Chapter 884: Mandarin Duck Tent Spreads Military Residence

Rongguo Prefecture, East Road Courtyard, Baoyu's Courtyard.

The main room was luxuriously furnished, the curtains were embroidered and pretty, and the bed was hung with emerald-colored insect and bird pattern bed curtains.

In front of the bed was a peony-wealthy blue-inlaid bronze incense burner, with red Xiaoxiang incense slices on the charcoal fire, the fragrance was rich, sweet and soft, making one want to get drunk.

The bed curtains were half-covered, two figures were disheveled, hugging and rolling, snow-white skin half-hidden, occasionally making giggling and panting sounds.

The little maid Chun Yan carried a copper basin, walked to the door of the room, and was about to knock, but stopped when she heard the unusual movement inside.

She asked, "Sister Xi Ren, the hot water is ready; should I use it now?"

The voice of Xi Ren came from inside, her breath seemed a bit unstable, "It's not urgent to use it now; send it later."

Chun Yan pouted when she heard this; this copper basin of hot water was not light, and she had made a wasted trip, but she didn't dare to say anything and could only leave with the copper basin.

Inside the room, on the bed, Baoyu was getting excited, but suddenly he was touched on his cheek and cried out in pain, unable to help but stop the entanglement.

Xi Ren pushed Baoyu away from her body with a light push, feeling a secret relief in her heart.

She felt weak all over for no reason; since the woman entered the room, the Bao Er Ye had only performed once with Cai Xia.

The rest were all silver-like pewter spearheads, all false dragons and fake phoenixes, but he enjoyed it tirelessly; when will this tossing end?

————

Xi Ren heard Baoyu cry out in pain and couldn't help but feel distressed; this had probably become a habit over many years, almost becoming a subconscious reaction.

Seeing Baoyu's left cheek still bruised, with five clear finger marks, she frowned and said, "It's been almost two days, why hasn't the bruise faded yet?"

"The Old Master's hand was too ruthless; if he hit the Bao Er Ye so hard, what should we do?"

Baoyu saw Xi Ren's expression was soft and charming, and she was very concerned about him, which made him feel very comfortable.

Although he couldn't strike directly at the enemy despite his high fighting spirit, he had taken enough advantage of Xi Ren, which gave birth to a lot of tenderness.

He said seriously, "Sister, don't be sad; you know my temperament, I don't want to follow the crowd and always want to keep my own insights."

Xi Ren took the opportunity to put on her clothes, covering up some spring light, and hearing Baoyu's tone again, she felt weak in her heart for no reason, and a sense of stuffiness in her chest.

She said, "Bao Er Ye, we people have followed you for a lifetime; if you can be smooth and successful, it will be our blessing for a lifetime."

"Bao Er Ye, you should think of us and know our hearts, so listen to my advice, and you will have less idle anger, and your heart will be at ease."

Baoyu heard Xi Ren's sincerity, and the spring passion was still hot, so he grabbed Xi Ren's hand.

With a full face of smiles and sweet words, "As long as it is what you say, whether it is ten sentences or a hundred sentences, I will definitely listen."

————

Xi Ren smiled and said, "Where are there so many sentences? Just listen to a few of my words, and if the Bao Er Ye can change, you will definitely be smooth and comfortable."

"The first thing is, the situation in the family is different from the past; Bao Er Ye, in front of people, don't talk about scholars being greedy for salary."

"After the fifteenth, Bao Er Ye will enter the Imperial Academy to study, and you must not talk about the Imperial Academy being greedy for salary, lest you cause trouble again."

"I know Bao Er Ye has his own insights, but you should also think about it yourself; the Old Master and others don't like this insight, so you should be cautious."

"It is a good thing to have insights, so why must you say it out loud, making the Old Master and others angry, which is not good for you."

"Bao Er Ye has been a clever and intelligent person since childhood, so you must understand what I mean; this is the most important thing, and listening to me is never wrong."

Baoyu was originally full of tenderness, but hearing Xi Ren's earnest advice, the interest in his heart was immediately cut in half.

But he also knew that Xi Ren was sincere, although she had no insight.

He perfunctorily said, "I promise you, I won't care about others' fame anymore; I will only care about my own innocence, and I will say less in the future."

————

Xi Ren felt relieved and said, "The second thing is, Bao Er Ye, going to the Imperial Academy to study is the Old Master's top priority."

"Bao Er Ye, you must not involve family filial piety because of studying; this topic is too scary and easily used as a handle by others."

"The Old Master is so angry for this reason; although he is strict, he is actually thinking of you."

"Bao Er Ye, think about it carefully; Bao Er Ye going to the Imperial Academy to study and not being able to serve the Old Matriarch is actually a common situation."

"Just like Third Brother going on an expedition, he doesn't know how many months he will be away, and he can't serve the Old Matriarch either; it is not just Bao Er Ye alone."

"The family has the Old Master and Lady, and the sisters, who serve the Old Matriarch, which is fulfilling the filial piety of the younger generation, and this is enough."

"Bao Er Ye and Third Brother, because of studying and being officials, cannot serve with all their hearts, which is understandable; Bao Er Ye, don't talk about it specifically."

"Those black-hearted people who hear it will not say Bao Er Ye doesn't want to study, but will say you are looking for an excuse for filial piety."

"They will also distort Bao Er Ye's ulterior motives, and this is a mockery of Third Brother only knowing how to be an official and not knowing the etiquette of family filial piety, which will cause great right and wrong."

————

Baoyu felt even more uncomfortable when he heard this; what kind of books was he studying? The Old Matriarch never cared about studying.

If he doesn't serve the Old Matriarch, how would she know his goodness? Now that he has moved to the East Road Courtyard, wouldn't he be even more estranged from the Old Matriarch?

Compared to this important matter, what does the greedy-for-salary matter of the Imperial Academy matter?

It's just that he couldn't say this thought, even in front of Xi Ren.

He sighed, "Others don't understand my insights; since others don't like to listen, I am too lazy to say it again."

"Because of this, if filial piety is delayed, then it cannot be blamed on me."

Xi Ren felt uncomfortable, but since Baoyu promised her, she would just muddle through it and talk about it later.

She continued, "I know Bao Er Ye doesn't like official career economics and doesn't love the corrupt theories of sages."

"But the world likes it, Bao Er Ye, you must understand this truth."

"So you can't say it out loud, so that everyone can get along on the surface; even if Bao Er Ye doesn't like reading, please pretend to like it."

"Not to mention far away, just in this East Road Courtyard, there is a very good example."

"I have been paying attention these days, and Huan Ge'er has understood this truth after Third Sister's guidance."

"In the past, he liked reading even less than Bao Er Ye, but now he pretends to be reading all day long."

"When maids and old women pass by, they say he hides in his room every day, shaking his head and chanting, and the appearance is very similar."

"Zhao Yiniang is very proud of this and must have whispered in the Old Master's ear; now the Old Master esteems Huan Third Brother more and more and often goes to his room to see him study."

"Bao Er Ye, you must be alert to this matter and learn Huan Third Brother's cleverness, pretending in front of the Old Master so that father and son can be more harmonious."

"Everything in this world is dripping water through stone; if Bao Er Ye remains like this, the family will always be biased, and the Old Master will only have Huan Third Brother in his heart."

"If word gets out that Huan Ge'er, a mere concubine's son, is more esteemed than Bao Er Ye, the legitimate son, wouldn't Bao Er Ye lose face?"

————

Baoyu listened to Xi Ren's nagging with patience; the previous words were barely considered promises, but when he heard the last one, he couldn't bear it anymore.

He said angrily, "Sister, this is not right; I am an innocent person and hate those who seek fame and reputation, doing everything with hypocrisy."

"Huan'er was originally considered to have some truth, but now he has been tarnished and blinded, pretending to study hard to win favor from the Old Master."

"The words of the sages, although there are corrupt places, cannot be trampled on by others like this."

"Huan'er doing such a shameless thing is too chilling, and I absolutely disdain to do it."

"Even if my actions are not in line with the Old Master's wishes, it is my fate in this world; even if I die because of these people, I am willing!"

————

Xi Ren saw Baoyu returning to his old ways and talking about those useless words, feeling a bit discouraged in her heart.

She didn't expect that her words would make Baoyu wake up overnight.

At least she said three things, and he had already promised two, so she didn't waste her spit in vain.

If she continues to persuade him in the future, there will be benefits in the long run.

She continued, "Bao Er Ye, promising two things is fine, and it can be muddled through, but there is one more thing that Bao Er Ye needs to pay more attention to."

"Now the family is full of people, and Bao Er Ye has just moved to the East Road Courtyard; you are about to get married, so you must not cause trouble again."

"The day after tomorrow is the fifteenth of the first lunar month; although because of Third Brother's expedition, the family has fewer banquets and plays, relatives will still visit."

"At that time, the wife and new grandmother of the Guihua Xue family will also come to pay respects to the Old Matriarch."

"But when guests gather like this, Bao Er Ye must watch more and talk less, and be more cautious in your conversation, and don't cause any leaks."

"Now the Mongols are making a lot of trouble, and it is rumored outside that the nine gates will be closed in a few days to prevent refugees from continuing to enter, and there will be trouble in the city."

"Now that Third Brother is on an expedition against the Mongols, everyone is watching this matter; Bao Er Ye, in front of others, don't discuss this matter."

"Many things as long as you don't say them, there will be no right or wrong; Bao Er Ye, you must remember clearly."

Baoyu listened to Xi Ren's nagging, and she was nagging endlessly; the chaotic meaning born from their intimacy was blown away.

He was very unhappy in his heart, perfunctorily dealt with Xi Ren a few times, and burrowed into the quilt to pretend to sleep, so that Xi Ren wouldn't nag endlessly.

————

Love Shenjing, twenty miles south of the eastern outskirts, Wawu Town.

Under the moonlight, the small town was filled with a thick smell of blood; indiscriminate slaughter filled every corner of the town's streets.

Dying resistance, humble begging, all were of no avail, and without any difference, they were instantly crushed by iron hooves and curved swords.

The slaughterers and the victims were like two species, will and emotion could not be equal, pity and sympathy were worthless, and destruction and trampling were taken for granted.

On a high ground north of the town, hundreds of iron cavalry personal guards surrounded a young general.

This general was in his twenties, wearing armor, an iron helmet on his head, a sturdy figure, a face full of flesh, and a heroic and tough spirit.

This person was Man Hai, the second son of Anda Khan; he followed Anda Khan's secret order and led twenty thousand Mongol elite cavalry along the secret forest path at the western foot of Yunzhi Mountain, marching in hiding.

Because he discovered several Northern-transferred Zhou armies on the way, in order not to leak his whereabouts, he had to cover his tracks and detour, exceeding the original three-day limit by half a day before arriving at Wawu Town.

He looked coldly at the bloody slaughter in the town, with no pity in his eyes, as if it were the most ordinary thing.

He said, "The surroundings of the town must be blocked tightly; leave no chickens or dogs, and don't let a single living person escape."

"In Father Khan's secret order, he specifically instructed that the secret report sent from the Love Shenjing city and the grain sold by the farmers in the town are closely related to the Love Shenjing city."

"As long as one living person escapes, as long as it takes one night, the news of our army will leak, and Father Khan's strategy of surprise attack and harassment will fail completely!"

The Assistant Regional Commander said, "Second Prince, don't worry; the town is surrounded by two layers, and scouts are patrolling within three miles; not even a bird can fly out."

Man Hai took the map from the personal guard and looked at it carefully under the bright moonlight in the sky.

He also took the secret order from his bosom and checked it carefully.

He said, "Within twelve miles of here, there are two more Great Zhou villages; according to the secret letter sent to the Love Shenjing, the population is slightly less than Wawu Town."

"Although the two villages are some distance from here, they have close dealings with Wawu Town."

"After dawn, as long as there is population movement, the news will easily leak." ===== CHAPTER 885 =====