Red Chamber 6
The Imperial Physician soon arrived at Lin Mansion, accompanied by Lai’s Wife from Rongguo Mansion.
Second Steward Lin Wang received them, inwardly annoyed by the Jia family’s meddling but maintaining a polite smile as he led the two into the inner courtyard. At the inner gate, Lin Wang’s Wife was already waiting.
“Old Madam Jia is concerned about the young lady and used her name card to request an Imperial Physician. How is the young lady today?”
The couple understood each other perfectly—a single sentence was enough.
Lin Wang’s Wife immediately put on a polite smile: “After taking the medicine yesterday, she sweated profusely at night. Today, her spirits are much better. We are grateful for Old Madam’s concern. Once she fully recovers, we will surely visit in person to express our thanks.”
“The young lady’s health is what matters most.” Lai’s Wife stood straight, chin slightly raised. Though she wore a smile, her eyes and brows carried an air of arrogance, clearly looking down on the Lin Family.
Though she fawned and flattered before Old Madam Jia, she was domineering and overbearing toward outsiders. It was only because the Lin Family was related by marriage that she showed them any courtesy.
A Yuan had received the news early and was lying in bed pretending to be ill.
Qiao Xiu had been anxiously pacing the room, but for some reason, she watched as her young lady’s rosy complexion gradually paled, beads of cold sweat began to form on her forehead, and her body temperature slowly rose.
Qiao Xiu: “…”
“Young lady, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me.” She was fine just moments ago—how did she suddenly become so weak?
Could she actually be ill?
A Yuan glanced at her—this silly girl actually believed it.
Though Qiao Xiu’s face showed anxiety, her hands and feet moved nimbly as she lowered the bed curtain. Just as she finished adjusting the edges, voices were heard in the courtyard. Qiao Xiu quickly rose to greet them.
As soon as Lin Wang’s Wife saw Qiao Xiu, she signaled with her eyes, hoping Qiao Xiu would make an excuse to delay while she persuaded Lai’s Wife to leave. With only the Imperial Physician remaining, things would be much easier to manage.
Unexpectedly, Qiao Xiu’s eyes lit up at the sight of the Imperial Physician. She hurried down the steps: “The young lady has developed a fever. Please come in quickly, Your Excellency, to examine her.”
A fever?
Lin Wang’s Wife was also startled—could she actually be ill?
Immediately abandoning the idea of persuading Lai’s Wife to leave, she led the group into the room.
Qiao Xiu reached into the bed curtain, pulled out one of A Yuan’s hands, and placed it on the pulse pillow. The elderly Imperial Physician first calmed his mind, then proceeded to take A Yuan’s pulse. As soon as his fingers touched her wrist, he felt the scorching temperature.
Now, the young lady behind the curtain was burning with fever.
He also reviewed the previous physician’s diagnosis and, after careful consideration, wrote out a prescription: “This young lady indeed has a wind-cold ailment. Fortunately, her constitution is strong. Once the fever subsides, she should rest and recuperate carefully. There is no need to worry about any lasting effects.”
“Amitabha, that’s good, that’s truly good.” Lin Wang’s Wife clasped her hands together exaggeratedly, repeatedly reciting Buddhist chants.
Lai’s Wife walked to the bedside, helped place A Yuan’s hand back inside the bed curtain, and then lifted the curtain slightly. Peering through the gap, she carefully examined A Yuan’s face, saying, “Poor child, I will go report this to the old madam at once.”
Having memorized A Yuan’s appearance, Lai’s Wife pulled Lin Wang’s Wife outside: “Dear sister, please don’t stand on ceremony. If there are any urgently needed medicinal ingredients, just report them to the mansion. The day is approaching—at least let her complexion recover.”
Lin Wang’s Wife dabbed the corners of her eyes. “If there’s anything urgent, I certainly won’t stand on ceremony with you, dear relative.”
“Then I won’t stay any longer. I really must get back home.” Having seen the legendary Miss Lin, Lai’s Wife naturally had no reason to linger. She prepared to take her leave with the Imperial Physician.
Lin Wang’s Wife, her heart still fluttering with anxiety, naturally did not press her to stay.
After seeing off Lai’s Wife, Lin Wang’s Wife hurried back to the small courtyard. But upon entering, she saw A Yuan, who had just moments ago appeared utterly frail, now changed into fresh clothes, standing rosy-cheeked before the desk, brush in hand, painting. Her eyes were clear and bright, with no trace of the earlier sickly pallor.
Lin Wang’s Wife: “Miss… you’ve recovered?”
A Yuan let out a soft laugh. “I wasn’t ill to begin with, so how can I speak of recovery? That earlier appearance was just a little trick, nothing worth mentioning.”
Lin Wang’s Wife patted her chest, her heart finally settling back into place. “Please don’t frighten this old servant like that again, Miss. Just now, my heart felt like it was about to leap right out of my mouth.”
She had truly believed A Yuan was ill.
“Exigent circumstances called for expedient measures. I had no choice but to act that way. I’m truly sorry for frightening you, Matron.”
“No matter, no matter. It was also our lack of foresight. Who could have imagined that Old Madam Jia would actually send an Imperial Physician to examine you? One wonders if it was genuine concern, or if she sensed something…” As a born servant of the Lin Family, she naturally prioritized the Lin Family’s interests. Being wary of Rongguo Mansion was only to be expected.
Seeing Lin Wang’s Wife frowning, Qiao Xiu couldn’t help but mention, “Matron, that Nanny Lai not only took Miss’s hand, but also lifted the bed curtain and looked for quite a while.”
A Yuan set down her brush, picked up the paper, and blew on it lightly, her tone casual.
“Since Old Madam Jia didn’t see me today, she must be feeling rather uneasy. It’s quite normal for her to have Nanny Lai come and take a look at my appearance.”
Qiao Xiu was shocked upon hearing this. “But Miss, your complexion just now…” Could hardly be considered attractive.
A Yuan looked at Qiao Xiu with affectionate pity.
Lin Wang’s Wife, however, immediately understood A Yuan’s meaning and broke into a smile. “Miss did exactly the right thing.”
From the Jia Family’s perspective, A Yuan should be outstanding, but not too outstanding. Otherwise, gaining excessive favor after entering the palace would be undesirable. They only hoped A Yuan would enter the palace later to serve as a stepping stone for Jia Yuanchun. They never intended for A Yuan to garner too much favor, lest she later become an obstacle in Jia Yuanchun’s path.
Qiao Xiu scratched her head. Oh dear, it seemed her brain had gone missing!
Oh well, she’d just listen to the Miss.
Since A Yuan was perfectly fine, the old Imperial Physician’s prescription naturally became useless. However, Lin Wang’s Wife still took it very seriously, sending someone to the pharmacy on the street to fetch the medicine. Whether it would be consumed upon returning was another matter altogether.
Lai’s Wife, having left Lin Mansion, immediately returned to Rongguo Mansion to see Old Madam Jia.
“Well?” Old Madam Jia reclined on the daybed with her eyes closed, two young maids gently tapping her legs with small wooden mallets.
Below, Lai’s Wife sat on a small stool. “Reporting to the Old Madam, when I took the Imperial Physician over, that Miss Lin was indeed running a fever. However, the Imperial Physician said the young lady has a strong constitution; once the fever breaks, she just needs to rest and recuperate properly.”
“Did you get a good look at Miss Lin’s appearance?” Old Madam Jia finally opened her eyes and sat up straighter.
“I did, I certainly did.”
Lai’s Wife also quickly stood up, bowing with a posture of great humility: “Due to illness, her complexion is somewhat pale, but one can still see she has a good appearance, only… she falls a bit short compared to our eldest young lady.”
As she spoke, she furrowed her brows in thought for a moment before continuing: “That figure… is rather thin.”
“Most young ladies from Jiangnan are like this.”
Old Madam Jia sighed, beckoned Yuanyang over, and whispered a few instructions before turning back to Lai’s Wife: “Over there, slender and graceful figures are considered beautiful, and their temperaments are often cultivated… to put it nicely, they are gentle and compliant; to put it bluntly, they are easy to manipulate.”
“Men are initially always drawn to such women, but such a temperament cannot make a proper wife—at best, they are mere playthings.”
Old Madam Jia thought of her deceased husband, who back then had been captivated by those playthings, favored them for a few years, and sired a few lowborn children, only to grow disgusted with them later, didn’t he?
Lai’s Wife ingratiatingly leaned closer, snatched the teacup from the parrot’s hands, and respectfully offered it to Old Madam Jia with both hands: “But isn’t that just perfect? It’s fitting that she enters the palace and gains His Majesty’s favor for a few years. By the time our eldest young lady grows up and enters the palace, she should be old and faded, having served her purpose and retired.”
“Moreover… the Old Emperor is pressuring His Majesty to favor these commoners selected from the people. His Majesty’s heart must be seething with frustration.”
“Our eldest young lady is of noble birth, born on the first day of the Lunar New Year—a sign of great fortune. She has been exceptionally beautiful since childhood. Once she enters the palace in the future, she is sure to win favor. Then, she will give birth to a little prince of noble bloodline…”
At the mention of “little prince,” Old Madam Jia’s ears perked up, clearly struck by the thought.
Just then, footsteps sounded from outside.
Soon, several senior maidservants escorted a delicate and beautiful young girl into the room. She was as graceful as a willow and as lovely as a flower, adorned with pearls and jade, her movements dignified and elegant—this was the eldest young lady of Rongguo Mansion, Jia Yuanchun.
“Your granddaughter pays respects to the Old Madam.”
“Quickly rise, quickly rise.” Old Madam Jia’s face immediately brightened with a radiant smile as she took Jia Yuanchun’s hand and seated her beside herself. “Have you visited your mother?”
Jia Yuanchun smiled demurely: “Yes, Mother is deeply concerned about Bao Yu. I drew a small portrait of Bao Yu for her, and she was overjoyed.”
“I, too, dote on Bao Yu from the bottom of my heart. Since your mother misses him, let him return to stay with her for a couple of days.”
Upon hearing this, Jia Yuanchun was overjoyed and immediately stood up, offering Old Madam Jia a graceful bow. “Thank you, Old Madam, for your kindness.”
Old Madam Jia pretended to scold her: “You silly girl.”
She reached out to smooth the small tassel by Jia Yuanchun’s cheek. “Study diligently with your governess and don’t slack off, or I will have to resort to the rod.”
Hearing this, Jia Yuanchun paused for a moment before replying, “Your granddaughter will study hard.”
Old Madam Jia looked at Jia Yuanchun with satisfaction—this was the hope of the Jia family. Whether Rongguo Mansion could restore the glory of the master’s time depended entirely on this granddaughter… Watching Jia Yuanchun go to the green gauze cabinet to fetch Jia Baoyu, she took a deep breath and turned to instruct Nanny Lai: “Go to Baoling Marquis Mansion and invite the Marquis to visit.”
“Yes.” Lai’s Wife accepted the order and immediately left.
A Yuan’s feigned illness this time successfully deceived the Rongguo Mansion. Over the following month, the mansion only occasionally sent fabrics and jewelry, inquiring about A Yuan’s condition, but never once proposed visiting the rear courtyard.
Nevertheless, A Yuan prepared some New Year gifts—nothing extravagant, just some calligraphy and paintings she had created herself. She also had Qiao Xiu make two headbands for Old Madam Jia, which were tucked into the Lin Family’s festival gifts and sent together to the Rongguo Mansion.
Upon seeing A Yuan’s gifts, the Rongguo Mansion immediately looked down on them, feeling that this relative from their son-in-law’s family was truly shabby.
However, Jia She, who had an eye for valuables, took them for himself and stored them in his own treasury when no one else wanted them. As a connoisseur of antiques and artworks, he was no good at scholarly pursuits or imperial examinations, but he had a knack for identifying genuine pieces… In any case, he believed this Miss Lin’s calligraphy and paintings held considerable value.
He even considered asking Miss Lin to paint a fan surface for him.
This infuriated Old Madam Jia so much that on the third day of the Lunar New Year, she chased him with a whip. Once she finally calmed down, she immediately summoned an official matchmaker, hoping to find Jia She a new wife who was capable, fierce-tempered, and could rein in his wayward heart.
Secretly, she resolved that the Rongxi Hall must be reserved for the sensible, filial, and promising second son and his family!
As soon as the first lunar month passed, Jingcheng began to buzz with activity.
Candidate Maidens from all over the country arrived in Jingcheng one after another, filling the inns in the inner city. It was said that the number of Candidate Maidens alone approached six thousand, not to mention the family members accompanying them to the capital. During these days, shops across Jingcheng experienced a sales boom.
Many people shared similar thoughts to Lin Ruhai—investing early for future returns.
However, not every Candidate Maiden had two powerful backers like A Yuan, with the Rongguo Mansion and the Salt Censor behind her. Most were sponsored by local officials, landowners, or gentry from their hometowns. These sponsors would invest a large sum of money in a Candidate Maiden. If she were selected, they would establish a nominal kinship and continue their investment, leveraging the title of a palace consort to seek benefits outside the palace.
On the fifteenth day of the third month, A Yuan entered the palace accompanied by Lin Wang’s Wife and Qiao Xiu.
As soon as she entered, she received her identity plaque. The plaque was exquisitely crafted, with a ruyi pattern engraved at the bottom and the character “Nine” written in clerical script in the middle, indicating that A Yuan was assigned to the ninth group.
Holding the plaque, she was led further inside while Lin Wang’s Wife and Qiao Xiu were stopped at the first gate. A Yuan and several other Candidate Maidens were escorted inward. In the innermost courtyard, over a dozen rooms stood side by side, each with a plaque identical to their identity plaques hanging in the upper right corner.
“Please proceed to the corresponding room according to the number on your plaque,” a stern, impeccably groomed Matron announced.
The Candidate Maidens were all nervous, hesitating and shrinking back.
A Yuan looked left and right and, seeing that no one was willing to take the lead, decisively stepped forward. She would go first.
Finding the room marked with the “Nine” plaque, she saw several Candidate Maidens already queuing at the door—those who had been led in earlier. A Yuan lined up behind the last maiden and followed the small group as they filed into the room.
The room was simple, containing only a square table with a eunuch seated behind it, recording something.
Soon, it was A Yuan’s turn.
Each Candidate Maiden had her own identity token. After A Yuan submitted hers, she was led away to have her height measured. Two Matrons also took her three measurements, along with her arm and leg lengths, and even her shoe size… In short, it was extremely thorough.
After the inspection, the eunuch returned her identity token: “Tomorrow at three quarters past mao hour, enter through the Shenwu Gate. You will undergo checks similar to today’s.”
“Yes, thank you, sir.”
A Yuan curtsied and took her leave.
As soon as she stepped through one door, she saw Lin Wang’s Wife and Qiao Xiu wearing identical expressions of worry as they stared at the entrance. Only when she emerged did their faces brighten with relief.
Once they were outside the palace gates, Lin Wang’s Wife finally dared to ask, “Miss, did the palace give any instructions?”
“Tomorrow at three quarters past mao hour, we enter through the Shenwu Gate for the second round of screening.”
“Excellent, excellent.”
Lin Wang’s Wife was overjoyed. The first round was already passed, with two more to go: “Tomorrow will likely involve checks on facial features, voice, and speech clarity, along with posture… There’s no need to worry about that. Our young lady is so outstanding, she is sure to be selected.”
A Yuan lowered her head, feigning bashfulness.
The next day, she rose early. Just as Lin Wang’s Wife had predicted, they inspected her facial features, the smoothness of her skin, whether her neck tilted forward or sideways, if her shoulders were level, if she had a hunched back, as well as the clarity of her speech and the pleasantness of her voice.
This round of testing alone took half a shichen.
Finally, on the third day, it was time to examine posture and gait. The eunuchs spread white powder on the ground, and after the Candidate Maidens walked a dozen or so steps, Matrons would use rulers to measure whether each step was roughly the same length.
By the time these three days of preliminary selections were over and she returned home, A Yuan was utterly exhausted and fell straight into bed.
Lin Wang’s Wife, meanwhile, went to inquire about the results of the preliminary round. When A Yuan awoke, she learned that this round had eliminated four thousand seven hundred people, leaving only a little over eleven hundred.
After a three-day rest, they would proceed to the secondary selection.
This time, midwives would conduct physical examinations to verify whether the Candidate Maidens were virgins.
A Yuan sincerely hoped that the arrangement made by Rongguo Mansion would come into play here!