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

Page 127

When Gu Yu exposed her inner thoughts, Miaoyu felt both shy and happy, much like the friendship between Bo Ya and Zhong Ziqi. Her beautiful eyes were unconsciously fixed on Gu Yu, and she couldn't bear to look away. It took her a long time to react.

"Young Master Yu is too kind... Miaoyu's knowledge is so shallow, how could she be worthy of the title 'enlightened person'? —I wonder what confuses her?"

Gu Yu curled her lips into a smile, quickly concealing the slyness on her face. She deliberately sighed, exchanged a few seconds of eye contact with Miao Yu, and then spoke:

"Speaking of which, this issue is related to Miss Miaoyu."

"Is it related to me?"

Miaoyu, who had just looked away, turned back in surprise, but dared not look Gu Yu in the eye again. She lowered her head to pour herself a cup of tea and asked in a low voice:

"I wonder what the matter is?"

"Is Miss Miaoyu practicing Buddhism while still keeping her hair?"

"…Um."

"I remember that Miss Miaoyu was sickly since childhood and that's why she started practicing Buddhism to avoid disaster? But now that she's all alone, she's decided not to return to secular life. According to the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty, Miss Miaoyu only needs to return her ordination certificate to be considered to have returned to secular life, right?"

Miaoyu had her head down and couldn't see Gu Yu's expression, but she could vaguely sense an unfathomable smile in his words. Her heart skipped a beat, and after mumbling a couple of unclear words, she nodded in acknowledgment.

"That's right. My parents sent me to study under my master back then, but they passed away a few years later, and so did I..."

Seeing that Miaoyu's face didn't show much sadness, Gu Yu breathed a sigh of relief, sat up slightly, and continued to ask:

"Does Miss Miaoyu have any intention of returning to secular life?"

Miaoyu's breath hitched, as if she understood the subtext of Gu Yu's words. Her heart skipped a beat, but fearing she was overthinking it, she composed herself and spoke even more softly:

"It all depends on fate..."

The law of cause and effect?

Gu Yu curled his lips noncommittally. He always believed that human will could overcome fate. What was his was his, and what wasn't his was his if he wanted it!

"The concept of fate is too elusive. I'll just ask one question: does Miss Miaoyu consider a karmic entanglement to be fate?"

"Ok?"

Miaoyu raised her head in confusion, finally mustering the courage to glance at Gu Yu. Seeing his earnest expression, many distracting thoughts vanished from her mind, and she began to think seriously:

"It should be calculated. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are all part of the world. Good and bad relationships are all entanglements for people. If one does not seek to transcend worldly affairs, then there is naturally no difference."

"That puts me at ease."

"?"

Miaoyu sensed that there was something more to his words, but she was too embarrassed to ask further, so she could only purse her lips and say:

"Does Young Master Yu have any further questions?"

Gu Yu chuckled softly, leaned forward slightly, and carefully examined Miao Yu's delicate face, which was flushed with pink. Seeing that Miao Yu turned her face away uncomfortably, Gu Yu then spoke firmly:

"Fate... It seems Miss Miaoyu prefers to wait passively? I wonder if I do something to upset Miss Miaoyu, will she forgive me later?"

Something that's bothering you? Does it mean he's been neglecting her these past few days? She never expected him to be so considerate, noticing her among so many people…

Miaoyu felt a pang of sadness and bitterness in her heart. She couldn't help but stare at Gu Yu's hand on the table, as if an invisible force was firmly pulling her along.

"Hmm... Young Master Yu and I get along quite well, and you are quite methodical in your work. If there is anything you need, just do it. As long as you still have me in your heart—your confidant—why hesitate?"

Daiyu and Yingchun are all related to Gu Yu, so Miaoyu dares not act out because of this. Firstly, she has no official status, and secondly, they are all her friends, so why bother doing something that is thankless?

Gu Yu was secretly pleased. After all, she was a girl and was shy, so he didn't dare to be too direct. But he knew that she was a smart girl and would definitely be able to understand his unspoken meaning. He didn't expect her to give him such a definite answer. He was indeed quite proactive.

"In that case, I won't disturb your rest any longer. Just enjoy yourself to the fullest at the manor these days. When we get back to the manor, I'll come over and ask you for some advice."

Seeing Gu Yu take his leave with a smile, Miao Yu quickly saw him off. When she returned to her room, her face was also full of smiles, and she lay on the bed for a long time, unable to calm down.

"He's truly a rare talent..."

Chapter 86 The Current Situation of the Jia Family

"Second Madam, the Master complained that we didn't send enough ice, so he asked me to come and urge him to send more over quickly."

At the door, Wang Shanbao's wife, with a smile, asked Wang Xifeng, who had just sat down to rest for a short while. Xifeng slapped her forehead, looking belatedly realizing what was happening, and quickly stood up, annoyed:

"Look at my brain! I was serving the old lady just now and I was so hot that I almost forgot about this. Ping'er! Ping'er! Quickly tell the servants to send two more servings of ice to the master in the future."

"Ugh."

After exchanging a few more polite words with Wang Shanbao's wife, and leaving with a satisfied smile on her old face, another figure suddenly appeared in the room and stood beside Wang Xifeng.

"The ice in the manor has always been based on a fixed amount. If he comes to ask for it today and I come to ask for it tomorrow, where will we get so much ice to prepare?"

Looking at Jia Lian, who had just returned from a business trip to Ping'an Prefecture, Wang Xifeng noticed he seemed more composed than usual, which comforted her considerably. She softened her tone, a rare occurrence, and confided in him:

“The master has already sent someone to speak to him, how could I, a mere daughter-in-law, dare to contradict him? I’ll have to scrape together the money from all sides, and I’ll have to suffer a bit myself.”

"However, it is indeed hotter than in previous years. It's all thanks to Brother Yu taking Yingchun and the others out. Otherwise, I would have been burning up by myself and still wouldn't have been able to get so much ice out."

Jia Lian couldn't help but chuckle twice and said:

"Look at what you're saying. It's just a matter of spending a little more money. Why make yourself suffer like this? If the old lady finds out, she'll just scold you for being foolish."

"Spend more money? Humph!"

At this, Wang Xifeng immediately perked up, glared at Jia Lian, and sneered:

"Second Master, how much money did you make on your business trip to Ping'an Prefecture this time? You're talking so big, but now the manor is completely empty, and I'm about to have to give up my family and business. Where would I get any money?"

Jia Lian smiled awkwardly, touched his nose, and prepared to change the subject. After all, the business hadn't taken off yet. Although the steward accompanying him said that it would be a goldmine in the future, he hadn't seen any silver yet, so he naturally didn't dare to boast.

However, in Wang Xifeng's eyes now, Jia Lian has entered the right path, showing signs of a prodigal son returning home, and he is now willing to speak about things he was previously unwilling to mention:

"Everyone in this mansion, from top to bottom, has eight eyes to judge people. They're all either senior members or relatives. You can't get anything done without giving them a cold shoulder."

"The people below think they rely on me for their livelihood, which is why they listen to me. But the masters never touch money. If they fancy a gold maid or a silver servant, or an antique or calligraphy and painting, they just write a note and ask me to pay. Who am I supposed to turn to?"

“The income in the manor is decreasing year by year, but the men are still spending money extravagantly. In a few days, the second master will really have to cut flesh from my body and sell it to get money!”

"How could this be?... Hasn't this mansion always been like this for so many years? How did it come to this?"

Seeing the usually strong and shrewd Feng Jie so weak, Jia Lian was truly surprised. His Jia family not only had two dukes, but also so many estates outside the Great Wall, making them one of the most prominent families in the capital. If his Jia family was in trouble, who else could hold on?

Moreover, this mansion has always been so grand since he can remember, and there haven't been any major changes in all these years, so why is it no longer acceptable?

"How could that be? Does Second Master really think that a dozen or so estates and some shops can feed so many people? Last year, the income from the estates was only seven thousand taels of silver!"

"Second Master must have spent several hundred taels of silver a year just on social engagements, right? The First Master loves buying beautiful maids, the Second Master is fond of antiques, and the Old Madam cannot be neglected. Who can afford to spend several thousand taels? They're just living off their savings year after year. Once those savings are gone, who will they be able to rely on? They'll inevitably have to pawn their belongings!"

"Nonsense! How could my esteemed Rongguo Mansion bear the reputation of selling off its ancestral property? Just wait..."

Jia Lian's face was as black as charcoal. His good mood from returning from Ping'an Prefecture had completely vanished. He paced back and forth in the room, glancing at the tired-looking Wang Xifeng from time to time, with a hint of guilt on his face.

"Now that things have come to this... we can manage to divert our second sister's allowance this year, but what about next year? What about the year after?"

"I'll rest for a few days and then head to Ping'an Prefecture to get the business up and running as quickly as possible. With less expense on my part, you can have an easier time..."

"How is the business actually doing? How much income can you expect in a year?"

"Hmph, don't you know Brother Yu's abilities? This is truly a tremendous favor; you'll be making at least—"

Jia Lian, rarely so pleased with himself, was about to make a gesture to show off when he saw Wang Xifeng's gleaming eyes. He quickly withdrew his hand and said warily:

"Don't even think about whether this matter has been finalized or not. Besides, what kind of logic is it to expect us to subsidize the public funds?"

Wang Xifeng glared at him, annoyed, and said:

"Do you even need to tell me? The eldest and second masters only know how to hoard money for their own rooms. Does anyone care whether the public funds are enough? I can use the funds under my name, but the keys are still in the hands of the second mistress!"

Sensing the resentment in her words, Jia Lian thought for a moment and said:

"Why do this thankless task? I see you're always exhausted, so why not just let go of the burden and just focus on taking care of the old lady and looking after your older sister? You don't need to worry about being unable to live comfortably without these responsibilities. Now that we have this extra income, we can just live our lives as usual..."

Provoked by his words, Wang Xifeng hesitated for a moment before shaking her head in reluctance and rejecting the suggestion. However, she didn't voice her true feelings. Just then, someone came to invite her, so she quickly got up and left.

"Go and fetch Baoyu? I'll go right now!"

If Wang Xifeng were to lose power, what difference would there be between her and Li Wan, that withered tree? Would these maids and servants still obey her orders?

Moreover, she should have been in charge of managing the household affairs!

Jia Lian paced around the room twice more, snorted angrily, and went straight out to find Xue the Fool for a drink.

Everyone else is squandering money, why can't he? Let's empty the public coffers together, it's not his turn yet anyway!

Wang Xifeng entered the garden with several old women. She felt as if she could be roasted alive without the sedan chair. Her heart was burning with anger, but she showed no sign of it on her face as she quickly walked towards Yihong Courtyard.

The gates of Yihong Courtyard were wide open, and there wasn't even a maidservant guarding them. They must have been called away to rest by Baoyu, who was known for his tenderness towards women.

Wang Xifeng, who was familiar with his ways, didn't pay any attention and hurried towards the main house. Before she even got close, she heard Baoyu's voice inside, and her face immediately darkened.

"...Why bother with her? Married women are like dead beads; they develop many more flaws, and in a few years, they'll become like dead fish eyes—you'll feel uncomfortable just being near them! Why bother getting angry with her like this?"

Fuck you!

Wang Xifeng, who had been married for several years, was furious. She felt that every word the man inside was stabbing her in the heart. Although she knew that Baoyu was always unreliable, she couldn't help but feel a little annoyed, not to mention that she had to go out to do errands in such hot weather.

By deliberately making a commotion, Wang Xifeng pretended to have just arrived. When she entered the room, she saw that Jin Chuan still had tear stains on her face, and Bao Yu was sitting next to her looking at her with a bitter expression. She realized that these two were the people who had just arrived.

"Brother Bao, are you busy? The old lady just asked me to call you over! Your sisters Yingchun and Tanchun have written back again!"

Chapter 87 The Return Journey is Imminent

Without even glancing at the commotion inside, Fengjie casually pulled Baoyu toward Grandmother Jia, displaying her characteristic fiery temper as always, chatting and laughing all the way, but never mentioning the letter.

After the two women led the servants out of the garden and arrived at Rongqing Hall, Grandmother Jia was reclining on the back couch, chatting idly with Aunt Xue, Lady Wang, and others, when they heard Wang Xifeng loudly laughing as she entered, claiming credit:

"Ancestor, I personally invited them here in this sweltering heat, shouldn't I be rewarded with a great merit?"

Baoyu came up to pay his respects to Grandmother Jia, and then bowed to Lady Wang and Aunt Xue, before relaxing. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and sat down next to Grandmother Jia, but his mind was entirely focused on the letter.

"I heard that Lin Daiyu and the others have replied to my letter? Did they say when they're coming home? They've been gone for over a month, and I'm so bored all alone in the garden!"

Grandmother Jia, feeling hot, hugged him and wiped the sweat from her precious grandson's brow. She then gestured for Yuanyang to bring the ice closer before smiling and saying:

"What's the rush? It's already the height of summer, and the weather is gradually turning cooler. Once the sun's heat subsides these next couple of days, your sisters and cousins ​​should be back by now!"

Seeing Baoyu's cheerful expression, Wang Xifeng smiled calmly and said:

"It's fortunate that Brother Yu doesn't treat them like outsiders. These days, they've begged for countless fruits and vegetables to be sent over. I'm afraid they've emptied Brother Yu's estate!"

"I asked them to help me with the accounts the other day, I don't know if they were paying off my wages, or... hehe~"

Wang Xifeng glanced at Aunt Xue and Madam Wang beside her, then stopped talking meaningfully, looking with satisfaction at the incredulous expression on Baoyu's face.

So you called them dead fish eyes? Well, now look what you've got! Yingchun and the others are all tainted by money. Let's see what else you have to say now!

Grandmother Jia, oblivious to the change in Baoyu's expression, chuckled, her face beaming with uncontrollable joy.

"I'm afraid Yu-ge'er was worried they'd feel uncomfortable, so he deliberately assigned them some small tasks. That's quite thoughtful of him!"

As for whether the accounts were based on past debts or current income, Grandmother Jia didn't care. She only needed to see the intention behind Gu Yu handing the accounts to the young ladies of the Jia family.

No wonder she was so happy. No matter who Gu Yu valued most, it was ultimately her daughter from the Jia family!

Baoyu leaned against Grandmother Jia, watching her and Wang Xifeng chat and laugh, feeling a buzzing in his head.

Since he said those hurtful things to Lin Daiyu in her room, the two of them had basically not seen each other, except for the occasional time when they paid their respects to Grandmother Jia. So much time had passed, and he had long regretted it and wanted to get back at her to mend their relationship.

Unexpectedly, all the sisters suddenly went out of the city to escape the summer heat in one day. She was so annoyed by Musk Moon and Golden Blossom that she finally got to go out, but she had no playmates left and could only stay in the garden.

After enduring more than a month of hardship, I was finally expecting news of my sisters coming home, but I never imagined they would all be involved in these financial matters. Are these the same pure and innocent women I once knew?!

The thought that his pearl-like sisters had become so vulgar, constantly talking about money and career advancement, just like those stupid parasites like Jia Yucun, made Baoyu feel as if he could hear a crack in his heart. He stared blankly at the empty space in front of him, lost in thought.

"In my opinion...they'll all benefit as they grow up...hehe..."

"The old lady is so lucky, haha...it's true..."

"Baoyu? Baoyu!"

In the midst of their conversation and laughter, Grandmother Jia finally noticed the unusual state of her beloved grandson. Startled, she immediately hugged him tightly and cried out, repeatedly calling for someone to fetch the imperial physician. In an instant, the entire Rongqing Hall was in an uproar again.

Feeling a little guilty, Fengjie quickly volunteered to have the servants attend to her. She hadn't expected that just wanting to annoy Baoyu would cause such a big commotion, and her heart suddenly began to churn.

"Brother Yu is about the same age, so why is there such a big difference? Does this mean that if Brother Bao gets married, I'll have to be subservient like him?"

Sister Feng felt that Rongqing Hall had suddenly become hot and stuffy, and she felt extremely suffocated. Only after she managed to calm herself down by taking a deep breath and venting her anger did the matter subside.

……

Inside the main room, a nanny stood respectfully in front of a row of flowerpots, holding a small pair of scissors in her hand, pointing and gesturing without looking away: