[Hetu] [Enticing the Red Chamber] [Episode 13, Chapter 3]

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Chapter Three: A Dreamlike

Encounter Tan Chun, having cared for Jia Huan for so long, was feeling bored in her room. Now, encountering the eccentric Bao Yu, she naturally wanted to

play a trick on him.

"Ah!"

A startled scream rang in Bao Yu's ears, and at the same time, Tan Chun's jade-like hand grabbed the book from his hands.

"Ah!" Bao Yu instinctively jumped up, startled like anyone else. It took him a while, still shaken,

to realize the book was gone!

"Brother Bao, were you scared? Hehe..."

Among the girls, Tan Chun's face was the most radiant, possessing sculpted, beautiful features.

With a cheerful laugh, Tan Chun displayed the lively side of a young girl, proudly displaying her prize:

"What is this that you're so engrossed in? Let me see it too!"

"I can't see it, Third Sister, I can't see it..."

Bao Yu felt a chill run down his spine. After all, what would happen if Tan Chun saw such a "good book"? "Hehe..."

Seeing Baoyu's anxious expression as he reached out to snatch the book, Tanchun quickly hid it behind her back. Her smile was filled with curiosity as she said,

"Brother Bao, it's just a book, what's wrong with reading it? I have to read it!"

"Good sister, listen to me, you really can't read it!"

Baoyu, his face burning, stopped in his tracks and waved his hands rapidly, signaling Tanchun to stop turning the pages.

Seeing that Tan Chun didn't care at all and didn't take his warning to heart, Bao Yu could only suppress his embarrassment and said cryptically,

"This book is not suitable for women to read. You are a lady from a respectable family, so you should definitely not read it!"

"Hmph, it's that same old thing again!"

Bao Yu's well-intentioned explanation only earned him Tan Chun's resentment. She had been proud and arrogant since childhood, and she angrily spoke out

the words that had been building up in her heart for a long time: "Why can't we women do this or that? All the good things in the world are taken by

you men, but we are not even allowed to leave our homes!"

Before she finished speaking, Tan Chun looked at the stunned Bao Yu and continued to complain, "We women are not inherently

any less intelligent than you. Why do you say that our lack of talent is a virtue? Hmph, you can read it, so why can't I?"

Yes! That's true! Bao Yu came from the future, so he naturally wouldn't disagree with Tan Chun's argument, but this book

was indeed unsuitable for women.

Baoyu took a deep breath and said sincerely, "Third Sister, I also think what you said makes a lot of sense. Who says

women are inferior to men? You girls can hold up half the sky just as well! However... however, you can't read this book. It...

it's a forbidden book. You can't read it."

"Oh!" Tanchun was overjoyed to hear this. She hadn't expected Baoyu to be so open-minded and

respectful of women even more than she had imagined. She felt a sense of kinship with him.

Tan Chun's bright, jade-like face flashed with light, and she suddenly looked directly at Bao Yu and said, "Brother Bao,

have you read *Water Margin*?"

"Yes, but this has nothing to do with..."

"Hehe... Good that you've read it! Then I want to read it too!" Tan Chun lightly interrupted Bao Yu, a

determined and confident look appearing on her beautiful face. She said leisurely, "Isn't it said that men shouldn't read *Water Margin* and women shouldn't read *The Story of the Western Wing*?

Since Brother Bao can read *Water Margin*, why can't I read *The Story of the Western Wing*? I don't believe a

book can do anything to me!"

Alas, he couldn't win an argument with Tan Chun again! Baoyu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and finally managed to say, "Third Sister, I brought back many new and interesting trinkets from

outside . They're so much fun!

How about this: you return the book to me, and I'll give you a nice thing every day, okay?"

Although Baoyu's words were sincere, and his face showed reluctance and heartache, Tanchun remained unmoved, saying, "

Alright , I'll exchange the book for a gift after I finish reading it. It's a deal!"

Before she finished speaking, Tanchun had already hurried away, as if afraid that Baoyu would chase after her.

Baoyu thus lost his beloved, but the optimistic and lazy Baoyu didn't remember his troubles at all. Before

long , he was already deeply intoxicated by the smiling faces of the women in the Yihong Courtyard.

In the blink of an eye, three or five days passed, and Jia Lan, Jia Huan, and Qiao'er's conditions not only did not improve, but they also developed

fevers, which greatly worried their mother.

Several renowned doctors entered the Jia mansion and collectively diagnosed it as a minor cold,

much .

Unbeknownst to them, a gloomy atmosphere settled over the Grand View Garden, while undercurrents surged and a chilling wind swept through the Ningguo Mansion.

"That damned thing! Why is that little brat Jia Baoyu completely unharmed?"

With a "bang," Jia Zhen smashed a teapot, his face ashen as he glared at Jia Rong, wishing he could crush him like

the teapot .

"Father, I saw it with my own eyes. The Taoist priest did indeed poison Jia Baoyu, but it was the three children who fell ill.

Could it be that Jia Baoyu transferred the poison to them?"

Jia Rong speculated wildly, and his guess was surprisingly accurate.

"Damn it!"

A sense of impending defeat surged in Jia Zhen's heart. He touched the talisman bestowed upon him by the Spirit Medicine Master on his chest,

a murderous glint in his eyes, and his fighting spirit returned.

"Jia Rong, take some trustworthy servants and go to Xuanzhen Temple immediately to try your luck and see if you can find the real Taoist priest.

Remember, search every Taoist temple within a hundred miles. You must find him!"

"Yes, I will do it right away and find that old Taoist priest." Jia Rong secretly breathed a sigh of relief and immediately

turned to leave, looking extremely disheveled.

"Wait a minute." Jia Zhen suddenly called out to Jia Rong, who had just reached the door. In his agitated state, his

eyes . He changed the subject and asked, "Is that aphrodisiac you mentioned the other day still around?"

"Yes, yes, yes, Father, what do you mean?" Jia Rong returned to Jia Zhen excitedly, handing him the potent

aphrodisiac , his face beaming with joy, completely ignoring the previous scolding.

"Hmm!" Jia Zhen's eyes burned with lust. He picked up the jade bottle and examined it carefully before saying, "Find

an opportunity to put it in your second aunt's tea. We, father

and son, will enjoy it!" "Great! I've been waiting for you to say that, Father, hehe..." After an excited shout, Jia Rong's expression changed slightly, and

he sighed helplessly, "I wonder if your second aunt and the others have noticed something. They've been particularly careful with their food and tea lately,

making it difficult for us to get involved."

Jia Zhen was taken aback. Recently, his mind had been focused on the position of head of the family, and he was unaware of such matters. However, he

was much more cunning than Jia Rong. His expression changed, and a plan came to him. He said, "Then don't rush to act, lest you alert them."

" First, put this medicine in your mother's tea to get rid of her, then let her target the You family mother and daughter. That'll be a sure thing!"

"Father, brilliant!"

The lewd laughter of the beastly father and son echoed through the air, even the ever-present breeze trembled with fear.

"Whoosh..."

A sharp, chilling wind suddenly appeared, its bone-deep coldness abruptly silencing the lewd laughter of Jia Zhen and his son. They

were both startled, instinctively looking around, but could only hear the whistling wind and see where it came from.

"Father...Father, there's...there's..." Jia Rong's lips trembled, unable to utter the

word that filled him with terror. His once tall figure instantly hunched over, hiding behind Jia Zhen. " 　　Nonsense!

What ghosts and monsters are these in broad daylight?" Jia Zhen, blustering but cowardly, shouted to bolster his courage,

then pointed to the half-open doors and windows, saying, "It's just the wind, what are you afraid of? Close the windows!" A moment later, the eerie wind disappeared, and hatred—an overwhelming hatred—filled Qin Keqing's eyes. She hated not only Jia Zhen and his son, but also the Taoist priests of Wuzhuang Temple. 　　The Taoist priests of Wuzhuang Temple, wanting to end things peacefully, sealed Qin Keqing's spiritual power before departing. In their minds, they had done a good deed, preventing another bloodshed in the human world. But they hadn't considered the excruciating pain Qin Keqing would feel, as a wandering ghost unable to avenge her enemies. 　　Without the companionship of the You sisters, Qin Keqing would surely have gone mad, either becoming a vengeful ghost or turning to ashes. 　　A moment later, Sister You Er's shocked and angry voice escaped her lips: "What?" She gritted her teeth and cursed from the depths of her soul: "Those beasts, they deserve to die a horrible death!" 　　"Second Sister, what do you suggest we do now? My spiritual power is sealed, and Third Sister has gone back to the temple. You should run away!" Kind people are always a little weak, and Qin Keqing's only thought was to escape. 　　"No! If I leave with Mother, what will happen to Eldest Sister?" 　　Sister You Er, true to her "demoness," rejected Qin Keqing's suggestion without hesitation. She unconsciously touched the dagger in her bosom and said coldly, "At worst, we'll fight to the death. We can't let those two beastly bastards get away with it!" 　　"Second Sister, as long as we're alive, we can always fight again." Qin Keqing urged urgently, "Why don't you take Grandma leave here as soon as possible? You can go back to your own homes, or you can go to the Great Wilderness Mountain to find Third Sister." 　　In her desperation, Qin Keqing even blurted out the name she used to call her in life. 　　"Sister, the Jia family is so wealthy and powerful. Even if we go home, we won't escape Jia Zhen's clutches. And the Great Wilderness Mountain is more than a thousand miles away. How can we get there?" You Erjie, though initially sighing, gradually calmed down. 　　Suddenly, a thought flashed through her beautiful eyes, and she asked in a low voice, "Keqing, you just said… Li Wan's son's illness was caused by a sorcerer's poison. Did you hear me clearly?" 　　"I couldn't have misheard. The sorcerer he mentioned must be the cultivator who appeared a few days ago. He has some skill. Luckily, I hid quickly, or he would have discovered me. 　　" A flicker of fear crossed Qin Keqing's eyes, and she asked in confusion, "Erjie, why are you asking this? 　　Let's quickly think of a way to escape this calamity." 　　"That's exactly what I was thinking about." Sister You's rosy cheeks lacked any hint of coquetry; her inner intelligence manifested in her deep gaze. She said with a touch of smugness, "Although Jia Baoyu is our target, he's not our enemy. If we help him now, he'll definitely be grateful, and his guard will be greatly reduced." Qin Keqing, who had also been intelligent in life, immediately understood and exclaimed joyfully, "Great idea! We can use Uncle Bao to deal with that scoundrel father and son. We can wait until Third Sister returns before trying to steal the Jade of Spiritual Enlightenment!" 　　She paused slightly, her spirit flickering, then excitedly urged, "Then hurry up and go!" 　　Sister You, who manipulated men with ease, naturally understood human nature. She smiled and said, "This can't be rushed. The three children's illness has just flared up and isn't yet obvious. If we go now, Jia Baoyu might not believe us. Appearing when he's most anxious will be more effective." 　　"Then… won't it harm the three children?" 　　"No, if Jia Baoyu is capable, he can save Jia Lan and the others. If he's not capable enough, no matter what we say, he can't save them." You Erjie forced herself to steady her breathing, feeling a little lighter, and confidently smiled, "Let's tell Eldest Sister about this first, so she can be more cautious. We'll need her help to get close to Jia Baoyu." 　　The scene flashed, and the teacup in You Shi's hand fell to the ground. Unable to bear the news, she fainted . 　　"Eldest Sister, Eldest Sister..." 　　You Erjie hurriedly bent down and hugged You Shi, her anxious calls finally waking the grief-stricken woman. "Daughter, what's wrong? Don't frighten your mother." 　　Madam You had just come to visit You Shi and witnessed the scene. 　　With the combined efforts of You Erjie and her mother, the limp You Shi finally lay down on the bed. After a moment, she regained a sliver of consciousness and said, "Mother, sister, what do we do? Waaah..." 　　"Daughter, don't panic. Tell me what happened." 　　Although You Shi was vain, she wasn't inherently bad. After hearing the story, her face turned pale and then red, her chest filled with rage. She said, "This...this...how could there be...such a beast in this world?" 　　"Mother, eldest sister, now we can only..." 　　You Erjie's beautiful eyes flashed with a determined light of revenge as she lowered her voice and explained her plan. 　　To conceal Qin Keqing's existence and You Sanjie's purpose, You Erjie had to tell a white lie, saying that she needed to seek refuge in the Rongguo Mansion to avoid the beast's harassment. 　　"Second Sister, is this alright? We have no connection with the Rongguo Mansion; we're just outsiders." 　　Madam You, left with no other choice, could only agree to Second Sister's suggestion, but sighed with a worried expression, "This Jia Zhen is the master of the Ningguo Mansion. With just one word from him, who would dare to take us in? Let's go back to our hometown." Madam You's thoughts were similar to Qin Keqing's; faced with power, she instinctively wanted to escape. 　　Second Sister You explained again, then grasped Madam You's wrist, solemnly saying, "Eldest Sister, our best place is Daoxiang Village. If we can stall for time, once Third Sister returns, we can deal with Jia Zhen and his son." Saying this, Second Sister You suddenly tightened her grip, making Madam You's wrist ache, and said heavily, "Like Jia Zhen..."

Don't harbor any more hopes for sons like Zhong Xianggong and Jia Rong, or you'll surely suffer a fate worse than death.

Elder sister , my mother and I depend entirely on you for our safety. "

Alright then, what more can I hope for now!"

Two lines of tears welled up in Madam You's eyes. After a sob, she forced herself to compose herself and analyzed, "I have a good

relationship with Li Wan and know that she is a very kind person. Moreover, the Old Ancestress values her highly. As long as we

explain the truth to her, we should be able to hide in Daoxiang Village for a while without any problems! Besides..."

Madam You wiped away the bitter tears that had slid to the corners of her mouth and said, "Li Wan's son just happened to fall ill and needs someone to help take care of him.

We can use that as an excuse to go and find her.

That would be a reasonable excuse." "Good, eldest sister's idea is excellent!" Madam You's idea coincided with that of Second Sister You. Second Sister You was immediately delighted and

perfected her plan, saying, "Mother, eldest sister, you should go over there quickly and not come back tonight. I will stay

here to avoid arousing Jia Zhen's suspicion."

"But..." Madam You's beautiful face showed a mixture of worry and joy. She wanted to persuade Second Sister You to leave

the tiger's den , but Second Sister You interrupted her again.

"Mother, it's decided! I'm staying because I have other important matters to attend to. Don't worry, I have a way to protect myself,

but..." At this point, You Erjie and You Shi looked at each other, and You Erjie said again in a deep voice, "Eldest sister, now that I'm going to

deal with that little beast Jia Rong, won't you be reluctant?"

"Now that things have come to this, what is there for me to be reluctant about?" You Shi smiled bitterly, tears still wet on

her face, and gritted her teeth, saying, "I'll consider it ridding the world of a scourge. It's better for such a little beast to die sooner rather than later

! Sister, you're the one who should be careful."

"Eldest sister, then I'm relieved!"

The three women hugged each other, tears of emotion streaming down their faces.

The Daoxiang Village, which had been quiet for many years, suddenly became lively. The eldest mistress of Ningguo Mansion, You Shi, and her mother, You Furen, visited,

and once they arrived, they didn't leave. They were incredibly enthusiastic in helping Li Wan take care of Jia Lan, which made Grandmother Jia look at You Furen with new respect.

Li Wan's attitude was also unexpected. Not only did she unusually allow You Shi and her daughter to stay, but when Jia Zhen sent someone to take You Shi back

the next day , she refused and even brought up Grandmother Jia.

Grandmother Jia assumed that Li Wan had been lonely for too long and wanted someone to keep her company. Coupled with You Shi's clever words, she

naturally sided with Li Wan and even scolded Jia Zhen. Jia Zhen and his son had no rebuttal and no suspicion. They could only curse the heavens for their bad luck. Fortunately, there was the charming You Erjie

in Ningguo Mansion . Helplessly, they both shifted their focus. 　　Time flew by, and two or three more days passed. The strange illness of Jia Lan and his two daughters finally revealed itself. 　　The truth came out, but it terrified everyone in the mansion—smallpox! Jia Lan and his two daughters had contracted the terrible plague. 　　The crowds that had been constantly coming to visit them suddenly disappeared. Even the maids and servants in the three courtyards huddled in the corners, as if their young masters had become demons or vengeful ghosts. 　　Li Wan fainted on the spot, Aunt Zhao wept uncontrollably, and even Wang Xifeng, though strong, looked pale and distressed. 　　Smallpox was no ordinary illness; it had a very high mortality rate and was highly contagious, a deadly disease even in Jia Baoyu 's time. 　　In her most panicked moment, Wang Xifeng thought only of Baoyu. Ignoring the stares of others, she rushed into Yihong Courtyard. 　　Facing Wang Xifeng's expectant gaze, Baoyu sighed helplessly. Neither his magic nor the Five-Colored Divine Stone could cure the disease. 　　Being able to kill doesn't mean being able to save. Looking at Qiaojie on the bed, Baoyu felt the same heartache, but he said confidently, "Sister Feng, don't be afraid. I'm here. I'll definitely give you back a lively and energetic daughter." 　　"Really?" 　　Wang Xifeng was overjoyed and threw herself into Baoyu's arms. Fortunately, this place was now off-limits, and only Ping'er witnessed this scene. 　　"Baoyu, if you can't cure Qiaojie, I'll never forgive you!" 　　"Hehe, good sister, her life is in my hands!" 　　Baoyu pounded his chest, but his heart pounded with fear. However, at this moment, he had become Wang Xifeng's only hope, so he dared not show the slightest weakness. 　　At this moment, Grandmother Jia's wailing drifted in from outside the window. "How could this be? How could this be? What sins has my Jia family committed this time!" 　　Grandmother Jia dared not enter the inner courtyard and could only wait outside the gate. A group of young ladies and ladies also rushed to Wang Xifeng 's courtyard. As for Jia Lian, her father, upon hearing that Qiaojie had contracted smallpox, he had already disappeared without a trace. 　　Xue Baochai, learned and knowledgeable, frowned and said, "This is really strange. Didn't Qiaojie already get vaccinated? How could she still get smallpox?" 　　"Perhaps the inoculation didn't work!" Tan Chun's beautiful eyes were also filled with worry and confusion. She said, "Jia Huan was also vaccinated, as was Jia Lan, but they were all infected." 　　Lin Daiyu looked at the closed courtyard gate, her delicate mind thinking even more deeply. She said, "The three of them were vaccinated at different times, and by different doctors. How could it all have failed? It's really strange." 　　Xiangling, standing next to Madam Wang and Aunt Xue, couldn't help but chime in, "Don't panic, everyone. Baoyu will definitely have a way." 　　In her haste, Xiangling didn't think much, but her words immediately attracted strange . The more they knew Xiangling, the more surprised they were by her tone at that moment. 　　A hint of embarrassment flashed across Xiangling's face, but Aunt Xue was even more flustered, hurriedly saying, "Baoyu's out! Quickly ask Qiaojie if she really has smallpox; perhaps it's a misdiagnosis by an incompetent doctor." 　　The urgent illness indeed diverted everyone's attention, but Baoyu's response only made their hearts heavier. It really was smallpox, a plague with an extremely high mortality rate. 　　Baoyu comforted the women as he had comforted Wang Xifeng, then with a wave of his hand, he assumed a new role in his life —the chief commander of the smallpox treatment effort.

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