A stew of the Red Chamber

Chapter 64 Thank goodness it was a dream! How could it be a dream?

The next day, the sun rises three poles.

After Xiangling recovered, Wang Qing summoned the servants and made the announcement in front of everyone.

Then a small table was set up, with pen and ink laid out. Xiangling sat at the table and took notes from the side. Monthly allowances were distributed to each person, and the staff were familiarized with each other.

Although there were still a few days until the monthly allowance was paid, Wang Qing was eager to support Xiangling, and such things were always better done sooner rather than later, so there was no need to rush to the exact time.

Most servants, knowing that such a good thing would never happen to them, had no desire to compete for favor and naturally knew how to read between the lines.

Only the Liu family mother-in-law and daughter-in-law looked particularly solemn.

After everyone had left, he led Liu Wu'er forward and said, "Master! Wu'er is much better now and should come inside to serve you."

Wang Qing didn't refuse and nodded, saying, "Then let her keep Xiangling company!"

At this point, he looked at Liu Wu'er and said meaningfully, "I don't care about seniority here. In the back room, you can address each other as sisters according to your age."

"Yes, sir!" Liu Wu'er bowed gracefully, then turned to Xiangling and said in a clear voice, "Sister Xiangling!"

Liu Wu'er didn't have the same awareness as Granny Liu. Although they hadn't discussed their ages yet, she was at the age of development and could tell from her size that Xiangling, who had fully grown up, was a few years older than her.

She called him "sister" willingly.

Xiangling wasn't a difficult person to begin with, and the two of them got quite close.

Granny Liu, who was standing nearby, heard this and was terrified. She hesitated whether to take the initiative to apologize.

But then Wang Qing said, "The old man is busy with official duties and occasionally rests in his study. That way, you can keep each other company and avoid being afraid at night."

He wasn't simply saying it to Sister Liu.

On the one hand, Xiangling has just moved to a new environment, so it's inevitable that she will feel uneasy. Some things are better left unsaid too early.

On the other hand, Ping'er's arrival also needed to be discreet.

Xiangling and Liu Wu'er had no suspicions and readily agreed.

The Liu family mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were relieved.

After dismissing the two men, Wang Qing instructed Xiangling and Liu Wu'er to get along well, then went to the front yard, mounted his horse, and headed to the yamen.

……

Rongxi Hall.

When Madam Wang returned from her morning and evening greetings, several maids rushed forward and pulled off the layers of clothing that had been wrapped tightly around her body, revealing a casual, pale yellow, floral-patterned silk jacket.

She was plump and sensitive to heat. The charcoal fire inside the house was too strong. When she was outside, she had to consider the dignity of being a wife. But when she returned to her own little world, she naturally did whatever made her comfortable.

Unlike the outer layer, the inner layer of this loungewear has a relatively low neckline, revealing a corner of light purple lace, and a glimpse of a deep, white lace behind the openwork.

Madam Wang, carrying a bountiful sum of money, climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), and her maidservant quickly knelt before her and removed her embroidered shoes.

Madam Wang shifted her hips slightly, moved a few steps further in, then hugged her legs and sat cross-legged.

Jin Chuan quickly brought over a cup of tea, the temperature just right, and bowed as she handed it to her, saying, "Please have some tea, Madam!"

Madam Wang was feeling thirsty, so she quickly took the drink, brought it to her lips, and swallowed it in one gulp.

Perhaps she drank too quickly, a trickle of tea passed her lips and flowed down her neck. Madam Wang hurriedly raised her hand to press against her throat, but it was too late to stop the flow.

A chill ran down her neck and into her heart. Madam Wang let out a sigh of relief, put the cup on the kang table, grabbed a blanket, draped it over her lower abdomen, and leaned against the side cushion.

If an old house doesn't get tainted by sparks, all is well; but once it does, the problem spirals out of control.

Lately, whenever the night is quiet, Madam Wang tosses and turns, unable to sleep, and can only catch up on sleep during the day.

In a daze, I suddenly saw a ray of light.

It took Madam Wang a while to adjust to the light around her, and she suddenly realized that she was standing blankly in the courtyard.

Not far away, a handsome and strong young man was riding a horse. No matter how the wild horse under his feet bounced and lurched, he remained as steady as a god descending to earth.

Immediately, the boy's hearty laughter rang in his ears: "Second Master's horse is quite spirited!"

This……

Madam Wang felt somewhat dazed and blinked subconsciously, but suddenly the scene before her eyes changed abruptly.

The boy on horseback, without anyone noticing, had somehow drawn a longbow, pointing it directly at himself, a faint, mischievous smile playing on his lips.

Although there was no arrow on the bowstring, Lady Wang was still terrified.

Just as they were filled with doubt and surprise, they saw the boy grin, and then, a "whoosh" sound exploded in their ears.

Madam Wang felt a tightness in her chest, and then she closed her eyes.

She didn't know how much time had passed when she opened her eyes in a daze, only to find that there was a faint candlelight flickering in front of her.

He had somehow managed to return to his room from the front yard.

There was clearly no wind in the room, yet the candlelight flickered incessantly.

She looked around blankly, only to discover that the boy on horseback was also in the room.

He then threw Jia Zheng heavily onto the bed, turned around, and said with a wicked smile, "Since you have such a Buddhist heart, why bother going to such lengths to worship those clay and wooden puppets? Why not worship this living Bodhisattva of mine? I'll surely grant your wishes in no time!"

Madam Wang froze instantly, and following the gaze of the person opposite her, she lowered her head, only to realize that she was actually wearing a monk's robe.

She felt as if something was stuck in her throat, and could only desperately try to swallow, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Jia Zheng, who lay on the bed like a dead pig.

The person opposite her seemed to understand her meaning, kicked Jia Zheng, and laughed, "Madam, just keep bowing sincerely; even if you shout until the heavens break, he won't wake up!"

Before she could finish speaking, Madam Wang felt as if a thousand-pound weight was pressing down on her, her legs went weak, and she involuntarily prostrated herself.

Immediately afterwards, she felt a burning pain in her back, and a feeling of fullness she had never experienced before surged into her heart. She couldn't help but open her mouth and gasp for breath, and her head involuntarily lifted up with the swaying.

Suddenly, a strange smile flashed across Jia Zheng's face, which looked as lifeless as a dead pig.

"No...no!" Madam Wang couldn't help but cry out in alarm. With all her might, she suddenly leaped up and raised her arm to grab at Jia Zheng.

With a loud crash, the scene before my eyes seemed to shatter into pieces.

"Madam! Madam! What's wrong?"

Jin Chuan's slightly anxious voice rang in her ears. Madam Wang looked around blankly and realized that she was still on the kang in Rongxi Hall, but in her haste, she had overturned the kang table in front of her.

Thank goodness it was just a dream!

Madam Wang composed herself slightly, but suddenly her lips twitched, and her expression became complicated.

"Madam...Madam..." Jin Chuan tentatively stepped forward.

Suddenly, Madam Wang waved her hand and shouted, "No! Don't come any closer!"

Jin Chuan was still somewhat worried and comforted her, "Madam! It's just a nightmare!"

Madam Wang, however, did not relax at all. Instead, she raised her hand to stop Jin Chuan from getting closer, while clutching the thin blanket tightly around herself and urging, "Go! Quickly go and get some clothes."

Then, as if trying to cover up the truth, he added, "I was so scared just now that I broke out in a cold sweat, and I feel terrible!"

After Jin Chuan left to carry out her orders, Madam Wang let out a heavy sigh, murmuring wistfully, "How could it have been a dream?"

……