In the northeastern corner of Rongguo Mansion stood a secluded courtyard, with a plaque bearing the name Pear Blossom Courtyard.
A woman in a pale blue silk dress strolled leisurely through it. Though past thirty-eight, she had maintained her looks exceptionally well. Dignified and graceful, she still retained her charms, with only a faint trace of crow's feet at the corners of her eyes.
She was Aunt Xue, Xue Wangshi, Madam Wang's younger sister.
Xue Pan stood beside her, hesitating to speak.
"What is it? Out with it. Short of silver again?" Aunt Xue glared at her son.
Xue Pan shook his head and recounted what had just happened in Rongxi Hall.
"Mother, look at Huan. It's as though an immortal opened his mind! He has courage, boldness, and an extraordinary presence."
Aunt Xue nodded slightly. "He really has changed completely. That concubine Zhao will enjoy a good life now. Poor me, without a decent son, throwing great handfuls of silver away."
At this, Xue Pan lowered his head in shame. He remained silent for quite some time before gathering the courage to ask:
"Mother, do you think Huan and my sister Baochai could make a match?"
Boom!
Aunt Xue's expression changed abruptly. Fixing him with a furious stare, she said:
"Utter nonsense! You wretched son, are you drunk? All day you do rotten things and spout rubbish. How could a lowborn concubine's son match a noble daughter of the principal wife?!"
"Mother!" Xue Pan stood his ground. "Huan will surely make something of himself."
"How far can he get in the Embroidered Uniform Guard?" The more Aunt Xue thought about it, the angrier she became. Pointing at him, she scolded:
"I'm utterly disappointed in you, coming up with such a ridiculous idea! The Xue Family is one of the Four Great Families of Jinling, an esteemed Imperial Merchant family. Even if we're declining by the day, ordinary wealthy families aren't worthy of marrying us, much less a concubine's son! Do you want to turn our family into a laughingstock?!"
"Oh..." Xue Pan heaved a deep sigh. "You didn't see the presence Huan had when he faced certain doom, that unruffled composure, that domineering air of 'who else but me?' He's bound to achieve great things!"
Only seeing it with one's own eyes could deliver a shock that pierced straight to the soul.
No one knew a son better than his mother. Aunt Xue saw through her wretched son's thoughts at once and said sternly:
"You think he's a skilled fighter, so you'll have someone to watch your back, someone to make you look good while you swagger around without restraint? If you want to learn martial arts, hire a few instructors and be done with it. Yet you want to push Baochai into a pit of fire!"
Xue Pan immediately took offense. "Being a concubine's son makes him a pit of fire? Mother, you're being far too vicious!"
"What does a rotten-hearted creature like you know?" Aunt Xue swore with rare vehemence, then lowered her voice.
"I know my sister's temperament better than anyone. How could she allow a concubine's son to gain power? Once she finds the right opportunity, she'll strike him a crushing blow. If that concubine Zhao and her son aren't a pit of fire, what are they?"
Xue Pan said scornfully, "Who strikes whom remains to be seen!"
"You rotten thing, who are you cursing? She's your aunt!" Aunt Xue warned him:
"Never mention this again and tarnish Baochai's reputation for nothing. No noble family marries a legitimate daughter down to a concubine's son. If Baochai marries, she'll marry Baoyu!"
"Pah! That big-faced thing is worthy of my sister?" Seeing there was no room for discussion, Xue Pan could only say bitterly:
"Mother, just watch. Huan will surely achieve great things. Don't regret failing to hook that golden-tortoise son-in-law then!"
Aunt Xue jabbed a finger at his forehead.
"If I were foolish enough to listen to your rotten-hearted nonsense, I'd regret it so much I'd smash my head against a wall!"
"From today onward, you must never mention this again. Otherwise, even if I don't beat you, the Xue Family elders won't let you off!"
Jia Huan was called awake from his sleep. Opening his eyes, he saw Qingwen's delicate, lively face.
"Someone's here to see you," Qingwen said.
"Who?"
"Baochai's elder brother."
"Xue Pan, that blockheaded bully? What nonsense. I won't see him." Jia Huan could not be bothered with someone like that.
Then he reconsidered. What does that fellow want with me?
Half a cup of tea later, he arrived in the hall.
"Huan." Xue Pan rose, his face wreathed in smiles.
Jia Huan looked at him.
"What is it?"
Xue Pan showed no hesitation and went straight to the point.
"You're extraordinarily brave, Huan. I came especially to make your acquaintance. Here's a small introductory gift."
As he spoke, he took a palm-sized lump of gold from his sleeve.
"Take it back." Jia Huan refused flatly.
Somewhat embarrassed, Xue Pan stood rooted to the spot, unsure what to do.
"Please leave!" Jia Huan was beginning to lose patience.
What would he become if he accepted money from anyone?
"I'm willing to acknowledge you as my sworn elder brother and follow your orders from now on!"
Xue Pan cupped his fist in his other hand like a man of the Jianghu, inwardly extremely nervous.
He was certain Jia Huan's prospects were boundless. If he failed to forge this connection now, Jia Huan would think even less of him once he grew powerful.
For some reason, Jia Huan found it amusing.
"Young Master Xue, are you unwell? Why should I accept you as my sworn younger brother?"
"Well..." Xue Pan was left speechless.
Becoming his brother-in-law outright would have saved all this trouble. Curse his mother for being so rigid and old-fashioned!
He stammered:
"Huan, I hear you only have two maids serving you. How about I give you a few?"
"No need." Jia Huan waved a hand, then seemed to remember something.
"Your mother has a maid named Xiangling?"
"Ah..." Xue Pan faltered.
Xiangling's beauty and gentle temperament made him drool with desire. Unfortunately, his mother guarded her closely, and he had never found a chance to make his move.
"I was just asking." Jia Huan did not seem concerned.
Xue Pan lowered his head in thought. Since Jia Huan had brought her up, he must have taken an interest in Xiangling.
He could not bear to give her away, but without doing so, it would be difficult to establish this connection.
"If you like her, Brother Huan, I'll give her to you!" Xue Pan made up his mind.
"And your mother?"
"I'll throw a fit and beg her!" Xue Pan hardened his heart, cutting off his own hopes entirely.
Jia Huan studied him for a long time before saying gravely:
"Xue Pan, let's forget about sworn brotherhood. You're notorious for bullying and throwing your weight around, and I detest that. If you cleanse your heart, turn over a new leaf, and strive to better yourself, we can discuss it later."
"For now, we can consider each other friends. If you act like a fool and do evil, that friendship ends."
Although Xue Pan was somewhat disappointed, he understood that things had to proceed step by step.
Toward evening, Xue Pan visited again. This time Aunt Xue came too, accompanied by a sixteen-year-old girl. Petite, exquisitely beautiful, and serene, she had a grain-sized spot of red rouge between her brows that made her especially endearing.
"That wretched son cried and even tried to hang himself!"
Aunt Xue was bitterly distressed. She had no idea what spell Jia Huan had cast over her wretched son, but he insisted on giving Xiangling away, even going so far as to threaten suicide. He had already slipped the white silk noose around his neck.
She had only this one precious son. Whether she wanted to agree or not, she had to.
"Jia Huan, if you dare mistreat Xiangling, I won't let you off!" Aunt Xue was too angry to maintain her composure. She also whispered into Xiangling's ear, telling her to come back if she suffered any wrong.
Xue Pan's heart was bleeding too, but to attach himself to Huan, he had to endure the pain of giving Xiangling away.
Newly arrived, Xiangling's eyes darted about in panic. Clutching the hem of her skirt, she looked like a deer lost in the forest.
"I'll treat her well." That was all Jia Huan said.
Still uneasy, Aunt Xue scrutinized Jia Huan for a long while before roaring at her wretched son:
"Come home with me!"
After they left, Xiangling looked bewildered, uncertain what her life would hold from now on or what sort of temper Huan had.
"Come here," Jia Huan said.
Xiangling hesitated for a moment, then followed him into the inner room with her head lowered.
Looking at the girl, whose very appearance stirred pity, Jia Huan suddenly asked, "Do you know where you came from?"
Xiangling's head jerked up. As though he had touched a tender wound, her eyes reddened at once, and large tears welled in them.
"I don't remember. People said my parents abandoned me." She sobbed softly.
Jia Huan sighed.
"Xue Wangshi bought you from the Feng Family, didn't she? Your parents didn't actually abandon you. You were the daughter of the Zhen Family in Jinling, cherished by both your parents, but human traffickers abducted and sold you."
"Is that true?" Xiangling abruptly seized Jia Huan's arm. Tears spilled from her eyes as she pressed her lips together and said tremblingly:
"You're lying. You're only a year older than me. How could you know?"
"Please don't lie to me." Xiangling repeated herself, her gaze almost pleading.
She had always suffered terribly over her parents abandoning her. Hearing this now felt like a dream, and she was terrified that her joy would prove empty.
Jia Huan raised his hand to wipe the tears from her face, his voice gentle.
"Don't ask how I know. If even half a word is false, may heaven strike me with five thunderbolts."
"I'll have the Embroidered Uniform Guard investigate your parents' whereabouts. Those traffickers who deserve ten thousand deaths won't escape justice either!"
"Thank you, Master..." Overcome with emotion, Xiangling started to kneel.
"Get up!" Jia Huan helped her stand. "Stay here without worrying. Once I learn anything, I'll tell you."
More than ten years had passed. The Zhen Family had fallen into decline, and Xiangling's father wandered with the whole world as his home. Finding them would no longer be easy, but he would do his best.
"Master, you're so good to me." Xiangling smiled through her tears.
Jia Huan chuckled. He certainly was no good man: he killed far too freely and was intensely self-serving. But just as with Madam Wu Yuanwai's case, since he knew about it, he would help where he could. It would count toward accumulating some blessings.
"Oh dear, leave this rough work to the cook. Look at your face, covered in black ash!"
At the evening mealtime, Xiangling emerged from the rear courtyard kitchen carrying dishes. Concubine Zhao hurried over anxiously to lend a hand.
"Don't go into the kitchen again. With that delicate skin of yours, what if the smoke ruins it? If word gets out that my son and I mistreat you, Xue Wangshi will seize the chance to give me a thorough scolding."
As Concubine Zhao spoke, she examined the tray in her hands.
Fresh bamboo shoot and chicken skin soup, fish head with tofu, duck congee, and lotus root starch-all enticing in color and aroma.
"I wanted to thank Master by making him something tasty." Xiangling gave a shy, guileless smile.
"No wonder Xue Wangshi doted on you, girl. You're as lovely as a piece of fine jade, gentle-tempered, and a skilled cook besides."
The more Concubine Zhao looked at her, the more she liked her. She deliberately raised her voice.
"Unlike certain people, who spend all day with their tails cocked up to the heavens, can't do a thing, and love talking back!"
In the inner room, Qingwen covered her ears.
"Huan, this girl Xiangling really does please your mother."
Seeing Jia Huan come out, Concubine Zhao could not help praising her.
"Let me taste it."
At the dining table, Jia Huan took his chopsticks and sampled a few bites of each dish.
Leaning by the doorway, Qingwen stole a look. She saw Jia Huan looking at Xiangling with eyes full of appreciation, praising her cooking without cease, and even taking a handkerchief to carefully wipe away her sweat.
"Pah!" Qingwen kicked the wall, suddenly feeling rather uncomfortable.
Caiyun was one thing-she had served Master for so long. But why was he showering even a newly arrived maid with affection?
Why doesn't he speak to me in that gentle tone? He simply dislikes me, that's all.
I can do needlework too, you know! No one in this whole mansion can match me. Have I ever shown off?
I'll secretly make you a robe. Then we'll see how you praise me!
Before you continue