Chapter 515: The Great Monster Can Be Tracked

Count's Mansion, East Slope of the Pavilion of Ascending Immortals.

Since the twelfth lunar month, the Love Shenjing had seen several heavy snowfalls. On this sunny slope, the stone paths and tree branches were piled with jade and snow; the accumulated snow had not yet melted, leaving the surroundings bright and blindingly white.

Dozens of plum trees transplanted in the second month were blooming one after another amidst the auspicious snow.

The cold buds exhaled fragrance, refreshing the heart and soul. The red ones were like fire, the white ones like snow. The flower buds were scattered, and while they lacked the grandeur of clouds, they possessed an elegant and refined aura.

Lin Daiyu's face was full of joy as she walked among the blooming plum blossoms. She wore a red satin-crepe snow-mink crane cloak; the fiery red satin surface reflected pale golden halos under the sunlight, making her appear exceptionally beautiful and noble.

Jia Cong knew that Lin Daiyu had been frail since childhood and was prone to coughing fits in late autumn and deep winter. Although she had become much healthier in recent years, keeping warm in autumn and winter remained crucial.

This high-quality snow-mink crane cloak was a gift Jia Cong had custom-made for Lin Daiyu using top-grade furs from Liaodong, which he had brought back for her.

The snow-white fur trim on the hood fluttered slightly in the cold wind, making Lin Daiyu's exquisite, beautiful face appear even more like a work of fine porcelain.

The cold plum blossoms were stunning against the snow, and her jade-like face was even more eye-catching.

The plum trees planted on the East Slope were all high-quality plum roots carefully selected by Zhi Shao from the Luomei Slope behind Panshan Temple. Unexpectedly, only two months after being transplanted, they had accepted the new soil and bloomed.

Early this morning, Xue Yan went to the kitchen to fetch Lin Daiyu's snow pear and bird's nest soup. Upon returning, she mentioned passing by the Pavilion of Ascending Immortals and seeing from afar that the plum blossoms on the hillside had bloomed.

Hearing this, Lin Daiyu had set out with great interest to admire the flowers. She had originally gone to Jia Cong's courtyard to ask him to accompany her, but as luck would have it, he had been called away to the West Prefecture by Lin Zhixiao.

She had then taken Xue Yan to the East Slope of the Pavilion of Ascending Immortals by herself.

Lin Daiyu had been away from home for many years. In her early childhood, she had spent several years in Gusu, where she had followed her parents to see the plum blossoms on Mount Xuanmu several times, a memory she had never forgotten.

Now, thousands of miles away, being able to see the fragrance and shadows of her hometown's plum blossoms filled her heart with great joy. The homesickness that had accumulated for years was eased at this moment.

Just as she was enjoying the scenery, she saw a figure moving at the other end of the plum grove. Looking closely, her heart filled with joy—it was Jia Cong smiling as he walked over.

Jia Cong had returned from the East Prefecture and originally intended to stop by Lin Daiyu's room. Hearing from Zi Juan that she had gone out to admire the plum blossoms, he guessed she had come here.

The two strolled through the plum grove. Encountering snow on the ground, Lin Daiyu feared slipping, so she held Jia Cong's hand tightly. The little maid Xue Yan followed far behind.

The snow on the ground shone brightly, and the slanting, sparse plum branches cast shadows, exuding an unusual sense of tranquility and leisure.

Jia Cong held Lin Daiyu's small hand, feeling it soft and boneless, with a hint of coolness on her slender fingertips. He couldn't help but tighten his grip slightly.

His nostrils were surrounded by a gentle, clear, and sweet fragrance; he could not distinguish whether it was the scent of the plum buds or the fragrance on Lin Daiyu's body.

Lin Daiyu said, "I still remember that back in the twelfth lunar month, when Third Brother went to the Nanxi Literary Gathering and composed that poem on plum blossoms, he became famous in the Love Shenjing from then on."

"Wind and rain send spring away, flying snow welcomes spring's arrival. Already the cliff is covered in a hundred feet of ice, yet the flower branches remain beautiful. Beautiful, they do not vie for spring, only reporting that spring has come. When the mountain flowers are in full bloom, he will smile amidst them!"

"That year at the Rongqing Hall, Grandmother and the others were curious and even asked me to recite this poem for them."

"Already the cliff is covered in a hundred feet of ice, yet the flower branches remain beautiful."

"Back then, Third Brother suffered in the East Courtyard but never sank into despair. Isn't that exactly like a lone plum blossom growing on a hundred-foot cliff?"

"The first time I read that poem, I knew Third Brother would surely be extraordinary in the future."

"Looking at it now, I wasn't wrong. Third Brother has a bond with these plum blossoms. Just as he inherited the Rongguo title, the plum blossoms on the East Slope have just bloomed, as if they really came to report good news."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "The plum roots from Mount Xuanmu were only planted this year and haven't taken deep enough root. By this time next year, when the roots are deeper, the flowers will surely bloom even more magnificently than this year!"

Lin Daiyu said wistfully, "I can only look at the plum blossoms from my hometown here. I wonder when I will be able to return to Yangzhou and Gusu to visit Mount Xuanmu once more."

Jia Cong coaxed her, "That's easy. I'll accompany you there one day. By water, it takes less than ten days to arrive."

Lin Daiyu didn't believe him and said, "Third Brother is coaxing me again. You run around every year and haven't stayed home for long all year round. How could you remember to take me back to the south?"

Jia Cong smiled, "If this year doesn't work, then next year, or the year after. In any case, three years from now, I will definitely take you back to the south."

Lin Daiyu laughed, "If you can't keep a promise, don't speak carelessly. You've jumped straight to three years from now; it must be a lie. Tell me why you came up with three years."

"If you can give me a reason, I'll believe you."

Jia Cong smiled, "Because three years from now, my mourning period will be over, and naturally, I will take you back to the south. Does this reason hold up?"

Hearing this, Lin Daiyu was slightly stunned, then seemed to understand Jia Cong's meaning. Her beautiful face turned bright red, and in an instant, she looked even more enchanting and moving than the plum blossoms in full bloom on the branches.

She seemed to pull her hand from Jia Cong's palm in a feigned fit of pique, the corners of her mouth curling slightly. Her heart was in a flurry of sweetness, yet she said, "If you want to go, go. I don't care at all."

"Third Brother's words, I don't fully believe them now."

"Three years is so long, you can't be trusted. Perhaps another 'true girl' or 'false girl' will appear, and you'll surely be tied down. Don't come to me with excuses then; let's see what words you'll use to coax me."

Seeing that although she was retorting, her words could not hide her affection, with flushed cheeks and a gaze full of joy, anger, and shyness, Jia Cong smiled.

Just as the two were talking, they saw a figure moving at the edge of the plum grove, revealing Qingwen's beautiful silhouette.

She called out to Jia Cong, "Cong Sanye, your servant Jiang Liu sent word that the matter you entrusted to him has been handled, and he is waiting in the side hall outside the second gate to report to you."

Lin Daiyu said, "Third Brother, if you have official business, go ahead." Jia Cong then instructed Xue Yan to accompany Lin Daiyu back early and to be careful of the slippery snow.

Count's Mansion, outer courtyard side hall.

As soon as Jiang Liu saw Jia Cong enter, he said, "Cong Sanye, as you instructed, I went out to inquire. Several prominent noble families have already been approached by the government office to inquire about their household members."

"I estimate that all the prestigious families in the Love Shenjing cannot escape this. I spent some silver and had two groups of people inquire in the marketplace. News just came back, so I returned to the mansion to report to you, Cong Sanye."

"It is said that some people have recently appeared in the market—neither officials nor commoners—whose behavior is unusual. They often wander the streets, inquiring about a person called Mr. Master Xi Liu, who is said to be from a prestigious family."

"It is such a coincidence that the government is also inquiring about the household members of major families in the Love Shenjing at this very time. There cannot be such a coincidence in this world."

Jia Cong's gaze narrowed slightly, and he said, "The government suddenly searching the genealogies of major families and inquiring about members who have gone missing or become monks in the last twenty years is likely because they are also looking for this Mr. Master Xi Liu."

"Those people in the market must also have been sent by the government for secret inquiries. Do not send anyone to inquire in the market anymore, so as not to attract attention."

On his way back to the inner courtyard, the name "Mr. Master Xi Liu" kept swirling in Jia Cong's mind.

He could be certain that those people making secret inquiries in the market were either agents of the Embroidered Uniform Guard or secret spies of the Zhongche Office.

Who on earth is this Mr. Master Xi Liu that he could mobilize the government to act both openly and secretly, pouring out in full force, and even not hesitating to disturb the major families of the Love Shenjing? To have the energy to mobilize power on such a scale, it cannot be the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, nor the Grand Chief of the Zhongche Office. It can only be the Emperor in the palace...

Rongguo Prefecture, Wang Xifeng's courtyard.

Xiao Hong helped Jia Cong pass the message to Wang Xifeng, her words clever, with every detail accurate.

Wang Xifeng had the old woman in the courtyard pass a message to Lin Zhixiao, telling him to send someone to the ancestral hall to burn incense, open the chests, and retrieve the genealogy.

She also transferred two accountants from the outer courtyard, plus her trusted servant Cai Ming, and according to what Jia Cong said, screened the population changes in the genealogy over the last twenty years.

After Wang Xifeng finished giving orders, she turned back and found Xiao Hong still standing on the side. She smiled and said, "The matter is clear. It's a case of 'practice makes perfect.' You've had to run another errand; go back and get busy."

Xiao Hong bowed and left. Wang Xifeng looked at her back, thinking to herself that she hadn't been wrong before; Cong Sanye Cong indeed felt differently about this girl.

Otherwise, with the West Prefecture full of maids, why would he choose anyone else? He had to pick this Xiao Hong to pass the message.

At this moment, Ping'er brought in a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup. Wang Xifeng asked, "That girl named Xiao Hong in Baoyu's room looks quite clever. Was she bought from outside, or is she a daughter of a family servant?"

Ping'er smiled, "Why is Grandmother so confused? You don't even know that Xiao Hong is Lin Zhixiao's daughter."

Wang Xifeng managed the household daily, and she left some trivial matters to Ping'er. Therefore, Ping'er moved around more than she did and naturally knew many obscure things about the lower ranks.

Wang Xifeng was somewhat stunned upon hearing this: "Since she is their daughter, why was she sent to Baoyu's room to be a menial maid? That is strange."

Ping'er smiled, "Lin Zhixiao and his wife treasure this daughter. They put her in Baoyu's room to do menial work because they covet the fact that Baoyu does not mistreat his servants, making it easy to release her from the mansion in the future and earn her a proper status."

Wang Xifeng smiled, "That couple are the type who wouldn't make a sound even if pricked by an awl—one is deaf and the other dumb. How did they raise such a clever girl? She is nimble and capable; she has a future."

Ping'er asked, "Is Grandmother interested in this girl?"

Wang Xifeng smiled, "Whether I am interested doesn't matter; it is your master who is interested in her."

Ping'er was surprised, her face turning red. It was said that Cong Sanye raised a house full of beautiful maids and was a lover of beauty; she hadn't believed it before.

Now it seemed it was true. He had only been the master of Rongguo for a few days, and he had already taken a fancy to a maid from the West Prefecture, and one from Baoyu's room at that. If the Lady knew, wouldn't it be another source of trouble?

Wang Xifeng looked at Ping'er's expression and naturally guessed her thoughts. She sneered, "Don't be jealous of this kind of thing. If you were like this, you'd be drowning in a vinegar jar."

Ping'er's beautiful face turned red again, "Look at what Grandmother is saying. Which woman Cong Sanye likes is not something I can manage."

Wang Xifeng said, "You don't need to overthink it. From my observation, Third Brother didn't take a fancy to this girl's beauty; it seems he has taken a fancy to something else..."

Rongguo Prefecture, Baoyu's courtyard.

After Xiao Hong passed the message to Wang Xifeng, she left with a light heart. On the way back, she specifically passed by the artificial rockery, but Jia Cong was no longer there.

By the time she entered the courtyard, she happened to run into Qiu Wen and Bi Hen. They were returning from drawing water from the well in the garden. The two were carrying a bucket of water together, holding their skirts with one hand, stumbling, and spilling quite a bit along the way.

As soon as Qiu Wen saw Xiao Hong, she felt displeased, "You've been missing since early morning, running around like crazy again. You didn't feed the birds, didn't water the flowers, and didn't hang out the clothes."

Xiao Hong defended herself, "I fed the birds early this morning. Sister, you hadn't gotten up yet, so naturally, you didn't know. Bao Er Ye gave instructions a few days ago that the flowers don't need to be watered every day, as it would rot the roots; watering every other day is fine."

"Today is not my shift, so it's not my turn to wash clothes. If the clothes aren't hung out, you can't blame me."

Seeing Xiao Hong talking back again, Qiu Wen's inner fire flared up. She was a first-class maid in Baoyu's room, and Xiao Hong was only a third-class one. To dare to argue with her every time—there was truly no law.

However, Xiao Hong's words were airtight, and she couldn't find a fault for the moment. She could only say coldly, "Listen to this, everyone. I only said one sentence, and she has a hundred ready. Go wherever you like to wander."

"One day I'll go find the Lady to reason this out. Is this how you serve in Bao Er Ye Bao's room?"

When Xiao Hong heard about going to find the Lady to reason, her heart couldn't help but panic. She blurted out, "Today is not my shift, and I've done the work I should have done. I didn't go wandering anywhere."

"Just now, when I walked to the artificial rockery in front, I ran into Cong Sanye Cong passing by. He didn't have any maids with him, so he asked me to run an errand to pass a message to Second Grandmother. I finished the matter and came back; I didn't go wandering around."

Bi Hen, who was on the side, was also startled to hear that Xiao Hong had been ordered by Cong Sanye Cong to pass a message to Second Grandmother. These two were currently the most popular masters in the mansion.

This girl Xiao Hong had good means; she had hooked up with both of them in one go.

When Qiu Wen heard Xiao Hong's words, a wave of jealousy grew in her heart. She had gone to curry favor with Cong Sanye Cong's maid yesterday, but Wu'er hadn't even bothered to pay her any mind.

This flirtatious girl Xiao Hong had actually been given an errand by Cong Sanye Cong. How could someone like her be worthy of being used by Cong Sanye Cong?

She said sternly, "I was wondering why you were missing since early morning. So you went to climb a high branch. Cong Sanye Cong, Second Grandmother—currently the most glorious figures in the mansion. You really know how to pick people to use you."

"You spoke a sentence or two to them and you don't know where north is anymore. Don't look at what kind of thing you are; are you worthy of this clever trick? Since you've climbed a high branch, have the ability not to return to this courtyard."

"Stay far away on that high branch, and we will all bow to you!"

Hearing Qiu Wen's words, Xiao Hong was so angry her face turned pale, but she forcibly suppressed her anger, not daring to argue back. If they started a fight, the matter would blow up.

Qiu Wen and Bi Hen were Baoyu's personal first-class maids, with deeper foundations than her, and they could speak in front of the Lady. If they fought, she would surely suffer.

Because Qiu Wen's words were very sharp and echoed throughout the front courtyard, it alarmed Xi Ren and She Yue in the room. Both came out to see what was happening, and Bi Hen stepped forward to explain what had just happened.

Xi Ren frowned and said, "Shouting and yelling in broad daylight, aren't you afraid others will hear and become suspicious? There are many things in the mansion these days, and the Lady is not feeling well."

"Besides, the Lady's heart is all on Bao Er Ye. If you make such a fuss over this little thing and it reaches her, it won't be good for anyone."

Seeing Xi Ren speak, Qiu Wen held her tongue. Although she had always racked her brains to curry favor and climb up, she could never surpass Xi Ren.

Because Xi Ren was originally the Grandmother's personal maid, specifically placed in Bao Er Ye Bao's room to serve him. Xi Ren also had means and had even gained the Lady's appreciation; no one dared to compare with her.

Seeing Qiu Wen and Bi Hen walk away, She Yue stepped forward, pulled Xiao Hong over, and scolded her with displeasure, "I thought you were smart, but I didn't expect you to be a fool."

"In the past, Cong Sanye Cong used you, so he used you. But now, look at what time it is. We are all moving out of the West Prefecture soon. Don't you know that both sides are holding fire in their hearts?"

"At this time, you go to run errands for those two masters. Isn't that walking on hot coals? Aren't you afraid of bringing disaster upon yourself?"

"Don't leave the courtyard for these few days. Stay tucked away. Otherwise, if people keep talking, I think you'll have plenty to deal with." (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 516 =====