The Overlord of the Red Mansion

Chapter 240 Running errands
"How much is this pen holder?"

"Eighty cents."

"Eighty cents?"

After Jia Tanchun and Jia Yingchun checked the accounts, they frowned.

Lin Daiyu came over and grabbed the pen holder from Jia Tanchun.

Jia Tanchun quickly let go and ignored Lin Daiyu's little movements.

Lin Daiyu took the pen holder and looked at it, then moved to Xue Baochai who was a few meters away.

While looking down at the pattern of the pen holder in front of him, he asked curiously, "Sister Bao, look, this is only eighty cents, much cheaper than what we bought before."

Xue Baochai sighed, "It is indeed much cheaper. It seems that not only my sisters have suffered losses, but I have suffered losses as well. Thanks to the master for reminding us in time."

Everyone looked at the things piled up on four tables and on the ground, which added up to just over two hundred taels.

Many of them are valuable items, including the most expensive newly compiled books.

Xue Baoqin found a bag of hot chestnuts in an oil-paper bag and said happily, "Come and eat!"

Shi Xiangyun looked at Xue Baoqin who sat down with the maids and prepared to open the package.

"Baoqin, why don't you look at what you lost in the past."

Xue Baoqin bit into a chestnut and felt even better after tasting the sweet dried fruit inside.

"What's the loss? I used to do business with my brother, how could I not know how much things cost? Besides, can you still ask the master to go out and buy things for you every day?"

Shi Xiangyun found that what Xue Baoqin said made sense.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but get even angrier. "If only I could go out every day! When I go out, I must take a good look!"

Xue Baoqin shouted, "Come quickly, these chestnuts are delicious! I'll buy a few more bags when I go out. How much is this?"

Jia Yingchun has a very good memory and has a clear memory of everything Jia Rong bought.

"Thirty-two cents a pound."

Xue Baoqin and others had no doubts about Jia Yingchun's memory, but they all frowned.

Xing Xiuyan came over and calculated, "Our aunt's salary starts at thirty taels a month, the head maid gets twenty taels, and the lowest-ranking maid in the garden gets one tael of silver a month, which is more than a thousand coins. How much can she buy with a day's salary for more than thirty kilograms?"

While peeling the shells and eating the hot chestnuts, Xue Baoqin said, "They are so cheap, I can eat them every day."

Shi Xiangyun also quickly tasted one, and soon ate the second one happily.

Lin Daiyu also became greedy and quickly shouted, "Let me try it too! Zijuan, feed me!"

The maids went over to help with a smile and quickly divided the chestnuts on Xue Baoqin's table.

Xue Baochai came over and said with a smile: "It's cheap to eat, but it's troublesome to buy. It doesn't look easy to make. Our cook is already very busy, and I don't know if he can make this."

Qin Keqing was also selecting things. When she heard this, she laughed and said, "What's the big deal? Let the children go out to buy them. I heard that the driver only needs a hundred coins to go out, and it doesn't cost much to bring back a whole cart."

"When my son is one or two years older, I will ask him to run errands for me and buy things for me."

After hearing this, Jia Yuanchun also laughed and said, "Sister, you have reminded me that Jia Ben and Jia Shu are both old enough to go out for a walk. Let them run errands for you first. When you have sons in a few years, I can use them to help you."

The women with sons soon smiled and complimented each other.

Several girls who had no sons or even no children ate in silence.

Wang Xifeng walked over to Xue Baoqin and sat down. She also reached out to take a few chestnuts, peeled them and tasted them.

"You guys should stop being lazy all day long and give birth to a son. He can not only play with you, but also run errands for you. When you have a daughter-in-law in the future, she can even serve you meals!"

Tanchun said angrily, "My daughter-in-law has become as unruly as the people here. She still wants to serve you? You wish!"

Wang Xifeng thought about it carefully and found that what Tanchun said made sense.

"That's right." Wang Xifeng swallowed the food in her mouth and quickly shouted to the others, "I'm telling you guys, when my daughter-in-law comes to marry you, you all have to behave yourself! Don't lead my daughter-in-law astray!"

Third Sister You was amused, and turned around and said with a smile: "So what if he is a bad example? This is how it is in our family!"

You Erjie also smiled and said, "Sister Feng, your daughter-in-law won't have to suffer any hardship now that she's here. Can we let her suffer any hardship?"

Wang Xifeng shook her head unhappily, "That won't do. I've suffered so much for so many years, serving the old lady and the old lady's mother-in-law for so many years, my daughter-in-law should serve me, too."

Jia Yuanchun also said at this time: "We should follow the rules. We can't let the wives of Jia Ben, Jia Shu and Jia Jian learn to be so unruly. Even if you can't come every day, you have to come to pay your respects every few days. When the time comes, Fengmei and I will live in Tianxiang Tower. Don't lead the good girls astray." Third Sister You said: "Are we not good girls anymore?"

Lin Daiyu took the food and fed it to her.

"Stop arguing and eat quickly."

Everyone laughed and passed over the topic.

Soon, Jia Tanchun opened the chess box and grabbed a few white jade chess pieces, then looked at the black chess pieces in another box.

"How much are these two boxes of chess pieces? They look nice."

Jia Yingchun saw Tanchun asking about her birthday present.

A large pile of things nearby only cost two hundred taels. If people knew that my two boxes of chess pieces cost three thousand taels, it would definitely be very bad.

Jia Yingchun lowered her head in embarrassment. "It was a birthday gift from the master. I forgot how much it cost. I don't remember it clearly."

Everyone laughed when they heard it.

Shi Xiangyun shouted: "No wonder Yingchun was taken out first, it turns out that Yingchun is going to have a birthday!"

Lin Daiyu laughed and said, "It was you who splashed Yingchun with milk first!"

Shi Xiangyun defended herself, "I didn't do that on purpose. Even if I didn't do that, I would definitely take Yingchun out first. Who would be next?"

Xue Baoqin said unhappily, "It doesn't matter who goes first, why are you arguing?"

Jia Yuanchun didn't want her sisters to quarrel and ruin the relationship.

"Let Tanchun go out tomorrow. Tanchun will help us have a good talk. Then the rest of the sisters will know where to go and what to buy."

After hearing this, the others all agreed to the proposal.

Tanchun has a much better temper than Yingchun. She also has plans when doing things and is not as mischievous as Xue Baoqin and Shi Xiangyun. It is true that Tanchun is more suitable for things like going out to explore the way.

Jia Yuanchun's decisions have always been supported by the women.

As a wife, although she is currently on an equal footing with Lin Daiyu, Lin Daiyu's personality does not seem like the type that is willing to take charge of things.

Jia Yuanchun is still in charge of managing and making decisions on many matters in the palace.

Of course, everyone knows that this does not mean that the palace cannot be maintained without Jia Yuanchun.

Jia Rong is the foundation of this family.

In the evening, after dinner, when Jia Rong was in his study checking the industry report sent by his subordinates, he heard noises outside.

"Master, Tanchun and Xiangyun asked if you are free tonight?"

Jia Rong showed a puzzled expression. Why were these two people so proactive?

"Okay, you can come too. Go wait for me in my bedroom. I'll be there in an hour."

Jia Rong asked Qingwen to go along.

"Yes, thank you, sir!" Qingwen agreed happily.

Jia Rong asked Xiaohong who was standing in the study.

"Why are Tanchun and Xiangyun so proactive today?"

Lin Hongyu smiled and said, "I want to have a son."

When Jia Rong heard this reason, he said helplessly, "It doesn't matter whether it's a boy or a girl."

Lin Hongyu retorted, "It's different. The sooner a son is born, the better. In a few years, he can run errands and help with housework, and help the girls buy some things outside. It's better for girls to have children later."

Only then did Jia Rong understand the deeper reasons.

For Tanchun, the housekeeper, having a son to help with things would make things much easier.

For the playful Xiangyun, having a son allows him to play when he is young, help run errands when he grows up, and when he grows even older, it is time for him to be filial to his mother and give her pocket money.

Moreover, after giving birth to a child, there will be more places for maids, wet nurses, and various subsidies.

Withholding their sons’ pocket money and school fees is also something they are happy to do.

(End of this chapter)