【Illustrated Record of Fragrance】【58】【Author: Qingzhu Qiu】

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter Fifty-Eight: At Conggui Manor, Ten Beauties Are Appraised; at Hongxiang Courtyard, a Beauty's Cheek is Added; and Three Hairs Are Imitated. It is said that Liu Wuguan was sitting alone by the window at Conggui Manor, painting. He noticed an empty space on the outer wall, devoid of any paintings or calligraphy. He thought of painting a landscape himself to hang there for his leisure time. He considered meticulous brushwork, but found it too wasteful and lacking in refinement. He decided on a large-scale painting, using ink to write "Returning Boat in Wind and Rain," which would be quite elegant and interesting. He also considered having Xiang write a couplet in large cursive script, which would complement the painting well. Moreover, the weather was cool after the rain this morning, perfect for painting. Having decided on his approach, he found a piece of calligraphy and painting paper, dipped a large brush in ink, and quickly applied varying shades. In a short time, the basic composition was complete. The distant mountains were verdant, and the nearby trees were shrouded in mist, giving the viewer a sense of coolness. One could almost hear the whistling wind and the pattering rain on the paper. After finishing, Wuguan was quite satisfied with his work. Just as he was about to compose a few striking inscriptions, he suddenly saw Xiao Ru and the others enter, laughing and praising the painting. Caught off guard, he was startled and quickly put down his brush with a grin, rising to offer them seats. He then tried to hide the painting from everyone.
Erlang stepped forward, pressing down on the paper with both hands, saying, "We've already peeked at it for a while, what are you trying to hide?" As he spoke, everyone gathered around, praising it in unison. Wu Guan, unable to hide it any longer, could only laugh and walk away, saying, "What's so amazing about it? It'll just be a laughingstock, nothing serious. Luckily, I'm thick-skinned, I'm not afraid of your laughter." Xiao Ru, while admiring the painting, looked up and saw Wu Guan again: wearing a lotus-root-colored, double-breasted gauze blouse with cicada-like weeping patterns, over which was a purple bamboo-patterned, butterfly-shaped, ice-slice, and plum-flower patterned vest, pinkish-white Hangzhou silk trousers, tied with a pale peach-red swastika-patterned hollow tassel, and brown mesh sandals. Indeed, she was as graceful as a statue, her spirit as serene as a gentle breeze. Xiao Ru couldn't help but exclaim, "Born to be such a person, and endowed with such talent; I truly dare not have lived in vain!" Hearing Xiao Ru's sudden remark and seeing him staring intently at him, Wu Guan felt quite embarrassed. His face flushed, and he turned to Wang Lan, saying, "Zhe Xiang, what do you think of this painting of mine?" Wang Lan and the others also praised it highly, saying, "This painting is close to Mi Fu's, as if it were a work by a second hand. Moreover, the brushwork is vivid, far beyond what a beginner could achieve. When autumn cools down tomorrow, we all want you to paint one or two pieces." Wu Guan laughed, "You don't mind my bad attitude, and you won't even ask me to pay for the paper? I'll..." "I'd be happy to paint and bring you your paper to try my hand. To tell you the truth, this painting is for patching the outer wall panel." Saying this, she pointed to the spot and said, "The painting here is complete, but I'm still missing a couplet. I'd like to trouble you, Xiang, to write one for me. Another day, allow me to quietly paint two scrolls of beautiful women, using stories from *Dream of the Red Chamber* and *The West Chamber*, to hang in the rooms of Xiang's wife and aunts. Is that alright?" Wang Lan said, "Thank you, thank you. Consider it a work exchange. I'll write the couplet and send it over tomorrow. You don't need to buy paper; I have ready-made gold-flecked paper from the capital." "You can't buy such fine stationery in Lichang. I'll give you a set; it'll match your painting and hang in your room." Wu Guan smiled and said, "I thank you too, thank you. My 'thank you' is more appropriate than yours. Since we're exchanging work for work, you don't need to thank me for the painting, and I don't need to thank you for the calligraphy. My 'thank you' is for giving me such fine stationery; it's much more appropriate than your 'thank you.'" Wang Lan also laughed and said, "Fine, fine, fine, I don't understand. You don't even understand such a simple phrase..." Every word must be carefully considered to determine its weight. You mentioned sending me beauties, but then you brought up another matter.
Just now, Xiao Qu said you painted a scroll of ten beauties the other day, which was quite good. Where do you hang it? Could you show it to us?" Wu Guan laughed and said, "Don't listen to Xiao Qu. What's so special about that painting! It's hanging in the inner room. You can go and see for yourselves. If you find any flaws, don't make fun of me, or I won't stand for it." Hearing this, Wang Lan and the others all went into the inner room. They saw that on the east side, a small bedroom was partitioned off using a bamboo frame with eight-treasure floral patterns. The furnishings inside were exquisite. A light blue gauze curtain with official floral patterns hung on the ceiling, covered with a white silk curtain edge and trimmed with three wide strips of jade-colored official gauze. In the center was Wu Guan's own painting, "Jade Hall Spring: Wealth and Prosperity." On the couch was a soft mat with a dragon beard grass pattern, a Hangzhou ten-brocade fragrant pillow, and two thin gauze quilts, one red and one green. Inside the tent, hanging ornaments such as a saddlebag and a whisk were placed. A sandalwood half-table sat before it, upon which sat a pot of jasmine and two pots of orchids. Entering the room, a delicate fragrance filled the air, and a gentle breeze instantly dispelled the summer heat. A green gauze curtain, with a short glass window embedded in the center, framed the back courtyard. Outside, banana trees, weeping willows, paulownia trees, and asparagus ferns cast shadows across the window, preventing sunlight from penetrating even at midday. Before the window stood a small marble-centered square table, upon which were stacked books and fine writing implements—truly a sight to behold.
On the lower wall hung a horizontal scroll, the painting Mei Xian had described. The group approached for a closer look and indeed, it depicted ten beautiful women, some sitting, some standing, some playing with their ribbons in the breeze, some leaning silently against bamboo, each exquisitely rendered. Moreover, each of the ten beauties possessed a different posture, and each held an object in their hands. The clothing and hair were meticulously detailed. Beside it were added grass, trees, rocks, railings, and courtyards, all meticulously arranged to create a serene and harmonious scene. Everyone praised it highly, saying, "Truly a fine painting, worthy of Xiao Qu's praise. Even we, upon seeing it, are reluctant to put it down." Wang Lan said, "I don't want you to paint two scrolls of beauties for me; I'd rather you paint one like this." Wu Guan shook his head, saying, "I can only do so if it pleases me; I dare not necessarily agree. You make it sound so easy, but I don't know how much trouble I've gone through!" He then went to wake the young boy and brought him tea. Everyone sat down casually, drinking tea and chatting.
Erlang said, "The most wonderful thing outside this window is the few banana trees, which look exceptionally beautiful reflected on this green gauze. As the saying goes, 'Banana trees outside the window, people inside the window.'" Upon hearing this, everyone laughed. Xiao Ru said, "The Five Officials have drawn ten beauties out of thin air, each holding an object. It must depict a story. I've thought about it for a long time but haven't figured it out. Why don't you tell us?" The Five Officials replied, "There's no story. If I were to draw other stories, I'd only have three or five people at most, and they couldn't all be women. Only the Twelve Beauties of Jinling have the most people, but that's too formulaic; everyone knows it's the Twelve Beauties at a glance. Besides, it's just a few drafts; I can't come up with anything new. I happened to read a book and came across Tang Liuru's 'Ten Beauties' painting for the Ning Prince of Jiangxi, but I've never seen anyone paint it. Unable to find a draft, I took the beauties from various drafts, made ten, and slightly modified them. I'm afraid that if I create something new, the painting won't fit properly, so I don't dare show it to anyone. I can only hang it in my room." "Inside, for my own amusement." Who knew you would see it and think it's wonderful? I don't believe it at all. I'm afraid you're deliberately making fun of me, praising me on purpose but actually belittling me. I don't blame anyone else, just blame Xiao Ban for being too talkative and telling you, which led to these words." Xiao Ru said, "People genuinely praised your painting as exquisite and divine. It's because you painted so well, not because we flattered you. You suspect we're making fun of you, so from now on we'll say your painting is bad, what do you think!" Wu Guan laughed and said, "Now that you say I'm bad, I don't believe it anymore." Wang Lan said, "So Wu Guan is imitating the 'Ten Beauties' painting presented to Chen Hao by Tang Liuru. I understand now." He then got up, pulled Xiao Ru back to the painting, and pointed it out to everyone, saying, "The two sitting opposite each other in the pavilion, pondering with their brushes, are Guang..." Ling Yujun Tang Zhiye was skilled in painting, and Jiahe Wenru Zhu Jiashu was skilled in calligraphy. The one dancing with a sword on the grass was Jiangling Xiao Feng Xiong Yu. In this courtyard, three beauties sat together on a stone step, playing music: the zither was Qiantang Xu Cai Liu Chunyang, the zheng was Jingxi Fangzhou Du Ruo, and the sheng was Luoyang Zhu Fang Hua'e. In the bamboo grove, the one playing the xiao was Gong'an Duanqing Xue Youduan, and the one clapping and singing softly was Jinling Fengsheng Qian Shao. Sitting cross-legged under the shade of a paulownia tree, playing the qin alone, was Gusu Wenzhou Mu Gui. To the left, outside a silent grove, a beauty dressed in white mourning clothes gazed sadly at a painting; this was the most outstanding of the ten beauties, Nanchang Suqiong Cui Ying; the painting she looked at was a small portrait of Wuxian Zhang Mengjin. These two, from different places, admired each other and vowed never to marry. Later, Cui... The painter Ji Sheng stole her likeness, painted a portrait, and presented it to Chen Hao, who then abducted her. Not long after, Zhang died of depression and malaria, and Cui, upon hearing this, also died. Tang Liuru buried them together at the foot of Xuanmu Mountain, and planted ten thousand plum trees on their graves. After saying this, he turned to Wu Guan and said, "Am I right?" Wu Guan said, "Not a bit off, how could you be wrong!" Wang Lan laughed again, "You said that this painting was pieced together from various painting books. Cui Suqiong standing outside the plum blossom grove, is that from the manuscript of 'The Beauty Comes Under the Moonlit Forest'? The others, like the one playing the zither, are imitations of 'Stopping the Zither, Standing in the Cool Moon, Playing the Flute'. The singer is Mu Xiaohong softly singing 'I Play the Flute,' but the flute player is a different woman." Everyone listened and said yes in unison, then got up and went to sit in the outer room. Wu Guan had two plates of melon and lotus root cut out for everyone to cool off. He also found some painting drafts and showed them to Wang Lan and the others.
Bo Qing suddenly said, "I heard Xiao Qu say that you can paint portraits, and Maeda even painted one for him. Why don't you paint all of us, and then add one or two scenes from the garden? The ancients had a painting called 'The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove,' so we can title it 'The Eight Recluses of Fragrance,' and even paint their faces, wouldn't that make eight people?" Before Bo Qing could finish speaking, Wang Lan clapped her hands and exclaimed, "I really forgot, thank goodness Bo Qing brought it up. Let's not delay, it's cool today, let's paint our faces first, and then add the rest of the scenery, and then slowly consider how to add them." Seeing that everyone had spoken up, and knowing that he had painted for Mei Xian, Wu Guan knew that he couldn't refuse, and said with a smile, "Painting is easy, but if it doesn't look like us, don't blame me." Bo Qing said, "If it doesn't look like us, I won't blame you at all, I'll just blame our faces for not being good enough, which makes it difficult for you to paint them like us, is that alright?" Everyone laughed.
Bo Qing then said, “This place is cramped and difficult to move around in. With so many people crammed here, it's probably too hot. Why don't we go to my Red Fragrance Courtyard? I'll prepare some exquisite, cool, and delicious dishes to invite Wu Guan to join me in his painting.” Hearing this, everyone stood up and, without giving Wu Guan a chance to object, took his painting supplies and invited him to come along. Upon arriving at the Red Fragrance Courtyard, Bo Qing immediately instructed Lian'er to have the kitchen prepare dinner. “Lunch will also be served here; just add one or two dishes as you like.” Bo Qing then found a large, high-quality piece of paper, twelve feet long. Wu Guan unfolded it, first pointing out where to paint the figures, where to add scenery, and where to embellish the flowers, trees, and pavilions, establishing the positions. He then folded the paper to create boundaries, leaving only a small area for everyone to paint their faces.
Bo Qing said, “Lunch will be ready soon. Let's eat lunch first and then start painting, so we can finish in one go and avoid any mistakes.” He then ordered someone to hurry and serve the meal. After a short while, the food was served, and everyone sat down as they pleased. After the meal, the family cleared away the bowls and chopsticks, and Lian'er brought tea. Everyone rinsed their mouths and then discussed having their faces painted.
Wu Guan said, "Who would like to go first? Please come and sit opposite me." Wang Lan said, "I'll go first." So she sat down opposite Wu Guan, facing outwards. Bo Qing then had someone gently fan her from behind Wu Guan. Lian'er had already brewed several cups of rock sugar mung bean soup and honey-soaked watermelon juice, which were served in small crystal bowls, chilled with well water. Wu Guan took out a small piece of burnt willow twig, tied it to a wooden pen, moved her seat to the side, and carefully examined Wang Lan's face for a long time. Although she met this person every day, she only had a general understanding of him, not the details; she had not noticed all the subtle details on his face. Wang Lan couldn't help but burst into laughter when Wu Guan looked at her. Wu Guan said, "The face shouldn't be too stiff, nor too overly delicate. Just a slight smile will make it radiant and approachable." Wang Lan stopped laughing upon hearing this. After examining the drawing, Wu Guan picked up his brush and began drawing the nose and eyes. If there were any minor mistakes, he would sweep them away with a broom. He did this four or five times until the basic outline was complete. Then he handed it to everyone to see, saying, "Do you think it looks like the real thing? Once you start applying the colors, you won't be able to correct it." Xiao Ru reached out and took a look, immediately exclaiming, "It's so lifelike! So lifelike! It's exactly the same as the real thing!" Bo Qing, Er Lang, and the others also said it was extremely lifelike. Wang Lan also got up and looked at himself, then picked up a mirror and examined his reflection. He found it perfectly accurate and laughed, "Truly a likeness! I hate those portrait painters the most. Their skills are poor, yet they boast endlessly. People think they're good at portraiture, so they go to them for advice, only to find the result is worlds apart. If you say it's not a likeness, there's a semblance of something, perhaps in the eyebrows, eyes, ears, or nose; if you say it's similar, it's because no one recognizes it. Only when someone points out the face can they understand. Even close friends who see each other every day might not recognize each other. There was once a man who hired a mediocre painter to do his portrait, but the result was completely unlike his real appearance. The painter was furious, picked up a brush, and wrote on it..." The painter said, “I am not myself, and I doubt that he is not him. If my wife and children see me, they will ask me who I am.” Upon seeing this, the painter left in shame and dejection. “There are many such people practicing the Way these days, but how can they have such skill as Wu Guan?” The painter said, “This face of mine, even before being colored, already looks very similar. If I add color, it will be even more lifelike. I never expected Wu Guan to have such skill. I am in awe! It shows that a clever person can achieve anything. This portraiture of yours has not been taught. I fear that even if I had been taught, I would not have achieved such a divine skill.” Wu Guan said, “No need for your praise. I only ask that the faces of you be painted without being too far off. I will not worry about the rest of the background.” He then asked Wang Lan to sit down opposite him and began to paint the faces. Wang Lan had a fair complexion with a reddish tinge, and he only used a light layer of ochre. Truly, his brows radiated elegance, his eyes sparkled with life, and though he remained silent, his gaze was fixed on the spot, a smile playing on his cheeks. It was as if a face had been peeled off from Wang Lan's, lacking only the ability to speak. Everyone praised him in unison.
Wu Guan then turned to another side and said, "Who will paint now?" Erlang said, "I will paint." Erlang simply sat down in Wang Lan's place, and Wu Guan, in the same manner as Wang Lan, first carefully observed the painting for a while, then used a worn-out brush to create a base. After everyone had seen it and offered no criticism, he began to apply color. Soon, the sun began to set, and he had painted Wang Lan, Erlang, and Mei Xian in total. Wu Guan said, "Tomorrow morning, you will all come to Hongxiang Courtyard to paint. If you work hard all day, all five faces can be completed. Once you have the faces, adding the background will not be difficult." Everyone dispersed. Wang Lan took the painted faces and showed them to Jingyi and Luozhu, who also said they were very lifelike. Nothing more was said that night.
The next morning, Xiaoru and the others indeed gathered and arrived at Hongxiang Courtyard. Seeing Boqing get up and slip on his shoes to look at the flowers in the courtyard, he looked up and saw everyone entering. He laughed and said, "So early! Wuguan hasn't even arrived yet." Wang Lan said, "The sun has already set, it's not early at all. Wuguan hasn't gotten up yet, what a lazy child. You all stay here, I'll go and tease him." Saying this, she turned and went out. In less than half a moment, she and Wuguan came back in, laughing and chuckling all the way. Everyone greeted them, and the family brought out tea and snacks. After eating, Wuguan wiped down his brush and inkstone and began to paint faces for everyone. By afternoon, all the faces were finished. In the morning, Xiaoru also invited Yun Conglong over and added the painting; Wuguan then painted his own face in front of the mirror; making a total of eight people.
Everyone examined them carefully, and they were all incredibly lifelike, without a single flaw. Among them, the faces of Wang Lan, Meixian, and Xiaoru were particularly vivid and lifelike. Wang Lan said, "Our faces are painted so realistically, it's nothing special, it's just that he's skilled. But his own face, when copied in front of a mirror, is exactly the same. Many portrait painters can paint other people's faces, but not their own; it's said the result is reversed. Why aren't you afraid of your features being painted backwards?" Wu Guan laughed, "Writing backwards is easy; what's so difficult about that? They're just making it sound difficult. In my opinion, just treat the person in the mirror; it's no problem at all." Everyone nodded in agreement.
Inside, Madam Fang and the others, seeing how well Wu Guan was painted, were also pleased and discussed having their portraits painted together, including all the concubines and maids. Wu Guan was initially unwilling, but since Madam Fang and the others insisted, he couldn't refuse and reluctantly agreed. Fortunately, Wu Guan had seen all the ladies before, so they didn't need to avoid him. The next day, Wu Guan was invited inside, and Madam Fang began painting. It took five or six days to complete the portraits of all the ladies and maids, totaling more than twenty people. Xiao Ru also created a painting titled "Gathering of Beauties in the Spring Garden," and added one or two more scenes of the garden.
Wu Guan said, "These two paintings will take at least two months to complete!" Xiao Ru replied, "You can paint at your own pace. Rushing will not only harm your health in this hot weather, but also inevitably result in some careless mistakes. In my opinion, about four months is a good time to finish." Xiao Ru then wrote out a list, instructing Wu Guan to obtain the missing colors and other necessary materials.
From then on, Wu Guan spent half a day a day at Cong Gui Villa, never leaving the house. Firstly, to avoid the summer heat and prevent catching a chill from walking around in the sun. Secondly, to practice painting the scenes, he could gradually refine his skills. Although they said they aimed for April, finishing early would save them some worry. Xiao Ru and the others would frequently visit Conggui Villa to watch Wu Guan paint. They would also discuss any shortcomings and offer suggestions for additions or subtractions as needed.
Time flies, and autumn arrives in the blink of an eye. The scenes in the "Eight Recluses" painting are now complete. The painting depicts four gardens: Lanyu Pavilion, Hongxiang Courtyard, Bancun Pavilion, and Conggui Villa. Boqing and Wang Lan are depicted playing chess in a bamboo grove, while Han Cha watches from the sidelines with his hands behind his back. A young boy with down-heavy hair squats beside a stove, brewing tea. Above, a white crane hovers and sways, seemingly hesitant to descend, as if avoiding the smoke. Xiaoru and Conglong stroll leisurely on the grass, discussing their thoughts, followed by a servant carrying a towel, handkerchief, and a bowl. Erlang and Meixian sit on a rock under a paulownia tree; Erlang is engrossed in reading, while Meixian gestures and laughs beside him. Only Wuguan is depicted alone by the pond, leaning against the railing, watching the mandarin ducks playing on the water. Behind him stands a young boy holding a short, phoenix-tailed zither. The man with the five facial features wore a light blue overcoat, straw sandals, and cloth socks, his head bare, and he held a short, fine-leafed palm leaf fan in his hand—truly a figure of ethereal grace from the mountains and forests. The others were all bareheaded and wearing only single-layered shirts. The painting depicted early summer, with flowers and trees such as roses, pomegranates, daylilies, and horse chestnuts, some sparse, some dense, some neat, some leaning. The pavilions were sometimes hidden, sometimes visible, and the rocks and water plants, along with the clothing and footwear of the people, were all meticulously depicted with exceptional detail. He also inscribed five characters in the official script, reading "Painting of Eight Recluses," and signed it "Written by the Willow-Planting Fisherman on a Certain Date," adding the scene to the painting.
It turned out that since becoming skilled in painting, the man with the five facial features had adopted the nickname "Willow-Planting Fisherman," subtly incorporating his surname. Xiao Ru immediately ordered it to be decorated and hung in a small study at the east end of the Green Field Hall, where everyone who saw it praised it highly. Thus, the reputation of the fisherman under the willow tree soared. Those he knew naturally came to request paintings, and even strangers, drawn by his fame, would go through intermediaries to ask for calligraphy and paintings in an endless stream. The fisherman himself was delighted, agreeing to requests from the Zhang family and the Li family, keeping him busy all day. All the inscriptions were written by Wang Lan, further enhancing the fisherman's reputation. Some even asked him to inscribe paintings and write prefaces, making the fisherman exceptionally busy and proud.
Madam Fang frequently sent her maids to urge him to paint "The Gathering of Beauties." The ladies presented him with several exquisite needlework pieces as payment. But let's leave that aside.
It was now mid-July, and Madam Fang had already received Wanrong and Xiaofeng to discuss the betrothal gifts to the Gan family. Old Master Gan, in Yangzhou, also sent someone to the Chen family in Nanjing to present the betrothal gifts. Both the Chen and Gan families were now prominent clans, and their betrothal gifts were naturally exceptionally generous. Xiao Ru prepared several banquets, held a theatrical performance, and entertained guests, keeping everyone busy for several days before finally stopping.
When the Chen and Gan families were engaged, everyone was busy, and Wu Guan also had to spend two days helping with the arrangements. Therefore, the "Gathering of Beauties" painting was not completed until early August. The garden scenes added included the Duoyan Tower, Liuchun Pavilion, and Liangfan Pavilion. Madam Fang was depicted sitting by the railing under the Duoyan Tower, with her maid Hongwen standing behind her. Outside the railing was Shen Langu, holding Baosen in her arms. Miss Saizhen stood to the side, holding a fan behind her back, smiling slightly, as if she wanted to say something. Madam Fang held a large red peony in her hand, teasing Baosen. Baosen leaned over the railing with a grin, reaching out with both hands to catch the peony. This was Wu Guan's way of praising Madam Fang, implying that she was the queen of flowers, and also bringing good fortune to the third young master Baosen. The other ladies, some in groups of three, some in groups of five, were strolling leisurely among the flowers and willows with their maids, some playing games of guessing flowers and grasses, some sitting alone reading, and some fishing by the stream—each was different. All were dressed in simple, everyday attire, which only accentuated their natural grace and charm, making the courtyard more radiant than the flowers and willows. Above them, in small, elegant script, were the five characters "Spring Garden Gathering of Beauties," with only the date noted, without a signature.
Upon seeing this, Xiao Ru and the others thanked him profusely, saying with a smile, "There's no need for thanks. I'm just afraid the painting isn't good enough and won't meet Madam's expectations. I'd like to ask you, sir, to forgive me and put it nicely. Tell him you're just a beginner and can't paint large pieces. We also hope you gentlemen will understand." Xiao Ru laughed, "Listen to this! We only said 'thank you,' and he's already rambling on and on." He then turned and instructed the servants who had come with him to go and mount the painting, and send it to Madam. The group chatted for a while longer before dispersing.
Mid-Autumn Festival arrived in the blink of an eye, and all the usual customs and sentiments need not be elaborated upon. On that day, Xiao Ru prepared two banquets and invited Cong Long to come and enjoy the moon with everyone. Madam Fang also invited Wanrong and Xiaofeng to celebrate the reunion festival with the ladies. The next day, Cong Long also sent someone to invite Xiao Ru and the others to the yamen for wine and osmanthus appreciation. It was nothing more than invitations and feasts, a constant exchange of guests for entertainment. This Autumn Festival celebration lasted until the latter half of the month.
One day, Xiao Ru rose early for a leisurely stroll, heading to Cong Gui Villa to see Wu Guan. Passing Liu Chun Pavilion, he walked along the path behind Ban Cun Pavilion. Firstly, this path was shorter, and secondly, although it was late autumn, the weather was still warm; walking along this path, lined with mulberry and locust trees and rows of elms and willows, offered a cool respite from the scorching sun. Just as he reached the area behind the artificial rocks east of Ban Cun Pavilion, he suddenly heard a murmur of voices coming from the rocks. Xiao Ru stopped, leaned against the rocks, and listened intently. It was two people speaking, but because they were speaking so softly, he couldn't discern their voices. The next few sentences were spoken louder, and he heard it was the voice of his own maid, Hong Wen; the other only responded with polite acknowledgments, making it impossible to distinguish them.
Hongwen sighed and said, “We thousand sisters are all fortunate to have this job. The master is kind, and we haven’t been given heavy responsibilities. I’ve been here for almost seven or eight years, and the mistress hasn’t even raised her voice once, saying, ‘What more do you want?’ Even you sisters are treated well. I’ve seen the mistresses and young ladies of other households treat their servants with gentle words and pleasantries, never acting like masters, treating them almost like their own children. You haven’t seen a master who is difficult to talk to; he might scold or beat you, ordering you around, but that’s considered normal. The hired servants are treated a little better because they can come and go as they please; if they’re treated too harshly, they’ll leave. Only we maids, who were bought and sold out, even if we were beaten to death, we could only lose our lives; who could reason with him? Although I haven’t seen it myself, I’ve heard a lot. Don’t you see maids running away all the time? Why is that? It’s because the master treats them too harshly; they can’t see any hope of a better future.” They were beaten and scolded every morning and evening, which was bad enough; but they didn't realize that since their master treated them so cruelly, he couldn't be considerate of them. Even when they were over twenty and sent out for marriage, it was always a matter of choosing someone of lower status, young or old, without regard for the man's future. It's said that a woman's marriage is like being reborn. Therefore, after much deliberation, they decided that running away was the only option. Those with parents returned to their parents, and those without parents or siblings were better off; to put it bluntly, they could choose someone they liked and run away with him. This shows that these things weren't done with our good intentions, but were all forced upon us by our master. I think the most miserable people in the world are us maids. If we say that we sisters are truly blessed in our past lives, we are even happier than the girls from poor families! We've worn the finest silks and tasted the most delicious delicacies. "Upon hearing this, Xiao Ru nodded secretly, saying, 'It's clear that treating servants is the most difficult thing. Once they're treated cruelly, they develop resentment and are left with nothing but slander behind their backs. They say their master treated them harshly, so they had to choose someone to run away with. Even if the master treats them kindly, after the plum blossoms fade, they'll still harbor resentment. Mencius said, "Women are born wanting to have a home." This passage specifically refers to these resentful women and lonely men. I'll discuss with my wife another day whether to send the head maids away to marry, and choose younger maids to serve. Even if they don't want to escape, they might do something else awkward, and then it will be too late to regret it.' Then the maid replied, 'Sister Hong's words are absolutely correct. Our mistress treats people as kindly as all the ladies, without a doubt.'" In my opinion, among everyone, only our mistress is a bit harsh. She loves flattery and is always trying to save a little money. She's not one to scold or throw tantrums. Speaking of which, among us sisters, only Chunmei is not much worse off than us in this situation. Xiaoru, upon hearing this, realized it was Yuluan, the maid from Luozhu's room, and nodded, saying, "A person who treats others well will be known, and they won't hide it behind their back. Indeed, among everyone, the 'fragrant' mistress is a bit harsher than ours. It's clear they have good judgment and can recognize people well." Wanting to hear more of their conversation, Hongwen said, "Oh dear! We've been so busy talking that Madam still wants me to take some osmanthus flowers to put in a vase! Let's go pick them. It's inconvenient that Master Liu and his entourage are living in Conggui Manor now; otherwise, we'd be coming to the garden several times a day." "With that, the two of them laughed and ran off to Conggui Manor. Xiao Ru was afraid they would see him, and knew that it would be unseemly to listen to them talking in secret, so he took a step back, hid behind a rock, and let them go far away. After they turned the corner, he walked out step by step and also headed towards Conggui Manor."
As they approached the round gate, Hongwen looked up and saw her carrying a four- or five-foot-long branch of osmanthus, while Yuluan also carried several smaller branches, smiling as they came out. Upon seeing Xiaoru, they stood by, attending to him. Xiaoru asked, "Did you pick these osmanthus blossoms for Madam to arrange in a vase?" Hongwen replied. Xiaoru then stepped inside, followed by Hongwen and Yuluan. Entering the round gate, Xiaoru was immediately enveloped by a delicate, refreshing fragrance. Looking up, he saw dozens of osmanthus trees, blooming like brilliant gold. He stopped to admire them closely. A young servant boy, who had already seen Xiaoru, hurried inside to announce his arrival.
Wuguan lifted the curtain to greet him, and they exchanged good morning. Wuguan then invited Xiaoru to sit in the inner room. Xiaoru saw several folding fans on the table. Picking them up, he saw they were all made of genuine gold-plated paper, painted with flowers and birds, some still uncolored. Xiao Ru looked at the painting and couldn't stop praising it, saying, "The features you paint are becoming more and more exquisite. In another two years, it will truly be beyond compare." Wu Guan smiled and was about to reply when a burst of laughter came from outside the courtyard. Wang Lan and the others lifted the curtain and came in. Xiao Ru and Wu Guan quickly got up and invited everyone to sit down. Everyone vied to see the fans Wu Guan had painted, praising them one after another. Wang Lan was so pleased that she ground some ink, took the several fans Wu Guan had painted, picked up her brush, and painted them in one go. Truly, both her calligraphy and painting were excellent, exceptionally outstanding. Everyone passed around and admired them for a while before dispersing.
That evening, Xiao Ru returned to her room and recounted in detail what she had heard Hong Wen say in the garden during the day. Madam Fang said, "I've long wanted to marry Hongwen off, but I can't just rush into it. This girl has been with me for seven or eight years, and she's clever and charming in every way. I intend to choose a good family for her, so that I can do her a good job. Tomorrow, I'll discuss this with the ladies, and everyone should carefully search for suitable families. Once we find a good match, we'll send all the senior maids off to be married. We should also instruct the matchmakers to select several pretty, clever girls to fill the gaps. If we don't prepare early, and wait until they leave before choosing younger ones, it will be difficult to find someone experienced and knowledgeable. They'll need to guide them for two months. I think we should choose the younger ones first, and then develop the older ones. Is that alright?" Xiao Ru nodded repeatedly in agreement.
The next day, Madam Fang indeed told the ladies, and they all agreed. A day later, the maidservants were ordered to select several dozen young maids. The ladies each chose a few, paid their prices, and gave them names. The rest were sent back. The head maids were instructed to lead the others and train them in their duties. Enough of this digression.
One day, Xiao Ru was sitting in the main room chatting and laughing with Madam Fang and Lan Gu when Shuang Fu suddenly came in and reported, "Young Master, the Second Young Master has returned, and they came with Young Master Gan from Yangzhou." Hearing that Gan Lu had arrived, Xiao Ru quickly told Shuang Fu to invite Young Master Gan to the front hall. He changed his clothes and went out to greet him. What brings Gan Lu here? Let's find out in the next chapter.

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【Illustrated Record of Fragrance】【58】【Author: Qingzhu Qiu】

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