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

Page 145

Xiangling gave her a strange look and asked in confusion:

"It's not like the young lady copied the annotations herself, so what's the harm in sending them away? She can just buy another copy later. Lord Lin's annotation books are sold in his family's bookstore."

"Have it?"

Qingwen stared at Xiangling for a long time with wide eyes, but finally gave in to her intelligent gaze and raised her hands in surrender.

"Miss Lin is truly clever; she thought of everything in just a few words..."

"You should read more books too."

"Hmph! You ungrateful wretch!"

"Ok?"

……

Chapter Fifteen: I Want Them All

After everyone had visited Hengwu Garden and then the Jade Emperor Temple, the trip was considered complete. Granny Liu stayed at the Jia family's residence for two or three days before returning to her hometown with one hundred taels of silver given to her by Lady Wang.

However, Aunt Xue became increasingly restless after returning home.

Grandmother Jia loved lively gatherings and colorful things. She especially loved having her grandchildren dressed up beautifully and surrounding her, which she considered the true joy of family life.

Those who are family know their own situation. Although Baochai is extremely beautiful and usually treats people kindly and generously, she is actually a cold-hearted person who never cares about cosmetics.

A perfectly good young lady, her boudoir was decorated like a snow cave, looking even more austere than a nun's room.

When Grandmother Jia suddenly decided to visit the garden, Aunt Xue was on tenterhooks, worried that Baochai's behavior might inadvertently offend Grandmother Jia. However, upon arriving at Hengwu Garden, she found that there seemed to be nothing amiss.

But as soon as one worry is put aside, another one resurfaces.

Even her own mother couldn't change her daughter's personality, so how come her room is suddenly filled with rouge and powder, all dressed up in red and green?

Thinking back to what happened in the pear blossom spring rain, Aunt Xue couldn't sleep all night. She wished Gu Yu would come back immediately so she could arrange a marriage between Baoqin and Gu Yu, and then Baochai would give up.

After all, her good daughter would never accept the idea of ​​sisters sharing a husband.

That afternoon, Baochai was about to return to the garden to enjoy the pear blossoms and spring rain when a maidservant called out to her:

"Miss, Madam says she needs to see you and wants you to go back quickly."

Baochai remembered that Xiangling was from her mother's courtyard, so she could only turn around and ask Xichun, who was traveling with her, to teach Xiangling, while she took Ying'er back to visit Aunt Xue.

"Where is Sister Bao going?"

Daiyu, who had spent some more time talking with Grandmother Jia, came over from behind and looked curiously at Baochai's back. Seeing Xichun's happy expression, she asked her.

"Baojie was summoned by her aunt, who asked me to teach Xiangling poetry."

Xichun tilted her head with a grin, eager to go back and reserve her seat, but unexpectedly Daiyu quickly stopped her.

"Hey! Fourth Sister, wait a minute! Don't you still have a painting to paint? I happen to have some free time, how about I go and paint for Sister Bao?"

Daiyu coughed lightly twice, her gaze wandering to the side of Xichun, but she dared not look at anyone.

Xi Chun pursed her lips, and seeing that no one was around, she simply decided to be frank:

"Is Sister Lin going to find Xiangling, or to Brother Yu's bed? Last time I noticed that it smelled like Sister Lin, but I couldn't smell Brother Yu's scent at all!"

"!!"

Daiyu's jade-like fingers, which were holding the handkerchief, suddenly froze. A blush gradually crept onto her face. She glanced guiltily at the sulking Xichun, unable to utter a single word of explanation.

She was usually very careful, only secretly smelling the lingering fragrance. But last time she went there and stayed to exercise, she worked up a sweat and completely covered up Yu-gege's scent. She didn't expect to be discovered so quickly.

"...How did you smell it?"

Daiyu suddenly noticed a blind spot and looked suspiciously at Xichun, who was pouting. When she saw Xichun's eyelids twitch, her heartbeat suddenly calmed down, and she straightened up with a relaxed air.

"I...I...I don't care, I'm going this time anyway, Sister Lin, you should go back first."

After a brief exchange between the two equally matched individuals, Xichun simply changed tactics, turning around and leaving without further ado about talking to Daiyu.

Knowing she was in the wrong, Daiyu could only stomp her feet and regretfully return to Xiaoxiang Pavilion. As soon as she entered, Zijuan waved at her happily, holding a letter in her hand.

"Girl, another letter has arrived from the south."

"What?! Let me see it quickly—it's Father's again..."

Daiyu excitedly took the package and opened it, but when she saw that the signature was Lin Ruhai, her excitement immediately subsided.

"That's good news! Maybe he's already on his way, which is why he hasn't had time to send a letter."

Zijuan tried her best to find reasons to comfort Daiyu, while gazing longingly at Daiyu as she read the letter, hoping to hear a word or two from Gu Yu.

After all, Gu Yu was right beside Lin Ruhai, and she would say a word or two in her replies to the last two letters, so this time would probably be no exception.

"My father said that Brother Yu's fame has spread far and wide in Jiangnan, and the news will surely reach the capital soon... He won't even say what it is, humph!... What?!"

"what happened?"

As she read the second half of the letter, Daiyu bit her lip, a hint of grievance flashing in her eyes, and her mood became even more depressed.

"Brother Yu needs to go back to the ancestral hall to offer sacrifices, so he might not be able to return to the capital for a few more days."

"This……"

……

Meanwhile, Aunt Xue was issuing an ultimatum to Baochai:

"As you know, your sister Qin came to the capital this time as a betrothal gift, but unfortunately your uncle died early, and there was no written agreement at the time, only a verbal promise."

"I thought the Mei family had been scholars for generations, and there was no reason for such a family not to marry into it. But after inquiring around these days, I found out that the Mei family's son is only twenty-three years old and has already passed the imperial examination. Many families in the city are discussing marriage with him. It's really hard to say what will happen."

Baochai lowered her eyelids, staring blankly at the pattern on her skirt, her mind filled with indifference.

Although Baoqin was her cousin, what did her future husband have to do with her? She really didn't understand why she had been called over to talk about Baoqin's marriage.

"...In my opinion, this marriage is really hard to say. Your sister Qin is getting older, and she should seriously consider her future. What do you think of Yu-ge'er as a good match for her?"

"mother!"

Baochai suddenly looked up and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, startling Aunt Xue who was unprepared. She quickly composed herself, took a deep breath, and said:

"Sister Qin hasn't even met Brother Yu yet, how can you be so presumptuous as to try and matchmake her? Besides, whether it will even work out is still uncertain. You're already looking for someone better while you're still single, what about Sister Qin's reputation? Right now, the important thing is—"

Aunt Xue stared intently at Baochai's face, her usually kind gaze now revealing a sharp edge, causing Baochai to lower her voice and finally shut up.

“You’ve always been opinionated since you were little. I’ve never kept anything from you. It’s better to be upfront about things today to avoid causing a huge uproar later.”

"What did you promise me the other day? I told you to stay away from Yu-ge'er, did you listen? Are you really going to abandon the Xue family? Chai'er! Don't forget what your father told you!"

Aunt Xue stood up with a pained expression, looking down at her beloved daughter whom she had always been so proud of, her eyes filled with resentment and disappointment.

My daughter has always been sensible and knows that only by marrying Baoyu can she fulfill her late father's last wish. So why is she so fixated on this matter?!

She's lived most of her life and has seen and heard countless stories of lovesick men and women. What is there that she can't see through?

Even if the daughter is unwilling, as long as she is wronged just once, who will remember the slight tremor in her heart back then after a few years?

Baochai held her breath, trying to get up and leave, but Aunt Xue blocked her way completely, making it impossible for her to escape. Finally, she couldn't help but let out a venting:

"Mother! Father's biggest worries before he died were the Xue family's legacy and us."

"When you brought me to the Jia family, you were thinking of protecting the Xue family's business. I didn't complain. But now that you're doing business with Brother Yu and you've clearly become enlightened, why do you still make me do things I don't like?"

"The Jia family has two Dukes in one family. Does that mean the Gu family is inferior? Always trying to take advantage of the Jia family's power—you know perfectly well whether this idea was your own or someone else's. I advise you to think this through carefully. Today you can push me to compete with her niece, but tomorrow you can disown me as your sister!"

"you!"

Baochai closed her eyes tightly, gritted her teeth, and tilted her head back, waiting for the expected slap. Ying'er heard the commotion outside the door and was about to come in, but was chased out by Aunt Xue.

"Hmph! ...You're young and naive. No matter how close your niece is, she's from another branch of the family. How can she compare to your own daughter-in-law? Since you brought up the Gu family, wasn't I just saying I was going to propose to Baoqin?"

"By then, the Gu and Jia families will be in-laws. Yu-ge'er is kind-hearted and will naturally be willing to help. With you in the Jia family, this is the perfect solution! Do you really want to share a husband with Baoqin? Wouldn't that make you a laughing stock!"

……

Chapter Sixteen: The Rebellious Phase Has Arrived

The argument that took place in Aunt Xue's courtyard went unnoticed. However, when Ying'er returned home and saw Baochai with swollen eyes from crying, she felt sorry for her and told Daiyu and the others about it.

The next morning, the women went to Hengwu Garden together. After dismissing the servants, Daiyu looked at Baochai, who was lying on the bed with a haggard face, and sat by the bedside, holding her small hand to comfort her:

"Don't overthink it. After all, your aunt doesn't have any ulterior motives. At worst, you can just ignore her. When Brother Yu comes back, you can leave him to his care. He'll definitely find a way to win your aunt back."

A hint of longing flashed in Baochai's swollen eyes. She closed them wearily. In the past few years, she had begun to learn how to interact with people and handle mundane matters at a young age.

Everyone praises her for being generous, poised, and charming, but who has ever asked her if it was voluntary?

In the years after losing her father, her brother was still confused and only cared about playing. She cried half the night and slept half the night, and she just endured it all.

Now that she finally has someone to rely on, her mother is stubborn and wants her to continue to suffer. She can't take it anymore.

Looking around at her sisters, Baochai suddenly straightened up, took a deep breath, a hint of vengeful pleasure flashing in her eyes, and softly said:

“My mother said that there might be a change in Qin’s marriage, so she wanted to introduce her to Yu.”

"What?! What about a few days ago...!"

Daiyu opened her eyes wide, turned around and glared at Zijuan, who had previously spoken up for Baoqin, then turned back to wait quietly for what was to come.

"When the time comes, you all need to help me keep it a secret from Sister Qin, and let her meet with Brother Yu first."

"Sister Bao, what's wrong?"

As she imagined the scene, Baochai's heart began to race. She felt a sense of pleasure, as if she had done something naughty, and she couldn't help but swallow.

"My mother said that sisters sharing a husband is a joke... Humph!"

Such bold words could only be uttered among this group of close friends who had all tasted meat. Daiyu and the others had also met the You sisters, so they were not shy at all and quickly accepted the idea.

"Sister Bao, are you so sure that Brother Yu can win over Sister Qin before Auntie says anything? Don't make things worse and make Sister Qin resentful, that wouldn't be good."

Tan Chun listened for a long time. Although she did not object to the suggestion, she was generous by nature and got along well with Bao Qin, so she understood her a little better.

How could someone as worldly and well-traveled as Baoqin fall for someone so quickly? Even Baochai herself wouldn't have fallen for someone so fast.

Baochai was now completely invigorated. Hearing Tanchun's words, she simply smiled, looked up, and nodded to Xiangyun, who was eating melons nearby:

"Sister Yun has quite a fiery temper, but she was still defeated in just one move, wasn't she?"

"Oh?"

The women all perked up their ears, quite interested in the details. How could Xiangyun be won over in just one round? They themselves had struggled several times before falling for her.

"Ah! Sister Bao, you mustn't talk nonsense!"

Finally realizing what was happening, Xiangyun blushed and jumped up excitedly at her sisters' teasing looks, eliciting bursts of snickers. In the end, she simply confessed that she had asked someone to get her involved:

"Sister Lin, don't laugh. Brother Yu also said that you usually like to sleep on him!"

"Ah!! Shut up!"

"Brother Yu also said that he likes to pick up Sister Xichun the most, mmm!"

"Tear her mouth apart!"

"Don't tell!!"

……

After lying in Hengwu Garden for two days, Baochai finally resumed her usual routine. Seeing Baochai's more silent and withdrawn demeanor than usual, Aunt Xue felt both heartache and relief. For the first time, she didn't even listen to what Lady Wang was saying.

"Sister? Sister?"

"Hmm—ah? Where were we, sister?"

Lady Wang glanced at Baochai, who was sitting not far away below Grandmother Jia, and comforted her:

“Bao’er is in good health; a couple of days of cold won’t hurt her. I was just saying, you should also urge Bao’er to go to Yihong Courtyard more often to see Baoyu and have a chat.”

"The one the old lady has set her sights on is hopeless now. If Baoyu just takes the initiative to ask, she'll definitely agree. It's just that he doesn't listen to his mother much, sigh!"

Aunt Xue forced a smile and whispered a few words of agreement, but her mind was also a mess.

When they started hyping up the idea of ​​a perfect match, they were convinced that the biggest obstacle was Grandmother Jia. They believed that the matter would not be accomplished until Grandmother Jia gave her her consent.

Who would have thought that after Gu Yu arrived, he would directly undermine the cause of the conflict. First, he gained Lin Ruhai's approval, and then he won Daiyu's favor. Even Grandmother Jia could not force Lin Ruhai to marry his daughter to Baoyu.

Just when the biggest obstacle to the perfect match was gone, and it was time to go all out and finalize the matter, the two children caused another problem.