Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

There were quite a few people who came to congratulate her today, and most of the ladies in the inner court who held lower official positions were seeing Wang Xifeng's elegance for the first time.

Her hair was meticulously tied into a stunning bun, and a delicate golden tasseled hairpin was pinned above each of her eyebrows. These delicate hairpins swayed gently with her movements, gleaming with dazzling light. Furthermore, the slightly tilted bun on her head was adorned with similar hairpins in different locations, but the tassels were longer, adding a touch of movement and elegance. This novel and unique hair accessory and the dazzling jewels alone captivated the ladies present.

Everyone's attention was drawn to a young girl standing beside Wang Xifeng. This woman was exceptionally beautiful, a true beauty. Her skin, white as snow and delicate as mutton fat, alone was captivating, her eyebrows, as curved as green mountains, and her eyes, as fleeting as the stars, were enough to captivate. Her eyelashes, especially her long, thick, half-closed lashes, curled slightly upwards like the fluttering wings of a butterfly, added a touch of allure to her.

"Oh my, old lady! Which noble lady in the mansion is this girl who is as beautiful as a fairy and as pretty as Chang'e?" One of the ladies, who was dressed in gorgeous brocade clothes and wearing pearl and jade hair accessories on her head, had a look of curiosity and amazement on her face. She finally couldn't suppress her doubts and asked first.

"That's right! I haven't had the chance to see such a beauty for so many years. When I saw her today, I felt so strange and couldn't recognize her at all!" Another lady followed closely and echoed, her eyes always fixed on the girl, as if she wanted to imprint her appearance deeply in her mind.

"You are such a beautiful and charming girl! Why didn't you invite us sisters over earlier to have a look at her?" The third lady covered her face with a smile and scolded coquettishly. Although there was a hint of complaint in her words, it was more of a fondness for this girl.

For a moment, all the ladies present were whispering to each other, some whispering softly, some smiling, all praising the young woman before them, as pure and elegant as a lotus flower emerging from the water. Some praised her skin as white as snow and her eyebrows as black as distant ink; some praised her graceful figure and elegant temperament; and still others marveled at the noble demeanor she exuded in her every move.

At this moment, the entire scene was bustling with activity, everyone's attention focused on the mysterious girl. However, this was exactly what Old Lady Shi had hoped for—to be the center of attention. Although she greatly enjoyed the flattery of others, it came only when the praise was directed at someone from her own family.

Old Lady Shi raised her head slightly, a reserved yet complacent smile on her face. She first slowly glanced at the ladies around her before returning her gaze to Xifeng and Jiaojiao beside her. Then, she stretched out her slightly dry but still well-maintained hands, and with a bit of stiffness, she lifted up Xifeng's delicate hand and gently patted it, saying with a hint of pride, "This time, you all guessed wrong! My granddaughter is busy outside helping to greet guests. This beautiful girl is not a daughter of my Shi family, but the daughter of my former brother-in-law!"

After that, Old Lady Shi began to introduce the family backgrounds and given names of each lady present to Xifeng and Jiaojiao one by one. She paused briefly after each lady, giving Xifeng and Jiaojiao time to greet each other and exchange a few pleasantries.

Upon hearing the call from Old Lady Shi, Jiaojiao stood up hastily, not daring to be negligent. Her graceful figure, her movements as light as a willow swaying in the wind, slowly followed Old Lady Shi's instructions and bowed to everyone present.

After finally being able to sit down, Jiaojiao breathed a sigh of relief when a woman suddenly squeezed in beside her. This woman wore a benevolent smile, and her warm and gracious demeanor was like a mother seeing her own daughter. Such a warm smile, on the contrary, made Xifeng's heart skip a beat, and she felt a hint of alarm.

As expected, Xifeng immediately knew who the woman was as soon as she opened her mouth. She smiled and said, "Oh, so this is Madam Lin and the Lin family's daughter! My good-for-nothing son, Jiang Huai, is a very good friend of the young master here! I often hear him mention you two at home."

As she spoke, the lady turned her gaze to Jiaojiao, her eyes full of admiration, and continued to praise, "Oh my! Seeing her today, I realized that this girl is truly stunningly beautiful, beyond compare! She is truly a perfect beauty!"

Then, the lady took Jiaojiao's hand affectionately and said softly, "Miss Lin, please don't be so formal! From now on, just call me 'Auntie'!"

Then, as if she still hadn't said enough, she continued with a sigh, "Actually, I've been thinking about finding the right time to come visit you in person. I didn't expect it to be such a coincidence that we'd run into each other here today! It seems our two families are truly destined to be together!"

Xifeng was such a clever person that upon hearing this, she understood Madam Jiang's intentions. So, she smiled and politely replied, "Madam Jiang, you're too kind. My little dog is simply a naturally hospitable person. Your young master's friendship with him is truly a rare opportunity for children to have."

On ordinary days, when guests come to our house, it's always our experienced and efficient housekeeper who handles all matters. As for me, I just give a few casual instructions. Seeing Xifeng so understanding and easygoing today, Mrs. Jiang couldn't help but feel secretly delighted. She, who had been a little reserved before, now gradually grew bolder.

After all, although Xifeng looked quite majestic, she was ultimately just a young woman. Even though she held a high position, could her personality be so stubborn? Thinking of this, Madam Jiang felt even more confident.

Moreover, their son had been getting older, and it seemed like marriage was nearing its peak. The couple had hoped to arrange a suitable marriage for their son as soon as possible, so that he could start a family and build a career. Unexpectedly, a few days ago, their son suddenly revealed his feelings to them, saying he had fallen in love with the daughter of the Lin family. The news was like a bolt from the blue, leaving the couple stunned for a long time.

The Lin family was a prominent local clan, and marrying into their family was no easy feat. It was almost as difficult as the imperial examinations. For this reason, at home, the couple often grew frustrated with their son's unrealistic ideas.

However, as the saying goes, there's no such thing as a coincidence. Who could have predicted that at this very moment, she would actually run into someone from the Lin Mansion, and none more so than Madam Lin, the head of the family! This was truly a case of searching high and low for something, yet finding it without any effort! Since Master Lin wasn't present at the moment, Madam Jiang naturally wouldn't miss this rare opportunity. She was thinking of getting close to Madam Lin and building a closer relationship. Perhaps over time, the two families would be able to visit each other more frequently, and perhaps there would be a turning point in the relationship between her son and the daughter of the Lin Mansion?

As Mrs. Jiang took a closer look at her son's sweetheart, the woman next to Mrs. Lin, she couldn't help but secretly applaud: This girl is beautiful, dignified and graceful, and her manners exude the demeanor of a lady from a noble family. She had sat at a distance and heard the ladies around her praising her endlessly. It really is true that seeing is believing!

Miss Lin, meanwhile, possessed a beauty so captivating she captivated the nation, captivating everyone who saw her. Furthermore, her family background was exceptional, making her one of the most distinguished of the many prominent families. With such a beauty, who knew for sure who would marry her, and which young man would be the lucky bride of her future?

At this moment, Mrs. Jiang looked at the beautiful Jiaojiao in front of her, her love overflowing with words. She wanted to immediately hold her tightly in her arms and kiss her fiercely. Then, she happily took her hand and asked her to stand next to the other ladies so that everyone could see her lovely appearance.

All I could hear was Mrs. Jiang praising Miss Lin non-stop: "Oh, it's all thanks to you this time! If it weren't for your careful instructions before, our Jiang Huai would not have been able to handle things so well!" Her words were full of gratitude and admiration for Miss Lin.

Seeing this, the other ladies also echoed: "That's right, Miss Lin is really beautiful and kind-hearted, and she does things in a graceful and appropriate manner!"

Some even shouted loudly, "In my opinion, there is no other girl in the capital with such good character and virtue as you!" For a while, the sound of praise was endless.

At this moment, Madam Jiang suddenly approached enthusiastically, smiling and saying to Miss Lin, "Miss Lin, I'm an auntie who's great at making fermented glutinous rice and green dumplings! They're so delicious, I guarantee you'll be raving about them!" Then, she eagerly asked, "Do you usually prefer sweets or salty food? If you like both, how about we get together tomorrow? I'll cook for you myself and prepare a delicious meal for you, okay?"

Facing Madam Jiang's overwhelming enthusiasm and attentiveness, Jiaojiao remained smiling and listened quietly. However, she didn't actively respond to the many topics Madam Jiang raised, only occasionally nodding or smiling. After all, her family was prominent, her father a powerful figure, while Madam Jiang possessed no rank or imperial decree, making their status and position difficult to compare. Therefore, Jiaojiao felt that she didn't need to pay too much attention to her.

After all, she was the mother of his brother's best friend, so it was reasonable to show some respect to her. This way, he wouldn't offend Lin Jingyu. However, who would have thought that just after Jiaojiao had given Mrs. Jiang enough face, she would actually take advantage of it to climb up the ladder.

Look, there was no special chair prepared for her at the scene, but Mrs. Jiang didn't feel embarrassed at all. She even had the audacity to stand next to Xifeng and Jiaojiao. Not only that, her mouth was like a machine gun, chattering non-stop, the "babababa" sound was endless, it was almost ear-wrenching!

Even more unexpected was that, as Mrs. Jiang was speaking, she suddenly changed the subject and made an incredible invitation—she actually wanted to invite a young girl who hadn't yet married to visit her home! My goodness, Xifeng couldn't help but exclaim in her heart: Mrs. Jiang, you are so bold and daring!

At that moment, Xifeng narrowed her eyes slightly, and a chilling glare like a sharp blade swept straight towards Madam Jiang. In an instant, Madam Jiang, who had been beaming with joy and elation, felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, her smile instantly frozen and turned incomparably stiff.

Then, Xifeng said expressionlessly, "She's just a little girl. It's not time for her to go out and meet guests casually. If Madam Jiang wants to invite her to a banquet, all she has to do is send an invitation to my house. Well, this performance is almost over. Madam Jiang, please sit down and rest for a while. We'll officially start the banquet in a moment!"

Wang Xifeng's eyebrows were raised, her eyes were wide open, and after she gave a delicate cry, she stretched out her hand effortlessly and threw Madam Jiang back onto the chair behind her like a chicken!

Look at this Madam Jiang again; she's truly a character! Even with such treatment, she remained calm and composed. Not only was there no trace of anger, but not even a hint of embarrassment. She suppressed her shame and anger, her lips curled up slightly, and she forced a smile onto her face.

At this moment, Madam Jiang sat there quietly, her beautiful eyes fixed on Jiaojiao, as if she could see through her whole being. She stared at her intently, as if she could never get enough of this beautiful girl in front of her.

Wang Xifeng, standing by, saw all this. As clever as she was, she immediately spotted the impatience in Jiaojiao's eyes. Fearing Jiaojiao would mistakenly think that Madam Jiang was a sticky plaster, she quickly approached her and whispered soothingly, "Don't worry, sister. Just ignore her."

In fact, Jiaojiao had never been afraid of Madam Jiang in her heart. She was just at a loss for what to do just now because the incident happened suddenly. Now, after Wang Xifeng's advice, she calmed down and no longer cared about Madam Jiang who was staring at her infatuatedly.