Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

On a bright, sunny April day, the sky was as blue and crystal clear as a gem, and the warm sunlight shone down on the earth, making people feel extremely comfortable and relaxed. Wang Xifeng happily led a group of people into the main hall. They walked lightly and laughed happily.

Wang Ziteng had already gone to court, but Mrs. Hu, Wang Hu, sat upright in her seat, a genial smile on her face, as beautiful as a flower in bloom in spring. The weather was pleasant, as if foreshadowing the days ahead to be filled with joy and happiness.

Wang Xifeng walked briskly to a place two steps away from Wang Hushi. She stopped gracefully, then gently placed her right hand on top of her left hand, clenched her fists, and let them hang naturally in the center of her abdomen. Then, she took a small step back with her right foot, and at the same time slightly bent her knees, nodded her head, lowered her eyebrows, and bent her body slightly, with smooth and natural movements. Finally, she whispered, "Good morning, second judge!" Her voice was crisp and pleasant, like a yellow oriole singing out of a valley. Wang Hushi immediately laughed and said, "Brother Feng, why don't you get some more sleep? This kind of thing is not allowed at home." Wang Xifeng curved the corners of her mouth, opened her red lips slightly, and slowly said, "Second Aunt, I miss you." "You child, you only know how to make me happy." Mrs. Hu smiled even more happily. She motioned Wang Xifeng to sit down, "Come, tell me about yesterday's flower viewing party."

Wang Xifeng sat obediently beside Mrs. Wang and recounted the events of the flower-viewing banquet. Mrs. Hu listened attentively, nodding occasionally to show her satisfaction.

Suddenly, Wang Xifeng changed the subject and mentioned Jia Lian. "I saw it with my own eyes," she said seriously, "that Jia Lian, accompanied by several servants, openly harassing respectable women in the street. Passersby tried to dissuade them, but not only did they ignore them, they even assaulted them." "The rumor is circulating that the Ning and Rong mansions, aside from the stone lions at the gates, are a den of iniquity," she said frankly.

Mrs. Hu's face became solemn. She knew that Jia Lian had some romantic habits, but she didn't expect him to be so presumptuous.

Wang Xifeng shook her head slightly, her face solemn, and she spoke in a low voice, "Now, our four great families are all of one blood, sharing the same fate. We prosper together and suffer together. Now, when I go out to socialize, as soon as those people hear that I'm related to the Jia family, they won't say a word to me."

When Mrs. Hu heard this, the gloom on her face grew even darker. She slammed the table and shouted angrily, "This is outrageous!" Then she stood up, her eyes full of anger.

Mrs. Hu said angrily, "Brother Feng, why should a little kid like you worry about this? I'll send someone out right away to find out about their shameful deeds! I'll tell your uncle about this when he gets back from his shift this afternoon." Wang Xifeng then said flatteringly, "Auntie is the best. I want to learn to read. I can barely read now and can only barely understand the account books. I'm not even as good as the maids who serve me!"

Mrs. Hu came from a family of scholars. Her father and brothers had both entered officialdom through the imperial examinations, and even within her own boudoir, she herself was a distinguished and talented woman, one of the most accomplished. In contrast, while the Wang family also valued women's education, they adhered to the belief that "virtue lies in the absence of talent." However, Wang Xifeng did have a tutor to teach her basic knowledge as a child, presumably a quick learner. Mrs. Hu said, "Of course you can, but you must not be as haphazard as you were when you were little. Perseverance is the key to learning. While I don't expect you to become a great scholar, you must not become complacent with superficial knowledge and lose your manners." Wang Xifeng readily agreed, "I understand. Don't worry, Auntie. I will study diligently and never act like a fool again."