere, their vibrant colors vying for attention, a breathtaking sight. And just like the outer courtyard, the pavilion was draped with soft gauze curtains and the floor was covered with thick cushions. Seeing this scene, Feng Bao was overjoyed and began to head in that direction.

However, at this moment, Madam Zhao, who had been holding back her anger, finally reached the limit of her patience. She stared at Feng Bao with wide eyes, bloodshot and red with anger. Where had she ever seen such a shameless person? Besides the family in Rongguo Mansion who couldn't teach their children well, this was the only one before her.

She couldn't believe it. How could such a person be her young master's friend? It was simply unbelievable! Thinking carefully, this person was probably just an acquaintance. He must have been a large group of people, forcing himself in to join in the fun! He came alone, without a servant, not even the servants of the mansion. This showed that this arrogant man might have sneaked in through some illicit means!

"You bold lunatic! How rude! I've said all the nice things you could to me, but you turned a deaf ear to them. Do you really want to force me to say something unpleasant before you stop?" Nanny Yan scolded angrily.

"This is the residence of the Minister of Personnel. How can we allow a young boy like you who is ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth to talk nonsense and act recklessly here!" Nanny Yan continued to accuse the person in front of her righteously.

"I have repeatedly warned you that the area ahead is an important part of the inner palace, but you pretend to be ignorant. What exactly do you want to do? Do you have to make a big deal out of this and make both of us lose face before you will let it go?" Nanny Yan was so angry that her whole body was shaking, and her voice became increasingly high-pitched and sharp.

Facing Nanny Yan's furious rebuke, Feng Bao couldn't help but shudder at her furious expression. However, as a man, he still held a certain contempt for women. His gaze shifted, landing on the beautiful young woman behind the old woman, and his heart was moved. The young woman was so beautiful, so charming, so charming, that he could not help but be moved. Add to that the calculations he had already made, and how could he willingly return empty-handed?

Now that the commotion had already begun, he wasn't afraid. Instead, he was eager to make it even bigger! After all, there were so many young men visiting from outside. If someone happened to pass by at this moment, wouldn't that just be a dozen or so witnesses? With a man and a woman alone in the same room, no matter how eloquent the people in the Lin Mansion were, they wouldn't be able to explain what was going on. This was a godsend opportunity. Wasn't it the perfect moment for him to win the beauty?

Thinking of this, he became even more complacent and shouted at the old woman, "You ignorant old woman, how dare you make decisions for your master in front of me!" Then he turned to look at the beautiful Miss Lin and said flatteringly, "I see, your girl's heart is not what you think! If I just leave like this today, who will be willing to be your son-in-law in the future?"

Then, he straightened his clothes, stepped forward, clasped his fists, and bowed to the girl, introducing himself. "My name is Feng Bao. Fortunately, I have been blessed by heaven and have recently passed the imperial examination to become a scholar. While my family is not wealthy, it is a clean and honest one. My parents are both honest and simple people, and certainly not treacherous or cunning. I have the honor of meeting Miss Lin here today. It must be fate destined by heaven! If I can gain your favor, I will send a matchmaker to your house tomorrow morning to formally propose marriage!"