Dream of the Red Chamber: Master Peng, I Refuse to Be a Sucker

You are so strong, do you have a reputation? Are you an innate master? Are you a relative of the emperor? Are you as rich as the country? You are nothing but a tough talker? A duck?

Why is there always such a plot to rob Qin Keqing?

They are all veteran authors, why are they not making progress at all? Only two chapters a day, and the taste is gone as soon as you read it. Two chapters a day is just a superficial taste, and you will be afraid of dying if you keep reading. I don't want to start with ten chapters on the first day like those who have been famous for a long time, and then finish with three chapters every day. You should stick to at least three chapters a day, right? It also proves that this book is updated diligently, and there is no need to worry about updating it as quickly as the previous one.

Isn't this the Red Mansion's trick to win over the world?

Jiangjiang is here, the author cheers for me, and feeds Wangzai steamed buns, Coca-Cola, 7X, Mirinda, lollipops, and a can of pineapple beer hehehe——

It was quite interesting to watch, but why is it gone? . . .

Why aren't you updating anymore? I'm dying.

Very strange, is there something wrong with Qin Keqing? Theoretically the most beautiful character, the right one in terms of time and age, it is impossible to leave it to the Ning Guo Mansion, or is it because he has seen too many Cao thieves in his head? , A mistress with a weak and scholarly family is also the most suitable, as she is easy to shape and fits well in the courtyard drama. (The male protagonist's development will definitely involve Ningguo Mansion, so he can move in)

Haha, I won't be able to write anymore after taking down Qin Keqing. If The Red Mansion doesn't cover the people in the Jia family, there won't be much material to write about. I should write about the identities of the two families, otherwise you won't be able to get involved in the Jia family.

(Ai) The perspective you proposed is very sharp and touches on a core and controversial interpretation direction in the study of "Dream of Red Mansions". Combining Qin Keqing's background as an "adopted daughter in a health care hall", the extremely stylized room layout, and the extravagant funeral that exceeds common sense, it indeed constitutes a set of hidden narratives pointing to "unconventional identity and function." This is not just curiosity, but a metaphor of possibility deeply rooted in Chinese traditional culture and social structure. The following is a hierarchical discussion of this possibility based on the cultural background: 1. Cultural background: family concubines, adopted daughters and social tools In the aristocratic society of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was a tacit norm for wealthy families to maintain "concubines" or "troupes" for social entertainment and win-win relationships. These women usually come from humble backgrounds (either bought, sold, or adopted), trained in talents, and their functions are both "respectable entertainment" and "grey trade." · The ambiguity and plasticity of the adopted daughter's identity: Qin Keqing's "adoption in the health hall" setting completely cleared her blood and social relationships, making her a "rootless" blank person. This brings great convenience to the narrative - she can escape from the constraints of normal family ethics and be given any "function", and once something happens (such as a scandal), it is the easiest to cut off and will not involve the real noble network. · The protection of the title of "Grandma Rong": giving her a legal and decent status as "granddaughter-in-law" (Jia Rong's wife) is the most advanced "packaging". This makes her different from ordinary concubines or maids, and she can be "received" at a higher level and on more private occasions (such as entering his bedroom) without damaging the surface dignity of Ningguo Mansion. Jia Rong's image in the book is weak and vague, more like a nominal husband, which further strengthens Qin Keqing's functional independence. 2. Room decoration: a carefully designed "lust/power" display space Qin Keqing's bedroom (Chapter 5) is one of the most surreal scenes in the book. It is by no means a simple description of luxury, but a collection of symbols full of sexual hints and power metaphors. · The straightforwardness of symbols: · Wu Zetian's treasured mirror, Zhao Feiyan's golden plate, An Lushan's papaya that hurt Taizhen's breasts by throwing them at her: these objects all point to the most controversial women in Chinese history, who intervened in the core of the highest power with their beauty and lust, and their romantic cases. · The gauze quilt worn by Xizi Huan, and the mandarin pillow held by the matchmaker: the former is a stunning beauty, and the latter is the puller of an affair. · Cultural metaphor: This room is not the boudoir of a girl or an ordinary young woman, but a carefully decorated "stage" full of historical erotic allusions. The message it conveys to those who enter (first Baoyu, and then other distinguished guests) is that the owner here is closely connected with the concepts of "stunning beauty", "beautiful beauty", "transcendence of ethics" and "access to power". This is a high-level suggestion and mobilization of the visitor's psychology. Its "explicitness" does not lie in the exposure of the furnishings themselves, but in the clearness and boldness of its cultural orientation. 3. The Funeral: The Ultimate Confirmation of the Power Network Qin Keqing's funeral (Chapter 13) was an unprecedented event in Ning Rong's Second Mansion, and its anomalies are the key to interpreting its true function. 1. Jia Zhen's abnormal behavior: · "Trying all I have": The father-in-law went to the extent of spending everything he had on his daughter-in-law's funeral, which was unethical and excessive grief suggested that the relationship was unusual. · "I wish I could die on my behalf": This statement seriously crossed the line, publicly confirming Jiao Da's curse of "crawling in ashes" and revealing the corruption within the Ningguo Mansion. 2. The making of the coffin: · Used wooden planks "originally requested by Prince Yoshitada, Chitose". Giving a prince-level coffin to a young daughter-in-law is a serious political transgression. This implies that either Jia Zhen is so crazy that she does not care about the safety of her family, or Qin Keqing's true value or connection makes Jia Zhen think it is worthy/must be sent with this specification - she may be directly or indirectly related to the political network of the "Prince Yi Zhong" who failed to ascend the throne. 3. Specifications for mourners: · The four major princes (Dongping, Nan'an, Xining, and Beijing) set up sacrificial tents, especially Beijing Wang Shuirong attended in person and summoned Jia Baoyu. The funeral of the adopted daughter of a military officer and the wife of a fifth-grade dragon captain would never alarm the top young prince in the dynasty. · Cultural Interpretation: This can only show that the dignitaries who came to express their condolences were not mourning the nominal identity of "Jia Rong's wife", but the "relationship" or "value" she represented that was hidden behind the Ningguo Mansion. Her death was an important private meeting of this secretive network. The appearance of King Beijing was particularly meaningful. His contact with the Jia family paved the way for the Jia family to be involved in more complex political struggles in the future. 4. Comprehensive discussion: a narrative possibility Combining the above three points, we can construct a logical chain that conforms to the unspoken rules of Qing Dynasty social culture: 1. Birth design: Qin Keqing is set as the "adopted daughter of the health hall" in order to create a perfect carrier with a clean background, easy to control, and no involvement with her natal family. 2. Functional endowment: Ning Guofu (probably led by Jia Zhen) cultivated her into a very charming woman with both talent and appearance, and gave her the decent status of "Grandma Rong". One of her core functions is to use her beauty and wisdom to receive and win over political allies and powerful figures who are useful to Jia's family at the most private and high-level level of Ningguo Mansion. Her bedroom is a "top club" specially designed for this function. 3. The root of the tragedy: In this role, she may be involuntarily dealing with powerful people (including Jia Zhen herself), falling into the quagmire of lust and power. Her death (whether due to illness or the "lost death" of the manuscript) was directly related to this overwhelming "function." 4. Funeral confirmation: Her funeral was actually the last public confirmation and display of the secret power relationship behind her. The arrival of dignitaries from all walks of life is not only a posthumous recognition of her "function", but also a last-ditch effort by the Jia family to show off their connections and try to consolidate relationships. This explains all the anomalies in the specifications. Conclusion: This interpretation is not conclusive, but it has strong textual internal logic and cultural rationality. It does not mean that Qin Keqing is a simple "tool". On the contrary, Cao Xueqin's writing style is full of compassion. In such a structure, Qin Keqing's tragedy is even more profound: she is a beautiful soul who was deprived of her true origin and objectified as a high-level social bargaining chip. Her early death was a victim of the rotten core of Ningguo Mansion and even the entire aristocratic class. The fragrance of her room and the scenery of the funeral form a cruel contrast with her desolate life experience and painful heart, which perfectly interprets the illusion of "love in heaven, love, sea, illusion of love and body" in the "Judgment" and the source of evil in "the beginning of provocation is peace". Through this kind of "curved pen" and "blank space", Cao Xueqin not only avoids the risks that may be caused by direct description, but also uses amazing cultural codes to construct a tragic image full of tension that can be continuously decoded by later generations of readers, thereby achieving the dual depth of criticizing society and compassion for human nature.