The head of the Red Mansion

It wasn't long before Grandmother Jia and Madam Xing learned that Aunt Xue had fallen ill after arguing with Wang Xifeng, and that Jia Zhu and the others had all gone to see her.

The old lady didn't exactly dislike this relative who would come over from time to time to chat and play mahjong, but because of the Wang family, she couldn't say she liked him either.

What she's worried about now is whether her granddaughter-in-law will be branded as unfilial among the relatives because of this.

"Mother, sister-in-law, let Feng'er handle this matter herself!"

Jia Min stopped the two who were about to panic, "What reputation among relatives? Our family members are not responsible for the filial piety of relatives related to the Wang family. Whether Feng'er is a good daughter-in-law or not depends on her actions and how we treat her."

"Min'er, do you know what happened?"

When Grandmother Jia saw her daughter's expression, she suspected that she knew something inside. "What did Aunt Xue do to make Feng'er so angry that she didn't care about anything?"

"...Like her late second sister-in-law, she wanted her daughter to marry into a wealthy family."

Jia Min was silent for a while, then said, "Doesn't that Bao girl always wear a gold lock? She had her maid tell her that a high monk said that it must be paired with jade."

Jia Mu: "..."

Xing: "..."

The two exchanged a glance, their expressions changing slightly.

As the Jia family prospers, Baoyu's jade becomes something he increasingly avoids mentioning.

They hadn't expected that Baoyu and Baochai might be together, given their significant age difference.

Only royalty could represent jade.

However, on the royal side, because of Shen, the Empress held them in high regard.

Although the emperor may still fill the harem in the future, what if a girl from the Jia family went to the harem and competed with the empress for favor...?

Just thinking about it made Grandmother Jia extremely anxious.

With the temper of the Shen family in the East Mansion, who could she possibly let off the hook?

In that case, they would be implicated by the Wang family!
Especially the children from the second wife's family.

"Should!"

The old lady slammed her hand on the table. "If you can't get rid of Feng girl, this old woman will go and chase her away."

It's absolutely impossible to fake illness and get away with it.

"Mother, don't forget about Zhu'er and the others."

Jia Min stopped her, saying, "They're all grown up now. You can't always be the one to rush to the front lines. There are some things... they should handle themselves."

Jia Zhu is too soft-hearted.

After these repeated lessons, if he still can't stand up...

Jia Min felt that she should talk to him and tell him that he should hand over the second wife's house to his wife from now on.
They no longer needed to go on the imperial examinations; they could go directly to the clan school, become teachers, and live a peaceful and stable life.

At this moment, in Aunt Xue's room, a great commotion had broken out because Xue Pan was chasing and beating Tongxi.

Aunt Xue kept calling Tongxi a "wicked child," trying to protect her.

But hearing his mother's loud and forceful scolding, Xue Pan immediately knew that she was faking illness.

It would be a lie to say I'm not ashamed.

His older cousin, Jia Zhu, was a gentle and refined gentleman who would occasionally inquire about his studies.

Even if he learns terribly, he can always find ways to improve.

For example, they recognize more characters, write their characters more beautifully, and can recite texts fluently...

I always praise him.

Xue Pan always becomes more motivated after being praised.

Even though he still found learning difficult and was busy every day, often needing his younger sister to help him catch up on lessons when he got home at night, he surprisingly felt quite fulfilled.

Now, his mother is faking illness to embarrass her own family for the sake of such a lackey...

"Mom, please stop making a scene."

Xue Pan, who had kicked Tongxi at the beginning, angrily flung his sleeves and went out to apologize to Wang Xifeng, saying, "Little sister, don't be angry. My mother is old and confused. If you need anything, just come to me."

Wang Xifeng: "..."

"Big cousin, big cousin's wife, little sister, give me a few days, and I will give you an explanation."

When Xue Baochai entered, she heard her brother sincerely apologizing.

She couldn't hold back her tears.

My brother is really trying to be good, but he's not very clever. I'm afraid he still doesn't know why my older cousin and mother had a fight.

"Brother~"

After softly calling out to her brother, she bowed to Jia Zhu and the others, pleading, "Cousin, cousin-in-law, and cousin Feng, could you please give us a few days to persuade my mother?"

"..."

"..."

Wang Xifeng didn't like this cousin very much. Whenever they got together, this cousin always liked to use her knowledge to outdo her.

However, apart from this problem, everything else... is fine.

Moreover, this cousin manages the Xue family's business.

If anyone comes to her with any problems, she will ask Wang'er to help resolve them, and she never asks anyone for nothing.

"Alright, you guys try to persuade Auntie first, and we'll talk again later."

My aunt was crying terribly inside the house.

Jia Zhu sighed, "Auntie is getting old and confused. You siblings should make the decisions about some things."

He looked at Xue Pan and said, “The Rules for Students say: ‘If your parents have faults, advise them to correct them.’”

He failed to do so back then, which led his parents to such a point that they harmed themselves and others.

"Does my cousin know what that means?"

"Yes!"

Xue Pan nodded solemnly, "Don't worry, cousin, I know what to do."

Jia Zhu waved his hand, glanced at Xue Baochai, and gestured for Li Wan and Wang Xifeng to follow.

The younger cousin from the Xue family was rather naive, but the younger cousin was different.

Judging from her expression, she probably already knows what's going on today.

Jia Zhu hoped she could make her own choice, otherwise... they would have to make their own choice.

His aunt, like his mother, should be restrained.

Otherwise, the Xue family would ultimately only become the Wang family's treasury.

After the couple left, Wang Xifeng couldn't refuse them any time, so she had no choice but to leave as well.

However, after today's commotion, if this aunt still has any sense of shame and cares about the Xue family's reputation, she probably won't be able to stay at the Jia family's place any longer.

Wang Xifeng left with this beautiful wish, and as soon as they left, Aunt Xue's crying in the room stopped.

Baochai and Xue Pan exchanged a glance, then waved to Ying'er and the other servants, signaling them to stay away, before entering the house.

"Get out of here!"

Xue Pan looked at him with joy and anger.

Tongxi scrambled out of the room.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

Xue Pan complained to his mother, "Because of a servant, you have to..."

"It wasn't Tongxi who caused the trouble; it was Mom who told Tongxi to spread the gossip."

Baochai closed her eyes, took off the gold lock around her neck, and threw it to the ground with a 'thud'. "Mother, if you want to force me to my death, I'll go find a clean place to slit my throat right now."

what?
Xue Pan was stunned.

"Bao'er, are you blaming me too?"

Aunt Xue picked up the gold lock with a pained expression, only to find that the edges had been chipped and broken. Tears welled up in her eyes again. "Wasn't I just thinking of you?"

"Is he really thinking of me?"

Baochai's expression was broken. "Among so many girls in the East Mansion, who told you that you want to send your daughter to the palace? You want to send me to the palace because of your uncle, but don't you think about what your uncle wants to get from the Xue family and from me?"
My uncle first persuaded my aunt to send my older cousin to the palace, and now he's persuading you to send me to the palace, Mom~~~”

She cried, cried very sadly, "I was very young when Father passed away, please feel sorry for me too."

"My darling, how could I not feel sorry for you?" Aunt Xue felt utterly wronged.

Her husband is gone, and her son is good for nothing; her greatest hope lies in her daughter.

Fortunately, my daughter is also filial; whatever she says and does is always methodical and orderly. "This is the best place in the world..."

"Yes, it's the best place in the world, but how many people can actually come out of it?"

Xue Baochai went all out, "Isn't it all you wanted to do? You were thinking about how powerful Consort Zhen and the Zhen family were all their lives, but what was the result? Where is she now? Where is the Zhen family now? The Emperor, who was bullied by them, doesn't seem to learn his lesson and will make his child suffer the same hardships he once endured?"

If she gains favor in the palace, the Wang family will become powerful and influential; if she loses favor, people will shrink back, and what can her mother and brother do?
She might have to beg them to use their connections to give her money.

By then, as it's passed down layer by layer, how much will actually reach her?

Yingchun had told her that when the Duke's mansion sent 10,000 taels of silver to the palace for her cousin Yuanchun, she was lucky to get 2,000 taels.

Moreover, people know her family is wealthy, so they make things difficult for her in every way, just to squeeze money out of her.

The Xue family has always been known for its immense wealth.

If she really enters the palace, what kind of life will she have?
If you're not favored, you won't have a good life and your money will be wasted.

He's gained favor...

Her brother is a bit dim-witted. If he gets arrogant too, who knows how much trouble he'll cause?
"Mom, wake up!"

Baochai knelt down, crying, "My brother and I are surnamed Xue, and we live in the Jia family. If you insist on thinking of your uncle's family and pushing your daughter onto an unpredictable path, then give your daughter a white silk ribbon so that she can go to see her father!"

Aunt Xue: "..."

Seeing her daughter like this, she felt as if a thousand arrows were piercing her heart.

She had ulterior motives, but it was all for her daughter's good!

The Xue family's background wouldn't be much of an advantage for their daughter.

It's simply impossible for her to marry into a wealthy or influential family.

The only way to marry into a higher social class was to enter the palace.

With the help of her maternal uncle, she entered the palace and became a woman by the emperor's side.

Aunt Xue had a deep understanding of how miserable life could be without a good family background since she was a child.

They were sisters, but the elder sister was able to marry into the Duke's mansion, while she married a merchant.

Even though the Xue family sent money home every year, her sisters-in-law treated her and her sister completely differently.

Why can't her daughter understand her good intentions?

Aunt Xue knew that her elder brother's purpose in sending his daughter to the palace was not pure, but so what?
Their family achieved their goal too!

"What nonsense are you spouting, child?"

Aunt Xue slapped her daughter and cried, "You're trying to rip out your mother's heart!"

"Mom, I also disagree with my sister going to the palace."

Seeing his mother and sister's expressions, Xue Pan's eyes reddened, and his voice was muffled, "I'm a good-for-nothing. If my sister goes to the palace, our Xue family can only be imperial merchants."

Even if we could restore the glory of our ancestors, so what?

Not a business yet?

"If that's the case, why bother making wedding dresses for others?"

The imperial edicts issued by the court mainly recorded the cases of death row inmates from all over the country, serving as a warning to the world.

The Zhen family is not mentioned.

However, there are similar cases.

Xue Pan was not good at studying, but he loved listening to stories. So, while he lingered at the bottom in other subjects, he went to the top when it came to studying the Great Proclamation.

Many families that try to gain favor by relying on their sisters end up ruined and destroyed.

If this is the case for ordinary families, how much more so for royalty?
"Even if my son can't keep the title of imperial merchant in the future, there are plenty of other merchants in the world. Does that mean they all have to give up?"

He is a very open-minded person.

Neither the eldest uncle nor the second uncle seemed to think much of their family.

In fact, Xue Pan also looked down on his maternal uncle's family.

They act like they're something special. Without their family, could they live a good life?

But his mother was so insistent, and with his father gone, the Xue family really needed an official uncle, so he had no choice but to endure it.

But now, seeing his usually self-possessed sister so heartbroken, he suddenly stopped thinking about anything.

"If others can survive, so can I."

Xue Pan looked at his mother and said firmly, "Mom, I also disagree with you sending money to the Wang family anymore."

Apart from the eldest maternal uncle, the second maternal uncle and that cousin Wang Ren are nothing in the Wang family.

"From now on, you can give the house keys and account books to my sister and me!"

He knelt down and said, "My son and sister can't figure it out. My son can ask his older cousin for help, or ask his classmates at school."

Min Jianbo is very capable.

He can't do it, he can go to Min Jianbai.

He can give him a share of the profits.

That guy is a loyal and sensible person.

He wanted to earn money for his mother and sister. Even if he became an official in the future, he might be willing to be the head steward of the Xue family for the sake of money.

"Mom, I need to take care of things at home, so please give them all to me!"

Aunt Xue: "..."

How could she possibly feel at ease?

Of course, looking at her son and daughter who were persevering, she felt mostly fear!
Should I fall out with my family?

She has practically fallen out with Feng Yatou.

Another falling out with her family...

"Are you trying to force me to my death? Master, why didn't you take me with you when you left?"

She took a handkerchief, covered her face, and wept bitterly.

At this moment, Baochai slowly stood up, took out her mother's long handkerchief from the cabinet, stood on the couch, and threw it onto the roof beam.

"Little sister, what are you doing?"

"My precious little girl~"

Aunt Xue went mad and was terrified. She rushed over just like Xue Pan, trying to pull her down.

"Mom, my brother's opinion is also my opinion. If you don't agree today, I won't die today, but you can't watch me every day tomorrow or the day after."

Baochai's tears fell one by one.

Threatening her own mother with suicide—was that something she truly willingly did?

But if we don't force it...

Does she have any chance of survival?
Does the Xue family have any way out?

"You...you..."

Aunt Xue clutched her chest, feeling faint, but seeing her daughter's fearless expression, she dared not gamble.

These two children are her life!

"Waaaah~, I'll give it all to you."

She collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

After a while, Xue Pan lowered his head and went to find Jia Zhu. Not long after, he went to find Wang Xifeng with Jia Zhu and Li Wan.

Tongxi was tied up.

He ordered her to deal with Tongxi.

"We probably won't be in contact with the Wang family anymore..."

Even if the eldest uncle is powerful, he hasn't been in contact with the Jia family anymore, has he?

He bowed to Wang Xifeng, saying, "My mother has become confused. Please forgive her, elder sister. As for the affairs of the family... from now on, my sister and I will take care of them." (End of Chapter)