The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 58 Guests
Capital, Rongguo Mansion.

Aunt Zhao finally found an opportunity to enter her daughter's room.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, she asked, "Where's the jewelry that the First Madam of the East Mansion gave me the other day? Let me see it."

It's a whole big box, and it looks like a set.

If that's the case, it would be worth a lot of money.

Aunt Zhao had been thinking about it for several days.

"It has been collected and recorded in the books."

Tan Chun was very wary of her aunt.

We really have to be careful.

The concubine could take away all the gifts given by the old lady and the ladies, even the New Year's money.

"The old lady said I need to learn to take care of my own things."

Tan Chun said, "I have shown all the accounts to the old lady."

She didn't recognize some of the characters, so she asked her second older sister.

"Auntie, the old lady already knows about my New Year's money this year..."

"Alright, alright, didn't your aunt save it for you?"

Aunt Zhao dared not let the old lady worry about her. "If you don't want me to see him, then don't." She swayed her hips as she stood up. "Your little brother can already call you 'sister.' Go visit him often and play with him."

"……it is good!"

If she doesn't agree, her aunt will definitely nag her for ages.

Tan Chun has been here since she can remember.

Those around her, including the old lady and the wife, all disliked this aunt who liked to stir up trouble.

So even though she knew that he was her biological son, she wasn't close to him at all.

"good!"

Aunt Zhao touched her daughter's little face. "The eldest madam of the East Mansion seems to like you quite a bit. Come visit her often."

Even a small leak from someone else would be enough for her whole family to live on for half a year.

"Don't go with the second young lady, she's not an honest person."

She seemed fine before, and didn't get close to the master, but recently, something's clearly wrong.

They are both born out of wedlock. If the second daughter excels, what will happen to her daughter?
Aunt Zhao was very resentful when she heard that whenever the master came to pay his respects to the old lady, he would sit with Yingchun and bring her gifts from time to time.

She wanted to persuade Jia Zheng to take better care of her daughter, but although he verbally agreed, he never actually came to visit her.

Aunt Zhao could only hope her daughter would be smarter. "Did you hear what I said?"

"...I heard you."

Tan Chun outwardly agreed, but in fact, after watching her walk away, she turned around and headed east.

In the side rooms here, she lives at the west end, and her second sister lives at the east end.

Recently, my uncle and aunt seem to have remembered my second sister. They send her anything fun or delicious to them.

But no matter what it is, even if it's just a bowl of steamed cheese, her second sister will bring it over and eat it with her.

Jia Tanchun despised her aunt who had corrupted her, "Second Sister!"

She lifted her foot, about to laboriously step over the threshold, when a maidservant carried her inside.

"Second Miss, Third Miss is here."

"Come on!"

Hearing her younger sister's voice, Yingchun put down her book and came out from the inner room. "Didn't they say your aunt was coming?"

"Yes, she only said a few words and then left."

Tan Chun, acting like a little adult, asked, "Is my sister reading the Zizhi Tongjian again?"

"Ok!"

Yingchun took her little hand and led her into the inner room. "After I've finished reading, you'll know almost all the characters. I'll go through it with you again."

"Okay!"

Tan Chun was delighted. "Second sister, we don't have class today, why don't we go to the East Mansion to play!"

That day, when we went to see the opera, my aunt really liked them.

Not only do they give gifts, but they also give them the best food first.

Although she was still young, she could tell the difference between sincerity and pretense.

When my aunt left, she was reluctant to part with them and repeatedly invited them to visit the East Mansion.

That's not about saving face at all.

"Now?"

Yingchun took out the pocket watch her father had given her the other day. It would be 9 a.m. in a little while. "That's about the time when Auntie goes for her walk." She was also thinking about her aunt over there, so she had asked her maid to find out her aunt's schedule. "Tell the old lady that we're going over there now."

When Grandmother Jia heard the two young ladies' purpose for coming, she found it quite amusing. "Go if you want! If your aunt invites you to lunch, she will send someone back to let you know in advance."

She then looked at the maids and servants who were following her, "Keep an eye on them, don't let the girls cause any trouble, and if they get naughty, bring them back as soon as possible."

"Grandma, we're not being naughty."

Tan Chun stamped her little feet.

She and her second sister never misbehaved. The old lady was getting old and had a light sleep, so even when she was playing, her second sister would tell her to keep her voice down.

"Hahaha~"

Grandmother Jia was amused by her, "Alright, alright, we're not being naughty, it's Grandmother who's being naughty."

"Grandmother, why don't you come with us?"

Yingchun, standing nearby, also extended an invitation, saying, "My aunt said that Aunt Li over there made some new 'kaisisu' (a type of pastry) and 'tangxin shaobing' (a type of sesame seed cake), which are especially delicious."

"..."

Grandmother Jia looked at her second granddaughter, who was becoming increasingly outspoken, and was slightly surprised, but smiled and said, "Is it delicious? Then let your aunt make more. After you've eaten her food, bring some home with you."

Hearing this, the two girls were somewhat disappointed, but they still responded with smiles.

However, even after the two had walked away, Grandmother Jia was still turning the jade bracelet on her wrist, looking thoughtful.

The second granddaughter is now more popular than before.

But...

Grandmother Jia sighed softly.

She had a nagging suspicion that her second daughter-in-law didn't really want to raise Yingchun well.

Compared to Yingchun, she was more devoted to Sanyatou.

I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

While Grandmother Jia was struggling with her dilemma, Shen Ning from the Ningguo Mansion was overjoyed to hear that the two young ladies had arrived.

"Auntie!"

"Auntie..."

"Get up quickly!"

Shen Ning grabbed one in each hand, saying, "I knew it! Why were the magpies chasing after me today?" She grinned from ear to ear, "Come on, Auntie will treat you to something good to eat and something fun to do today."

"Hehe, Auntie, we've come here today to eat and drink your food."

Tan Chun smiled broadly.

I don't know why, but she seems particularly relaxed here.

"You clever little thing!"

Shen Ning tapped her little nose, "Just eat and drink, your aunt would love for you to stay here."

She genuinely wanted to raise the two children with her.

If placed in the West Mansion, would Lady Xing treat Yingchun well? Would Lady Wang treat Tanchun well?

Although the old lady took them in, how much of it was genuine?
They were treated like cats and dogs, to be played with when they were happy, and then simply left aside to be managed by the servants when they were not.

Yingchun's mistreatment by her wet nurse was definitely not something that happened only after she grew up. If that old lady had just said a word or offered her any support, her personality wouldn't have turned out that way.

And then there's Tan Chun...

She is insightful, decisive, articulate, and capable. Despite her talent, she is a woman with an unkind stepmother, an unloving birth mother, and an even worse father.

Her fate...

While reading Dream of the Red Chamber, Shen Ning sighed for every girl.

Since arriving in this world, she has wanted to make many changes, but so far, she has not yet escaped her death calamity.

If one still cannot escape the original owner's fate...

Shen Ning has been dealing with her private treasury these past few days. She divided the contents into several parts. Although most of it was left to her biological daughters, Yingchun and Tanchun also received quite a bit.

"Once your aunt gives birth to your little sister, we'll hire a tutor for you all. How about you come and study together then?"

When the Wang family of the West Mansion took charge of the household, Lin Daiyu could only hide her shortcomings and dared not say how much she had read.

Is reading something shameful?

Shen Ning only hoped that she could escape this calamity, contribute to their poetry club in the future, and add to their dowries.

"...Isn't it too early for my younger sister to start school?"

Yingchun had no idea what she was thinking, and when she looked at her belly, she was shocked.

“It’s alright. You guys are reading, and even if she just crawls around next to you, she can still listen to a lot.”

Yingchun: "..."

Tan Chun: "..."

Suddenly I don't know whether to envy my sister or pity her.

Even while crawling, I'll listen to audiobooks.

Tan Chun would sometimes visit her younger brother, who was slow to crawl, slow to speak, and reportedly even slower to walk than she had been at that age.

"Auntie!"

Yingchun was more soft-hearted. "When your little sister is born, please don't say that to her, or she will be scared."

"Haha~"

Shen Ning was amused by her, "Your sister really loves listening to people read aloud. If you don't believe me, you recite a passage right now, and when she hears it, she might start moving around happily right away."

what?
Is that right?

Both maids were curious about the baby girl in her belly. Upon hearing this, Tan Chun quickly recited the Thousand Character Classic: "Heaven and earth were dark and yellow, the universe was vast and boundless. The sun and moon wax and wane, the stars and constellations are arrayed..."

I forgot to ask for first subscription, please do ask for first subscription.