Chapter 553: Virtue and Vice in the Two Branches

Rongguo Prefecture, Baoyu's Courtyard.

Baoyu and Bihun in the room separated like they had touched fire. Baoyu was already pale with fright. His Lady hated him messing around with maids the most.

Last time, he only joked with Jin Chuan a few words, and the Lady drove Jin Chuan out, almost causing a life. What should he do now?

Thinking of this, Baoyu truly envied Jia Cong, who lived alone in the East Branch, raising so many first-class pretty maids by his side, doing whatever he wanted, and no one could manage him...

Bihun was a woman, but she wasn't as useless as Baoyu. Although she was also pale with fright, she was much calmer than him. She was very quick, and regardless of her messy hair and open collar, she pulled down the sweat towel at her waist, dipped it in the tea in the cup, and went to wipe the rouge on Baoyu's face.

She whispered, "Bao Er Ye is truly capable of making trouble, and he chose such a fatal time. If the Lady finds out, my little life will be gone..."

Fortunately, the rouge on Baoyu's face was still wet, and it was easily wiped off with tea. Bihun was quick-handed, and in a few moments, she cleaned up Baoyu's big face.

She said again, "Good Bao Er Ye, when the Lady comes later, you must not let it slip."

Hearing footsteps approaching the door, she didn't care about her messy clothes, bypassed the bookshelf in the room, and slipped into the backyard from the back door of the inner room.

Bihun had just stepped out of the room when the front door was pushed open, and Lady Wang walked in, followed by Sister Xi Ren.

Seeing the books on the table, Lady Wang's face showed a smile, and the depression she had felt in the Rongqing Hall dissipated a lot.

She smiled, "My child, it is hard for you to know how to improve now and be willing to read with peace of mind. Just do it with all your heart, and win some face for me in the future."

It was just that seeing Baoyu's face, Lady Wang frowned again and said, "It is good that you are willing to work hard at reading, but you shouldn't be sloppy. How did you get tea all over your face?"

Hearing Lady Wang mention his face, Baoyu was startled, fearing that Bihun hadn't cleaned it up and would reveal the truth, so he hurriedly wiped it with his hand, getting his hand full of tea.

It turned out that Bihun had soaked the sweat towel in tea to wipe the rouge off Baoyu's face, fearing that it wouldn't be clean and reveal the truth. The rouge was wiped off, but Baoyu's face was covered in tea.

Lady Wang said, "Although Baoyu needs to be quiet when reading, it is not good for him to be alone in the room. Why not arrange a little maid to guard him, so she can serve tea and water."

Sister Xi Ren was surprised when she heard this. She had arranged for a little maid to follow, but later the person came out and said Bihun was guarding inside.

Now the room was empty, and there was no sign of Bihun.

Sister Xi Ren was puzzled in her heart, but suddenly saw a peach-blossom-dotted kingfisher silver hairpin on the ground next to the desk. Sister Xi Ren recognized it as Bihun's thing.

That silver hairpin was something on the hair bun, usually inserted very deep, and would not fall unless the hair bun was messy.

Sister Xi Ren looked at the tea stains on Baoyu's face and that trace of unretreated flush. She had had many sexual relations with Baoyu and knew those romantic traces, so how could she not guess what had happened?

It must be Bihun's lecherous hoof who had just done good things with Bao Er Ye in there, and she was so lecherous that even her hair bun was messy, and she left evidence on the ground.

Although Lady Wang was a person who had come over, she was not as meticulous as Sister Xi Ren, and she didn't notice Baoyu's impropriety.

Lady Wang exhorted Baoyu a few more words, then let him continue reading, and left the study with Sister Xi Ren.

When they reached the courtyard gate, she exhorted Sister Xi Ren, "Baoyu has reached the age of fifteen. Because Jia Cong inherited the title last year, it caused a lot of right and wrong, and Baoyu also fell into a bad reputation."

"You must be careful in serving him now, and don't let him make any more mistakes. Protecting him is protecting me. I will naturally not treat you badly in the future."

Sister Xi Ren hurriedly said, "Lady, please rest assured. I will definitely serve him carefully. Now that the East Branch has Second Sister in charge, the other sisters spend more time over there."

"The West Branch has simple population entry and exit, and there is less right and wrong. If we serve carefully, Bao Er Ye Bao will definitely be safe."

Lady Wang felt that it was indeed reasonable. She had heard that Baochai often went to the East Branch to talk to the sisters. It was because she went in and out of the East Branch too much that she was seduced by that brat and ruined her reputation.

My Baoyu is all in the West Branch. Such a clean and white person cannot be as lecherous as that little beast. He must keep a good reputation. It doesn't matter if he doesn't read well, but he must not lose his virtue.

Lady Wang asked again, "Baoyu is fifteen. Two people should be placed in his room. You are naturally reliable. Among the maids around Baoyu, are there any particularly clever and honest ones?"

Sister Xi Ren was overjoyed when she heard this. This was Lady Wang's promise. Once Bao Er Ye Bao passed his fifteenth birthday, she would be a legitimate girl, and in the future, she would be a concubine in Bao Er Ye's room.

As for the second candidate in Baoyu's room, Sister Xi Ren had measured it many times in her heart, always wanting to find someone who could help and not hold her back.

Originally, Sheyue's character was refreshing and she didn't compete, which was a very suitable candidate, but Sheyue was clever and fierce in her bones, and she didn't know what would happen after she took the position.

Qiuwen, such a vicious and poisonous person, naturally must not be allowed to touch Bao Er Ye Bao.

Sister Xi Ren originally favored Bihun the most. She had some small thoughts, but her courage was small. She didn't have Qiuwen's spicy trouble-making, nor Sheyue's cleverness, and she was even a bit stupid.

Such a person was just right to control, and it would not harm Sister Xi Ren. As for the time she bathed with Bao Er Ye Bao that year, it was mostly Bao Er Ye Bao who had the sexual desire, and it didn't count as anything in a large household.

It was just that seeing the silver hairpin on the ground today, and the traces on Bao Er Ye Bao, made Sister Xi Ren feel disgusted with Bihun. She only blamed herself for having bad eyes.

This little hoof must have thought of Bao Er Ye's fifteenth birthday, and in order to compete for the status of a girl, she seduced Bao Er Ye Bao to mess around in broad daylight. She truly didn't know people by their faces.

Sister Xi Ren said, "The maids in Bao Er Ye's room are all as stupid as me, and there are no particularly outstanding ones. It is really hard to say."

"The Lady has seen a lot and has a sharp eye. Only the people chosen by the Lady herself are truly reliable. How can I have a say?" Lady Wang was very satisfied when she heard Sister Xi Ren's words, and a smile appeared on her face.

She said, "You are indeed gentle and generous, and you know the weight of things. I will discuss this with the Master later. You just watch Baoyu and the people in his room, and I will be at ease."

Rongguo Prefecture, Fengjie's Courtyard.

Jia Cong's persuasion settled Xue Yima's matter refreshingly. Wang Xifeng chatted with Jia Mu for a while, then felt her waist sore and tired, so she let Ping'er support her back to the courtyard.

Because she walked a lot, Wang Xifeng returned to the inner room, leaned on the warm kang, and rested for a while before her sore waist eased.

She said to Ping'er, who was busy beside her, "Just now in the Rongqing Hall, I mentioned the matter of placing people in Third Brother Cong's room. Did you see the Old Matriarch's expression clearly?"

Ping'er thought for a moment and said, "The grandmother is talking about Yuanyang."

Wang Xifeng said, "Last year, the Old Duke wanted to take Yuanyang as a concubine, which caused a huge disturbance. Everyone saw that Yuanyang's relationship with Third Brother Cong was not simple, but everyone was hindered by the Old Matriarch's face and never said it out loud."

"I didn't expect the Old Matriarch to be as clear as a mirror in her heart, and she had already set a cold chess piece, just waiting for Third Brother Cong to reach the age of fifteen. The old lady's thoughts are truly deep enough."

Ping'er suddenly said gloomily, "Yuanyang is the Old Matriarch's most confidant person. Will she truly be good to Cong Sanye?"

Ping'er's meaning was that Yuanyang was the Old Matriarch's most intimate maid. If the Old Matriarch truly gave her to Jia Cong, it would just be to let her be an ear and eye, and it didn't mean she would treat Jia Cong sincerely.

Wang Xifeng laughed and scolded, "I think your brain is also flooded. Someone is coming to grab your food, and you don't guard against it, but instead care about whether she will be sincere."

"If she is sincere to Third Brother, it won't be a good thing for you. It's good that you were given to Third Brother. If you were given to someone else who is heartless, I think you would be eaten without even a residue left."

Ping'er's pretty face turned red: "Look at what the grandmother is saying. If the Old Matriarch truly gave the person to Cong Sanye, the elder's gift cannot be declined. Can Cong Sanye refuse? If she is not sincere, won't it cause trouble?"

Wang Xifeng laughed, "You don't need to worry about this. Third Brother is very good at training women. Look at the maids in his room. They all say they are very harmonious, and I don't see any of them competing for favor or making trouble."

"One is that their character is rare, and the other is that they probably know Third Brother's methods are brilliant, and he doesn't tolerate sand in his eyes, so none of them dare to make trouble."

"So no matter who enters Third Brother's room, they won't be able to make waves. You will be stable when you enter in the future."

"If it were Baoyu's room, it would be a completely different matter. There is no Tathagata Buddha in his room, and there are Monkey Kings everywhere."

"Except for Sheyue, who doesn't compete, the other maids, including Sister Xi Ren, are not fuel-efficient lamps. They will definitely open a water and land ashram in the future, and there will be a lot of excitement to watch."

Wang Xifeng asked again, "Why don't I see Wu'er? Is she busy somewhere else again?"

Ping'er said, "Just now, I accompanied the grandmother to the Rongqing Hall, and Wu'er asked Lin Zhixiao's wife to take her to check the accounts of the inner courtyard. According to the time, she should have finished checking, and I estimate she has returned to the East Branch now."

"She asked me to help her find some top-quality sheep liver and venison. I have to send it to her in a while."

Wang Xifeng laughed, "Wu'er is also a dead-hearted person, wholeheartedly selling her life for Third Brother, no wonder Third Brother spoils her so much."

"Logically, when you enter a man's room, I should teach you how to compete for favor, so that you won't be lost and lose my face."

"But Third Brother is different. He is too clever and fierce, and he doesn't tolerate sand in his eyes. If you are strong in front of him, you will mostly make him annoyed."

"If you are humble and weak, he will definitely love and cherish you more."

Ping'er's face was red, and she said unconsciously, "Is what the grandmother said true..."

Wang Xifeng held back her laughter and said, "Silly girl, I will teach you a trick. Now that you and Wu'er are managing the household together, and your relationship is close, it is a near-water tower."

"You should be good to this girl, so that you won't be alone in Third Brother's room in the future, and you will have someone to help each other."

"It's just that I am worried that with the Old Matriarch's side, Zhi Shao can't be moved by anyone, so I fear Wu'er will be taken advantage of by others."

The master and servant talked about other small talk. Feng'er came from outside and said that the top-quality sheep liver and venison that Ping'er wanted had been obtained and were being moved to the courtyard, being suppressed with ice cubes.

Because these things were handled by Ping'er for Wu'er, Ping'er asked the maid to carry the things and follow her to the East Branch to find Wu'er.

Wang Xifeng looked through the window and saw Ping'er walking out of the courtyard, smiled slightly, touched her bulging belly, and there was some maternal love in her eyes.

When it comes to selfishness, Wang Xifeng's confidant maid is Ping'er. She doesn't want Yuanyang to enter Jia Cong's room, because Yuanyang is the Old Matriarch's confidant and must be biased toward the Old Matriarch.

If such a person is added, blowing pillow talk in Jia Cong's ear, and if she leads Jia Cong's thoughts astray, it won't be a good thing for Wang Xifeng.

Now Jia Lian has been exiled to Liaodong for fifteen years before returning. For such a long time, Wang Xifeng and her children have to rely on Jia Cong, this big tree, to block the wind and enjoy the shade.

She even sent out her confidant Ping'er, but she spent a lot of money, so she naturally didn't want any extra branches, and she must be meticulous in everything and prevent problems before they happen... (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 554 =====

Just now she had hinted at Ping'er, but hadn't said it explicitly. But given this girl's soft and infatuated temperament toward Cong Lao San, or whatever she might say, Wang Xifeng could mostly guess it in her heart... (End of chapter)