Three Wives and Four Concubines in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Page 60

The women retreated through the back door and headed towards Sister Feng's courtyard after leaving the garden. As soon as they reached the gate, they heard a chorus of weeping coming from inside, interspersed with Sister Feng's incoherent cries.

"I want to kill—kill—"

At this moment, Sister Feng's voice was slightly hoarse, quite different from her usual clear and loud laughter. Daiyu subconsciously clenched her handkerchief, feeling a little uneasy. However, seeing that the other sisters were all somewhat timid, she strangely breathed a sigh of relief.

Gu Yu was about to follow Li Wan inside when Xi Chun and Dai Yu simultaneously tugged at his sleeve, causing him to turn around. Seeing the fear on their faces, he knew they were a little frightened, so he deliberately smiled and said:

"What are you all doing? Sister Feng works day and night, and now she's just hungry and wants to eat shrimp. Why are you all so flustered?"

Hearing him say that, and then hearing it from the sisters, it seemed like it really had turned into "I want shrimp~". Even though they knew he was just teasing them, they couldn't help but laugh, and they didn't feel a little creeped out anymore.

Ping'er and the others were all gathered around Feng Jie's bedside. The doctor had just left, and the medicine they had prepared hadn't been decocted yet. They could only watch as Feng Jie gradually became weak from shouting.

Seeing that Fengjie's throat was almost parched, Ping'er went over to feed her water again. Half of the water in the bowl flowed down Wang Xifeng's lips, wetting a large area in front of her. Before Gu Yu could even admire it, Daiyu pinched her waist, and Gu Yu couldn't help but gasp.

At this moment, everyone realized that Gu Yu, a man, was still there. Ping'er hesitated, wanting to ask Gu Yu to leave, but she didn't want to say it directly. Just then, Baochai stepped forward to help her out of the predicament:

"If we stay here now, we'll only cause trouble for Ping'er. It's better to go back to the garden so they can focus more on taking care of Feng'er and Brother Bao."

Gu Yu touched his nose, somewhat regretfully bidding farewell. Although married women like Sister Feng weren't his type, that didn't stop him from admiringly looking at beautiful women and enjoying the view.

After the women came out, they surrounded Gu Yu as they walked back to the garden, speculating about the reason along the way. Someone said, "Could it be that she offended some evil spirit?" The air went quiet, and everyone suddenly became a little scared.

After all, in this era, talk of ghosts and gods was still quite taboo. The thought of the two men's crazy talk made all the women feel a chill. Although Baochai did not believe in ghosts and gods, she was still a little uncomfortable, so they stopped discussing the topic.

Gu Yu glanced at Daiyu's feigned composure and couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He secretly leaned over and touched the back of her hand. Daiyu glanced at him in surprise, then blushed slightly and touched Gu Yu's hand back. Just as Gu Yu couldn't resist trying to hook his hand with hers, she let go, refusing to let him hold her hand.

When they arrived at Zilingzhou in Xiaoxiang Pavilion, none of Daiyu and the others offered to leave. They all hung their heads like ostriches, whether out of fear or because they wanted to stay with Gu Yu a little longer, it was hard to tell.

They walked all the way to the pear blossoms and spring rain. Although Xiangyun, who had been rather inconspicuous, wanted to say goodbye, she was too embarrassed to leave alone since all her sisters were there. She decided to treat it as a get-together.

After all that commotion, by the time the women returned to Pear Blossom Spring Rain with Gu Yu, it was already time for dinner. Gu Yu was worried that the servants in the garden were busy at Yi Hong Courtyard and might neglect the three spring ladies, so she simply invited them all to stay for dinner.

Because of the recent tragedy in the manor, the people refrained from loud feasting and instead ate a rather lavish dinner in silence.

After they finished eating, their earlier worries subsided slightly. Seeing that it was getting dark outside, they went to the courtyard to cool off and chat.

Every day, Gu Yu's residence, Pear Blossom Spring Rain, was cleaned by dedicated maids and servants. They also buried lime and spices to prevent mosquitoes and other insects, so the courtyard was filled with flowers and plants that were not afraid of flying insects. It was simply the ideal sanctuary in the hearts of these literary girls.

Normally, they are all shy and dare not come over, but now that they are gathered together, they have become bolder and do not mind the dim lighting. They are touring in twos and threes.

Seeing Qingwen was also there, Daiyu wanted to ask her for advice, so she pulled Qingwen and Xiangling aside to discuss it. In an instant, Gu Yu was left all alone, and his desire to continue to have some excitement with Lin Daiyu was completely dashed.

Gu Yu was just about to find a chair to sit down and watch the beautiful women strolling among the flowers to relieve her boredom when Xi Chun, who was a few steps behind Ying Chun and the others, quietly wandered over to Gu Yu's side.

Seeing Xichun blushing and leaning closer, Gu Yu, quite tactfully, picked her up and walked a few steps into the nearby flower field before turning a corner and disappearing from sight.

Finding a bench nestled among the flowers, Gu Yu put his arm around Xi Chun's slender waist and couldn't help but nuzzle her pretty face, laughing as he said:

"Why isn't Xichun playing with them anymore?"

Xi Chun blinked, then wrapped her arms around Gu Yu's neck and said in a coquettish tone:

"I'm scared... The way Sister Feng looked before was really unsettling to watch. I still have goosebumps now~"

Gu Yu couldn't find even a trace of unease on her face; instead, she only showed the shy joy of a young girl. With a mischievous smile, she continued along with her words.

"What bump? Let me feel it—"

Xi Chun blushed and wanted to express her modesty, but her sisters were all nearby, so she dared not make a sound and could only helplessly feel the heat of Gu Yu's caress on her waist.

Seeing that she was just lying in his arms without making a sound, Gu Yu smiled and lifted her chin. Without saying a word, he just stuck out his tongue and gently licked the corner of her mouth, as if it were bait.

Sure enough, Xi Chun's face flushed slightly from the advances, but after a moment, she couldn't help but stick out her little tongue in response. Gu Yu calmly and deliberately changed his position, eventually leading Xi Chun to willingly walk into his trap, where she was at his mercy in his territory.

When Xichun finally couldn't hold her breath any longer, Gu Yu finally released her delicate and smooth tongue, only holding her petite and exquisite body tightly and whispering to her.

With the fragrance filling her senses, Gu Yu couldn't concentrate on her mouth at all; instead, she devoted seven-tenths of her attention to feeling the soft and tender body in her arms.

With the arrival of summer, people are prone to irritability. Just as Gu Yu was about to loosen her grip on Xi Chun to avoid things going too far, she suddenly remembered something, her heart skipped a beat, and she leaned close to Xi Chun's ear to kiss her delicate earlobe, whispering:

"My little sister turned twelfth a few days ago, right?"

Xi Chun blushed and softly hummed in agreement, but she didn't know why he was asking this. Could it be that he wanted to remind her to avoid suspicion and not to hug in public?

Just as she was lost in thought, Xichun suddenly felt Gu Yu's hands move down a little, and a hot breath approached her face. She only heard a muffled whisper, and all her attention was drawn to the strange yet familiar feeling on her body.

"Now that my younger sister is all grown up, we should be closer to her..."

……

Chapter Fifty-Four: As long as you're bold...

Although Gu Yu only dabbled in it briefly, Xi Chun, who was experiencing this for the first time, was still unable to resist. She could only slump in Gu Yu's arms, humming in a way that sounded both uncomfortable and coquettish.

Holding Xichun's trembling body, Gu Yu's heart was filled with pity. Now that she had his care, Xichun was at least more like an innocent and carefree girl in his eyes, rather than the silent, cold-hearted, and aloof young lady who was devoted to Buddhism.

Wouldn't this count as saving a life being better than building a seven-story pagoda? Gu Yu gently stroked Xi Chun's back with his hand, but his thoughts strangely wandered. Just then, Xi Chun leaned in and offered her sweet tongue, making him throw himself back into the battle with the selfless spirit of "If I don't go to hell, who will?"

When the maids in the courtyard started lighting the lamps, the sisters gathered together again. Baochai looked at Xichun, who was following Gu Yu, and saw that her face was rosy and her expression was somewhat dazed. Her heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but blush as well, knowing what the two of them had done.

However, since there was still Xiangyun who was considered an 'outsider', she could only quickly pull Xiangyun aside to chat, preventing her from having time to concern herself with others.

Daiyu felt a little aggrieved when she saw that the seat next to Gu Yu had been taken. However, when Gu Yu had a few more chairs brought to the courtyard, he took advantage of the chaos to secretly touch her. This made her forget about the little thing and instead made her blush and worry that no one had seen her little action.

After everyone had taken their seats, Gu Yu looked at Daiyu, who was wearing a light blue floral print narrow-sleeved horse-face skirt, and next to her, a pink and green embroidered bamboo flower collared inner garment, with the same white embroidered horse-face skirt underneath. Baochai's makeup was also similar, only a bit plainer.

Although they all simply wore a few hairpins and their clothing was unremarkable, each of them was stunningly beautiful, and the contrast between them made Gu Yu unable to get enough of looking at them.

However, his gaze was too obvious, making all the women uncomfortable. Xiangyun was a little nervous when he looked them over one by one, but Gu Yu only glanced at her and then looked away, which made her feel strange.

Since discovering that incident, she, who was not very familiar with Gu Yu to begin with, dared not get close to him. Whenever she saw him and Daiyu laughing and talking, she couldn't help but think of the soft murmurs she heard in the flower bushes that day. With nowhere to confide in, she could only try to avoid this place. She never expected to come here again today.

Since Baoyu and the others were sick, they naturally couldn't laugh and joke around like strangers. The sisters chatted for a while, and when they saw that it was getting late, they had to say goodbye.

However, during their casual conversation, the topic inevitably veered back to the strange events of the day. When it was time to say goodbye, looking at the dark path outside, the sisters looked at each other, none of them daring to take the first step.

Gu Yu, being quite tactful, offered to escort them. He first escorted Baochai and Xiangyun to Hengwu Garden, and then escorted the three springs and Daiyu back to Qiushuangzhai and Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

Two maids led the way with lanterns. Although Xiangyun was brave and not very afraid, she wanted to stay a few steps away from Gu Yu, so she followed closely behind the maids.

Baochai and Gu Yu lagged a few steps behind as they walked together. The garden was bustling with activity all day, and with Fengjie absent, who would remember to light the lamps one by one? Seeing that it was dark and deserted, Gu Yu reached out and gently grasped Baochai's soft hand, kneading it lightly.

Seeing that the people in front couldn't see what was behind them, Baochai blushed and let them be. If one ignored Xiangyun's footsteps in front, the two of them strolling in the quiet night would be quite romantic.

It just so happened that the crescent moon was still just a few days ago, and the sparse starlight could not pierce the increasingly thick darkness. Gu Yu turned around a corner of the artificial hill and finally couldn't help but hug Baochai and kiss her little mouth. He hadn't been close to Baochai for quite a few days.

With Xiangyun at Hengwu Garden, he felt too embarrassed to go looking for her. Although Baochai also missed him, she was too shy to say it. She only gave him a brief, proactive hug before they were about to let go and continue on their way.

Although Gu Yu released her embrace, he still held onto Baochai's waist tightly. Seeing that there were several people just a few steps away, and that she was being groped by Gu Yu in the dark, Baochai's heart was pounding. She felt that Gu Yu had shattered all the ideals of a lady that she had held for more than ten years.

She used to think that the scholars and ladies who secretly pledged their lives to each other in those storybooks were somewhat licentious and lacked the purity and dignity of a young woman. But when it came to her own situation, she couldn't care less about those ethical rules. She was so intoxicated that she lost her heart completely.

When they returned to Hengwu Garden, Baochai didn't have time to chat with Xiangyun anymore. She just said it was a bit hot and, blushing, hurriedly asked Ying'er to bring hot water into the room for a bath.

When the steam from the water's surface concealed her flushed face, Baochai finally breathed a sigh of relief. She then bit her lower lip and secretly pinched her pert buttocks, but she didn't feel the same sensation as when Gu Yu had teased her earlier. She felt both ashamed and puzzled.

After Gu Yu returned, he saw off the remaining sisters. However, there were quite a few of them, so he could only properly see them off to the door one by one and wave goodbye. When only Daiyu was left, and the ones holding the lanterns in front of her were his good darling Xiangling and his loyal maid Zijuan, he no longer concealed himself and directly picked up Daiyu's slender body around the waist and strolled along the path.

Xiaoxiang Pavilion wasn't too far from the garden gate or Yihong Courtyard. You could even faintly see the lights and figures moving around Yihong Courtyard. Although it was dark and unclear here, Daiyu was still afraid of being noticed, so she could only obediently wrap her arms around Gu Yu's neck and be held by him, not daring to make a sound.

"You wicked, lewd seed... all you know is how to bully me because I'm too scared... Humph!"

Gu Yu, far from being ashamed, was actually proud, and after a wicked smile, leaned in and kissed her again. What a joke! Could a rigid, rule-abiding gentleman really win over Daiyu and the others so quickly? It's a case of the bold getting rich and the timid starving; who can you catch up to if you hesitate?

If I hadn't taken the initiative, Baochai and Daiyu would still be in a long time, not to mention the quiet and reserved Yingchun and Xichun. Now they have found happiness, and I have found joy. Isn't this a win-win situation?

Just as they were about to walk the end of the dimly lit path, Gu Yu reluctantly ended the long kiss, then reluctantly put down the somewhat unsteady Daiyu, and only walked out after the two of them had caught their breath.

Daiyu blushed and gently punched Gu Yu a few times, but she never said that he shouldn't do it again. After all, he always knew his limits. He was only intimate with her in private and no one would see it. Since there was no need to worry about that, Daiyu was happy to be close to him.

Xueyan had thought Daiyu wouldn't be coming back tonight and was worried about how to deal with any unexpected situations, such as the arrival of Grandmother Jia. When she heard Zijuan knocking on the door, she finally breathed a sigh of relief and quickly opened the courtyard gate to welcome the group in.

Chapter 55 Actually, I can also use magic…

Gu Yuyuan wanted to stay longer, but there was a constant stream of people coming and going at Yihong Courtyard. After a while, the faint sound of chanting sutras could be heard, so she didn't want to disturb Daiyu's rest any longer and just told her to go to bed early.

Seeing Daiyu leaning against the door, watching him leave, Gu Yu felt a tickle in his heart. Ignoring Zijuan and the others watching, he turned around and gently pecked her beautiful little face before leading Xiangling away.

Daiyu touched her slightly feverish cheeks, but she still endured Zijuan's teasing gaze and kept going until they were far away before closing the courtyard gate and going back to rest.

Unexpectedly, Jia Lian arrived early the next morning, before Daiyu and the others had even arrived at Gu Yu's place. Gu Yu noticed that he looked rather haggard, clearly having stayed up all night. Before she could even have tea served, Jia Lian hurriedly explained his purpose.

It turned out that after a whole night of turmoil, Baoyu and Wang Xifeng's condition had not improved at all; in fact, it had worsened. Not only had they fainted, but they were also muttering incoherently, and they were barely breathing. It took Jia Mu half the night before she was helped down to rest.

Jia She and Jia Zhen sought help from Buddha and Taoist masters, and even invited doctors and medicines to their home, but to no avail. Jia Lian happened to remember that there was such a Buddha statue in the mansion, so he hurriedly came to ask Gu Yu for help to see if there was any other way to use.

Gu Yu pondered for a moment. He naturally knew that in the original story, a monk and a Taoist priest came and touched the jade to manifest its power, which saved the two of them. But back then, he had scolded that bald-headed monk, and he didn't know if he would come back.

Actually, there's another way: find the effigy in their room, burn it, and then carefully treat it with medicine. But finding a cursed object in the mansion, especially in the room of the most favored Master Bao and the most famous Madam Lian, is a huge deal. If word gets out, it might even alarm the palace.

Considering that the Jia family could spread the word about what their masters ate for breakfast to the second street within half an hour, it was probably impossible to keep it a secret no matter what.

Although Gu Yu looked down on Aunt Zhao's brainless nature, what could she do when she had given birth to such a good daughter? In order to avoid implicating Tan Chun, she had no choice but to cover for her.

After thinking for a moment, Gu Yu hesitated, as if the decision he was about to make was very difficult for him. Although Jia Lian was a good-for-nothing and a complete playboy, he was quite perceptive. Seeing that Gu Yu seemed to have a real solution, he perked up.

“Good brother, your sister Feng is currently unconscious, and I’m afraid Baoyu might also be… If there is any way, please tell me. Is there something difficult for my Jia family?”

As Jia Lian spoke, he observed Gu Yu's expression and keenly sensed that Gu Yu was only in a difficult position and not reluctant to part with the money, so he wanted to provoke him.

Sure enough, Gu Yu raised an eyebrow, then waved to Jia Lian, looking displeased, and said:

"What are you saying, Brother Lian? Sister Feng has always taken good care of me, and Bao Yu is a good man too. How could I stand by and watch him die? It's just that I'm afraid..."

"Brother Yu, don't worry! Whether it's useful or not, the Jia family will always remember your kindness. If it's truly fate, we will not blame you..."

Gu Yu's lips twitched. He hadn't expected them to think so far ahead. They were already preparing for the banquet after only one night. However, he was just doing it for his own convenience, so he leaned over and whispered an explanation.

After listening to Gu Yu's words, Jia Lian's expression was strange. He felt that Gu Yu was talking nonsense, but upon further reflection, it seemed to make some sense. Since he was the one asking for help, not the other way around, he readily agreed and went back to prepare the items.

Gu Yu, filled with worry and concern for the two, saw Jia Lian out the door, but turned back with a smug smile on his face. If a performance was worth 100 points, he would give himself 82 points for his acting! Any more, and he was afraid he would become arrogant.

Thinking of her hesitant yet sincere gaze, and then of Jia Lian's relieved expression when she vouched for him, Gu Yu wanted to burst into laughter.

However, Gu Yu managed to restrain herself, deciding to wait until she had disposed of that filth before celebrating. After all, opening champagne at the halfway point is a major taboo in sports!

Just then, Daiyu entered the gate and saw Gu Yu standing alone in the courtyard with a distorted expression. She was startled, thinking that he was about to go crazy like Baoyu and the others. She quickly threw herself into Gu Yu's arms to stop him from moving and was about to call for help.

Gu Yu was taken aback when he saw Daiyu flying over, but seeing her anxious expression, he quickly realized what was happening and hugged her, spinning her around to relieve her stress. He would feel bad if she hurt him.

"What's wrong with my sister? Why is she thinking about me so early in the morning?"

Gu Yu rested his head on Daiyu's head, a faint fragrance wafting from her hair, making him inhale deeply, feeling even more at ease. Daiyu also realized her misunderstanding, her face filled with relief. She couldn't even imagine how she would spend the rest of her life if her Yu-gege also contracted madness.

"Brother Yu...are you alright?"

Ignoring Gu Yu's actions, Daiyu still carefully examined his appearance, fearing that something might have gone wrong. Gu Yu took her hand and walked into the room, briefly explaining what had happened when Jia Lian came here earlier.

Apart from the fact that Aunt Zhao sneaked into their room to cast a spell on the ghosts, Gu Yu told everything without reservation, satisfying her desire to share while also winning Lin Daiyu's smile.

Before the two could exchange more words, a maid came in to report that a servant was requesting their presence. Gu Yu had no choice but to stop talking and go with the servant to Yi Hong Courtyard to settle things with Bao Yu first.

Daiyu deliberately waited in her room until the people outside had left before going out to go back and join her sisters.

When Gu Yu arrived at Yihong Courtyard, she saw Jia Lian standing to one side with Jia She and Jia Zheng, and a large group of maids and servants crowding most of the courtyard, a huge, bustling scene.

There were also a lot of candlesticks, incense tables, and prayer cushions in the courtyard, which showed that it had been extremely lively last night. Gu Yu went over to greet Jia She and the other man, and after asking how the old lady was, she learned that the old lady was old and had suffered a mental breakdown. She had stayed up half the night but finally could not bear it anymore, and in the end, the imperial physician was called to treat the old lady first.

Jia Zheng had already heard from Jia Lian that he had a new method, so he hurriedly prepared the necessary items and urged people to invite Gu Yu. Now that Gu Yu had actually arrived, he was too embarrassed to ask Gu Yu to save Bao Yu.

Jia Lian, however, was quite perceptive and took the initiative to step forward and lead Gu Yu inside.

"Brother Yu, what you asked for is on the table inside. Someone sprinkled water on the room with willow branches, and everyone has been cleared out. What do you think...?"

Gu Yu waved her hand and smiled...

"Second Brother Lian has made thorough preparations. Let's hurry and ask the doctor to prescribe medicine to regulate our bodies. Baoyu and Sister Feng will surely be safe and sound."

After Gu Yu was escorted inside, Jia Lian, following his previous instructions, personally guarded the gate and had the maids continuously whip him through the house with willow branches soaked in salt water.

Gu Yu entered the main room and closed the door behind her. Inside, only Bao Yu's murmured words could be heard, but even as Gu Yu approached, she couldn't make out what he was saying.

Seeing that the once wealthy and amorous young master was lying on the bed muttering in his sleep with chapped lips and sunken cheeks after only one day, Gu Yu sighed, gently helped him turn to the side, and reached out a hand wrapped in a handkerchief to grope under the bed. In a moment, she brought out a small paper figure.

Ultimately, he still didn't understand the specific operating principle of this little man, so it was best to be careful to avoid any poisonous substances that might contaminate it.

Only after wrapping the little figure up tightly in layers and tucking it into a specially made small sleeve did Gu Yu breathe a sigh of relief. She then picked up a book from the table, which turned out to be a commentary on the Doctrine of the Mean. She couldn't help but smile, lit some incense beside her, and began to perform a ritual.

Chapter Fifty-Six: My Years of Pretending to be a God

Jia Lian and his group stood guard outside the door, only to hear a murmur inside, which was clearly not in the language of their own dynasty. They subconsciously exchanged glances, thinking that Gu Yu really had this ability.