Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 251 Matters of Marriage

“Miss Bao is usually very clever, but I never expected her to be so foolish at the last minute.” Xiangling was speaking when she suddenly noticed a hint of a smile in Baochai’s eyes, and exclaimed in realization, “So it’s Miss Bao—”

Startled, Baochai quickly covered Xiangling's mouth. Turning her head, she saw that Tongxi wasn't looking this way, and hurriedly pulled Xiangling aside, whispering, "Keep your voice down!"

Xiangling lowered her voice and chuckled, "Miss Bao has such a kind heart."

Baochai gave him a reproachful look, turned to Tongxi and gave her some instructions, then pulled Xiangling toward the Grand View Garden.

Knowing that the Grand View Garden was full of people and eyes, and fearing that someone might be overheard, Sister Bao led Xiangling back to Hengwu Garden. Once inside the room, Sister Bao scolded, "You saw through me but didn't say anything! You almost ruined my plans!"

Xiangling then said with a smile, "I knew it! Even I saw through the deception, so how could Miss Bao be so easily swayed?"

Baochai then smiled, instructed Ying'er to prepare tea, and sat down with Xiangling, asking, "What...did he say?"

Xiangling smiled and said, "Master didn't say anything, but he must have his own ideas."

Baochai thought to herself that Chen Siyuan was probably thinking that if things got really bad, he could just offend the master and move out of the Rongguo Mansion.

This concern and heartfelt expression amidst the chaos is comforting, but it is precisely this composure and confidence in the face of danger that truly captivates Baochai.

Baochai was also greedy; she naturally wanted her beloved to be both confident and affectionate. Having spoken with Xiangling for a while, and seeing that Xiangling was about to take her leave, she instructed her, "Go back now—"

Baochai hesitated, but Xiangling, being clever, covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "Don't worry, Miss Baochai, I'll just tell the master that you're so worried you're crying."

Baochai scolded, "There's no need to exaggerate like that... just say I'm frowning."

Xiangling smiled and agreed, then took her leave.

Baochai pondered for a moment, and was about to head to the small courtyard in the northeast when Ying'er called from outside, "Miss, Miss Lin is here!"

Baochai quickly rubbed her eyes and got up to greet her, but as soon as she reached the door, she saw Daiyu walking gracefully towards her. Daiyu glanced at Baochai and immediately said with a grin, "You're hiding something, aren't you? You should be laughing out loud right now, who are you trying to fool with your sad act?"

Baochai scolded, "Can't I even be sad in private for a while?"

Daiyu leaned closer and snorted, "Second Sister should be sad. This time the coup failed, what hope is there for the future? But you, on the other hand, took the opportunity to force the concubine and the madam to settle things clearly. I think... good things will be coming soon."

Baochai was surprised. Although she knew Daiyu was intelligent, she did not expect her to see things so clearly. So she quickly pulled Daiyu aside and pleaded, "Good sister, you can't say these things to outsiders."

Daiyu retorted, "If I were to tell outsiders, why would I waste my breath talking to you?"

Upon hearing this, Baochai smiled apologetically and ushered Daiyu into the room. After Daiyu sat down, Baochai personally served her tea before saying, "I didn't expect Rong'er to see things so clearly."

Daiyu tilted her head smugly. Her marriage was already arranged, and there was no way to change it, so she would watch from the sidelines from then on. Lin Daiyu was inherently intelligent; perhaps she hadn't seen things clearly before because she was "in the thick of it," but now that she understood the whole story, how could she not figure out the intricacies?
Suddenly realizing that Baochai was teasing her, Daiyu couldn't help but blush. She turned her head and glared at her, saying, "Baochai is really lucky. If Second Sister had followed the proper procedure before, that so-called 'golden and jade marriage' would probably have been delayed. This time, after being urged, Auntie had to give you a definite answer no matter what, which suited your wishes."

Sister Bao thought to herself with a touch of smugness, "Don't be surprised by the strange, and the strange will defeat itself. In this world, sometimes you only need to do your job well, and the rest of the variables may cause you to fail."

He paused, then said, "Since you know the inside story, why have you come again?"

Daiyu said, "If I didn't come, how could I keep it a secret from others?"

Baochai was immediately delighted and stepped forward to hug Daiyu, shaking her and saying, "Good Rong'er, no wonder I felt so close to you as soon as I arrived."

Daiyu smiled after being coaxed and said, "You have too many thoughts in your mind. I don't know which words are true and which are false. I just hope you won't bully me in the future."

With a smile, Baochai moved aside and turned to face Daiyu, saying earnestly, "Yes, I will definitely not bully Rong'er in the future."

"You still dare to say that!" Daiyu said, blushing and annoyed, as she tried to tickle her.

Baochai quickly smiled and dodged away, then said, "Actually, he also gave me a courtesy name that day."

Daiyu stopped abruptly and looked over in surprise.

Sister Bao couldn't help but savor the memory and said with a smile, "It's the character 'Luo'."

Daiyu couldn't help but laugh and said, "Does that mean all the sisters have already taken on a courtesy name? Or does he intend to move them all into the Chen family's residence?"

Baochai couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh, teasingly saying, "That would be great! We can build a Grand View Garden then, and we can live together like this until we grow old."

Little did the speaker know that what was said in jest was taken to heart by the listener. Daiyu couldn't help but think, "If I could get married and still have the same carefree and playful life as my sisters in the boudoir, that would be wonderful."

Baochai was both amused and exasperated, saying, "I was just joking, but you took it seriously. I'll talk to him about it later and see how he laughs at you."

Daiyu hummed twice and then suddenly started tickling again. Baochai, caught off guard, immediately fell for it and burst into laughter, rolling on the ground with Daiyu. For a moment, the quiet Hengwu Garden was filled with strange laughter.

Those who didn't know better would think that Baochai couldn't help but sob.

After Baochai and Daiyu had dinner together, Daiyu leisurely returned to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

Baochai went to the small courtyard in the northeast again, talked with Aunt Xue for a while, and returned to Hengwu Garden after 11 pm.

That day, there was nothing else to do, but at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), Ying'er was serving Baochai as she bathed her feet when suddenly she heard a heavy thud from behind the room.

Hengwu Garden is built against the mountain, with its roof ridge level with the mountain path. Even with a back wall blocking the way, it cannot stop those who want to climb over it.

The two, mistress and servant, exchanged a glance. Ying'er hastily wiped her hands and said, "Miss, I'll go take a look."

Baochai calmly agreed, assuming it was just a creature from the garden that had accidentally wandered into Hengwu Garden.

The oriole put on her clothes, picked up a lantern, and came out from the back door to observe. But a moment later, she exclaimed in surprise.

Baochai put down her book, frowned, and called out, "Yinger, what did you see?"

Upon hearing Baochai speak, an old woman came to the door to inquire.

At this moment, Ying'er replied, "No, I don't know where the cats came from, they're fighting in the backyard."

Baochai, without suspecting anything, instructed the old women in front, "It's nothing, you can go and rest now."

The old woman at the front gate agreed and went to rest in the side room. A short while later, the back door creaked open, and Ying'er entered. With a strange look on her face, she leaned over and whispered to Baochai, "Miss... Master Yuan has arrived."

Baochai glanced at him suspiciously before exclaiming in surprise, "Ah?"

Then Ying'er smiled and pointed into the distance. Baochai turned her head and saw Chen Siyuan lifting the beaded curtain and strolling in with a smile.

Baochai was overjoyed and surprised. For a moment, she forgot that she was still getting a foot bath. She suddenly stood up, but her body swayed and she almost fell over with a cry of pain.

Chen Siyuan rushed forward and pulled the soft, fragrant Baochai into his arms, teasingly saying, "Why are you in such a hurry, sister? It will be another two years before the couple bows to each other."

Baochai, disregarding her embarrassment, forced herself to sit up and looked at Chen Siyuan with delighted surprise in her almond-shaped eyes, saying, "You, what brings you here?"

Chen Siyuan helped Baochai sit down on the edge of the bed and said with a smile, "I came here on a whim, just wanted to chat with you for a while before leaving."

He was suddenly seized by the moment... the implication being that he was thinking of Baochai. As for today's events, he trusted Baochai's wisdom, so there was no need for him to come and comfort her.

Upon hearing this, Baochai felt an immense sense of comfort, and her face flushed red as she turned her head away in embarrassment. Meanwhile, her two little feet, nestled in the basin, fidgeted nervously, their toes digging and scratching as if they wanted to break through the basin and disappear into the ground.

"you you--"

Chen Siyuan glanced down and immediately noticed that Baochai's feet were fair and plump, with ten toes adorned with nail polish, and her uneasy appearance was particularly endearing.

He smiled and said, "I'll go to the study to wait for my sister."

"Ah."

Baochai agreed, and seeing that he had indeed gone to the study, she quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her pair of delicate feet, slipped on her embroidered shoes, and waited for the blush on her face to fade slightly before smoothing her hair and moving her lotus-like steps toward the study.

Just before reaching the study, he glanced back. Ying'er was covering her mouth and laughing. Seeing this, he quickly lowered his head and went to the bedroom to busy himself.

Baochai lifted the gauze curtain and entered the study. She saw Chen Siyuan standing with his hands behind his back, looking at the books on the bookshelf. Suddenly, her expression changed, and she hurriedly went over and said, "You, are you going to climb over the wall to leave later?"

Chen Siyuan turned his head and laughed, "It's just a low wall about one person's height. I can climb over it in a few quick steps. But my sister—" Chen Siyuan pointed to the Diamond Sutra on the desk and said, "Why are you reading Buddhist scriptures?"

Baochai said, "If you're feeling unsettled, shouldn't you read some Buddhist scriptures to calm your mind?"

Chen Siyuan pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "Don't worry, Madam would never agree to a 'perfect match'." As he spoke, he reached out and picked up the Buddhist scriptures from the table.

Baochai immediately reached out to stop him, but bit her lower lip and stopped herself from speaking.

Chen Siyuan casually flipped through the book, then blinked, put down the Buddhist scripture, and said to Baochai with a smile, "Goodness, Baochai, the cover of this Buddhist scripture contains 'Over the Wall'."

"Over the Wall" (also known as "On the Wall") tells the story of Pei Shaojun, a young woman from the Li family, and Pei Shaojun, a young man from the Pei family, who meet by chance in a garden and fall in love at first sight. They agree to elope, and the Li family's daughter even lives in seclusion in the Pei family for seven years. After several twists and turns, the two are finally reunited.

Baochai immediately lost face, leaned closer and pressed her head against his chest, saying, "I... I just thought the words in it were very good..."

Chen Siyuan pulled her into his arms and whispered, "It's just a novel about showing off your life. With your intelligence, how could you possibly believe the scholar's wild tales inside?"

Only then did Sister Bao dare to look up at people.

Chen Siyuan, pulling on Baochai's soft hand, sat down first, then pulled her onto his lap. Baochai, feeling shy, whispered reproachfully, "Ying'er is still here—"

Chen Siyuan said, "What does it matter? She's always been perceptive and wouldn't come to bother us right now."

Fearing he might cause trouble, Baochai quickly said, "When I heard Madam mention that incident this afternoon, it truly felt like the sky was falling and the earth was splitting apart. I... I don't even know how I got out of Rongqing Hall." She paused, then added, "Later, I went to the small courtyard in the northeast with Mother, and only then did I understand clearly. It really is a matter that doesn't concern me, but when it does, I get confused."

Chen Siyuan said in a low voice, "Even if my sister doesn't trust others, she should at least trust me."

Baochai breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I thought Second Sister was just dull-witted, but who knew she was hiding her talents. It's fortunate that Madam made such a foolish move, otherwise I would have been afraid that Second Sister would scheme against you."

Looking at her slightly furrowed brows and reproachful pretty face, Chen Siyuan saw her as a little kitten guarding its food.

Chen Siyuan then hugged Baochai tightly, pressing against her warm and soft body, and whispered, "Madam... are you in a hurry this time?"

"Yes!" Baochai smiled and nodded, saying, "Mother was so anxious that she wished she could have gone to Auntie right then and there to get to the bottom of things... She even said that it was all Baoyu's fault."

"what?"

Seeing that Chen Siyuan was puzzled, Baochai giggled and explained what had happened.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself that he should avoid seeing Aunt Xue for the time being, lest the woman become suspicious.

The two whispered among themselves for a while, and Chen Siyuan gradually became restless, saying, "It's just a pity that my sister can't travel far... If my sister could travel far, we could go to Fragrant Hills together for a few days to escape the summer heat. That would be wonderful." Baochai, while clutching her clothes tightly, couldn't resist the strange hand reaching inside, and couldn't help but feel longing, saying, "No rush, there will be opportunities later... there will be opportunities later."

With a soft moan, Baochai was aroused by the slightest touch. The two exchanged a glance and immediately pressed themselves together.

When men and women meet in secret, their bodies become intimate, and their boundaries gradually recede. Baochai was no exception.

At first, she thought she would only be a little affectionate, but in a short while she forgot herself and let Chen Siyuan do whatever he wanted.

Chen Siyuan kissed Baochai deeply, rubbing her until she trembled all over. Only when he heard the clapper sound outside did he reluctantly leave.

Baochai was so embarrassed that she couldn't get up. She could only call Ying'er to take the lantern and see Chen Siyuan off.

After a short while, Sister Bao returned to her bedroom. When Ying'er returned, Sister Bao asked what had happened, and Ying'er laughed and said, "Miss, you don't know, Master Yuan climbed over the wall as if it were flat ground. He ran a few steps, grabbed with his hands and feet, and in a whoosh, he was over there."

Baochai was relieved and quickly said, "It's late, you should rest early too. I'm going to sleep."

After saying this, she covered herself with the brocade quilt, and Ying'er tucked the corner of the quilt around her before going to wash up. But as soon as Ying'er left, Baochai stirred like a worm, blushing as she crumpled her undergarments into a ball and hid them at her feet.

Today, after a mix of surprise and delight, Baochai blushed deeply under the covers. When she thought of the embarrassing moment just now, even the roots of her ears turned red.

After tossing and turning for a while, Ying'er in the warm chamber began to snore softly. The clapper sounded several times outside, followed by the faint crowing of a rooster. Finally, Baochai, unable to resist her drowsiness, drifted off to sleep. But in her dream, lustful thoughts arose again. When Baochai awoke, she felt a cool, slippery sensation beneath her, and was immediately too ashamed to face anyone…

They continued until the sun was high in the sky. Baochai had just finished washing and getting ready when she turned around and saw Ying'er approaching, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.

Baochai frowned slightly and couldn't help but ask, "What is it now?"

Ying'er whispered, "Miss, there are rumors of ghosts in the garden."

"Ok?"

"Last night, when Granny He got up to use the bathroom, she saw a white shadow drift down from the mountain. It turned around and landed near the Provincial Villa before disappearing without a trace."

As she spoke, Ying'er couldn't help but smile. Baochai pondered for a moment; hadn't Chen Siyuan been wearing a moon-white robe yesterday? She suppressed a smile, but inwardly thought she would tease him next time she saw him. Such a proper scholar, now he's even imitating those lecherous men in the books, pretending to be a lecherous scoundrel!
She inwardly scolded him, but couldn't help blushing as she recalled the enchanting moments of the previous night. Then, she looked forward to seeing him again...

............................................................

A simple thatched cottage.

The little maid Yunxiang skipped away, and Chen Siyuan turned his head and saw that Xiangling, Hongyu and Wu'er all had strange expressions.

Chen Siyuan frowned and sighed, slowly sat down, took a sip of tea, and said, "Laugh if you want to."

With a chuckle, all three women burst out laughing. Hongyu scolded, "It's a good thing that Granny He is timid. If it were someone braver, the master would probably have been beaten with a stick."

Xiangling was overjoyed.

Chen Siyuan frowned and pondered for a while before instructing, "Make me a set of black clothes tomorrow."

Hongyu paused for a moment, then said, "Does the master intend to visit often?"

Wu'er covered her mouth and laughed, "Master was just joking, but Sister Hongyu took it seriously."

Xiangling replied, "Yesterday... it was just a moment of panic, how could I dare to visit you so often?"

Hongyu breathed a slight sigh of relief, but when she turned her head and saw Chen Siyuan deep in thought, she immediately wondered if her master was serious.
How could they know Chen Siyuan's thoughts? They had previously thought that Baochai was "beautiful even in her heartlessness," but who knew that once the Cold Fragrance Pill stopped working, Baochai would become as tender as water. Now the two of them were inseparable, their love burning brightly. Not to mention Chen Siyuan's reluctance to part, Baochai herself was probably thinking of him too.

The ancients were right when they said that passion precedes desire. Desire arising from passion has a more interesting aspect than simply relieving sexual tension.

After a while of chattering among the maids, Hongyu said, "Let's not worry about anything else for now. Who knows, the east courtyard might come to call the master over again today."

Madam Xing's outburst was still unresolved; it was only a matter of time before they could hear what Master Jia She had to say. But no one came to summon them, and then, in the afternoon, their maid Yunxiang reported that Master Jia She had traveled lightly and simply to Tianjin.

Not to mention the maids, even Chen Siyuan himself was astonished. He turned around and asked his servant Qingyu for information, only to find out that the price of latex in the capital had risen to seven fen of silver per catty today!

Chen Siyuan was astonished! This was only the result of the imperial merchants in front of him desperately harvesting and selling latex. If he were to hold back his own sales in the future, wouldn't the price of latex rise to an astronomical level of one qian of silver per jin?

Considering this, the cost is approaching that of the original bentwood wheels, which doesn't seem like a long-term solution. After some further consideration, he decided that the iron wheel hubs should be kept hidden for a while, until he had truly taken over the latex business.

It wasn't until after 3 PM that Miao'er came to invite them.

Chen Siyuan was already annoyed that Madam Xing had acted on her own initiative and was determined to teach her a lesson. He said, "We have arranged a small gathering with friends at the Imperial Academy today and will be leaving soon. Go and tell your aunt that I am busy today and will pay my respects another day."

Miao'er, who had been smiling, noticed Chen Siyuan's serious expression and realized something was wrong. Miao'er knew that when the young master in front of her was in a good mood, he would laugh and scold, letting the maids mingle with him; but when he was in a bad mood, he could stand up to not only the concubines, but even the old lady.

He quickly and obediently agreed, then turned to return to Madam Xing.

Madam Xing made two mistakes this time. First, she acted on her own initiative. Chen Siyuan had already politely declined, but she insisted on arranging a marriage between her and Yingchun.
Secondly, it would have been fine to ask Grandmother Jia for permission, but to bring it up in front of all the sisters is unacceptable. How can this matter be resolved now? If this marriage doesn't go through, how will Second Miss Yingchun face the world?
Chen Siyuan could guess that if he went to the east wing, Madam Xing would get angry and throw a tantrum, and if that didn't work, she would definitely bring up his fourth son. After all, he had given birth to his child, so how could Chen Siyuan argue with her if she brought up his fourth son?
So they decided to make the best of a bad situation and leave Madam Xing alone for a while.

So, as soon as Miao'er left, Chen Siyuan packed up his usual books, found Ying'er in the garden, and asked her to pass on a message to Baochai. Then he carried the bundle to the new house to find some peace and quiet.

Meanwhile, Miao'er returned home anxiously and went into the main room to report. Madam Xing was in a state of turmoil, wondering how to answer the little thief, when she saw that only Miao'er had returned alone. She immediately frowned and asked, "Why didn't you come, young master? Did you go to the new house again?"

Miao'er said, "Young Master said he has arranged to have a small gathering with friends from the Imperial Academy, and also said he will pay his respects to Madam again tomorrow."

Although Madam Xing was not very shrewd, how could she not understand such angry words?
Miao'er looked up and said, "Young master... you don't look well, you seem to be angry."

Madam Xing curled her lip and said, "I always think of him first, but he still throws a tantrum at me. Where can I reason with him?" She waved her hand to dismiss Miao'er and left. Madam Xing thought to herself that she would just go to that thatched cottage tomorrow.

The thief was usually magnanimous. He figured that if he humbled himself and put on a show of kindness, the matter would be let off the hook.
To everyone's surprise, Madam Xing arrived at the next morning to find Chen Siyuan gone. After asking Hongyu, she learned that Chen Siyuan hadn't returned at all. When asked when he would return, Hongyu said she couldn't say for sure.

Madam Xing couldn't very well go after him to the new house, so she could only frown and turn back in silence, thinking she would come looking for him the next day.

Who knew that Chen Siyuan did not return the next day, and the day after that, the Ningguo Mansion held a banquet. Madam Xing only had a brief glimpse of Chen Siyuan, and in the afternoon, the thief hid in the new house again!

Madam Xing grew increasingly anxious, thinking that she had truly angered Chen Siyuan this time, but she couldn't leave the mansion and could only brood in the east wing.

Unexpectedly, Wang Shanbao's wife came to urge him on that day, saying, "Master Bao has been recuperating for thirty-three days, and today he is moving back to Yihong Courtyard. It is both a matter of sentiment and reason for Madam to go and see him."

Because she was still thinking about Chen Siyuan, Madam Xing looked listless. Considering that she still had a decent relationship with the second wife, she reluctantly got up and led her maids and servants to Madam Wang's courtyard.

Upon arrival, they found Aunt Xue, Sister Feng, Li Wan, the three sisters (Miss Xue, Daiyu, Baochai, Xiangyun, and Xing Xiuyan) all there, and exchanged pleasantries. It was nearly midnight when the door to Madam Wang's main room finally opened.

Baoyu was like a wild dog released from its cage. He chatted enthusiastically with his sisters and cousins. Since he was going to move back to Yihong Courtyard, Baoyu reluctantly said goodbye to his sisters and cousins ​​and went to Yihong Courtyard with Xiren and the others.

Sister Feng was busy running around, while Li Wan led the three sisters to the back hall to learn needlework. Daiyu, Baochai, and Xiangyun returned to their respective places, and Madam Xing and Aunt Xue went into Madam Wang's room.

Having been separated for many days, the sisters-in-law and sisters-in-law exchanged many insincere pleasantries. After drinking a cup of tea, Madam Xing finally took her leave.

Only Aunt Xue and Madam Wang remained. Seeing that Jin Chuan'er, Yu Chuan'er, and others had gone to Yi Hong Courtyard to help out, Aunt Xue couldn't help but say to Madam Wang, "Since ancient times, fortune and misfortune have no fixed door. Fortunately... a wise person helped us, otherwise Bao Yu might have been harmed."

Madam Wang sighed deeply and nodded, saying, "Yes, he's my only son. If he's not well, I can't live either."

After a few words of coaxing, Aunt Xue continued, "Baoyu will be thirteen or fourteen by next year, sister...shouldn't we settle on his marriage?"

Madam Wang was taken aback, then used her usual rhetoric to bluff: "How could I not want it? But how could I possibly decide on that wretched child's marriage? He's been raised in the old lady's room since he was a child. Look at the maids around him, sister, aren't they all appointed by the old lady?"

Aunt Xue smiled and said, "What you say is true, sister, but marriage is a major event that has always been decided by parents and arranged by matchmakers..."

Lady Wang said to herself, "That's fine, but now that it's the eldest daughter... it's hard to say what Her Majesty is thinking. Last time, Miaoyu went to the palace to talk about Baoyu's marriage, and Her Majesty only said that Baoyu is still young and there's no rush to settle things." She paused, and seeing that Aunt Xue's expression had turned cold, she added, "However, during the last visit home, Her Majesty was extremely pleased to see Baochai."

What was Lady Wang thinking? First, she had borrowed money from the Xue family, and how could the Jia family possibly repay it now? With this marriage proposal as a pretext, Aunt Xue would naturally find it difficult to ask for the money back. Second, she also harbored the thought of using one thing as a substitute for another.

The eldest daughter, Yuan Chun, has been promoted to the virtuous consort; who knows, she might be promoted to the imperial consort someday. Bao Yu will then be a true brother-in-law of the emperor. Although Bao Chai is a good woman, how could the Xue family's social standing be worthy of a brother-in-law of the emperor?

Aunt Xue sighed and nodded repeatedly, saying, "I know what's wrong with you, sister. But... my family is also having a hard time right now."

After a pause, Aunt Xue complained, "As you know, there's still no news about the selection of concubines. We've spent two or three thousand taels of silver, but there's still no progress. It's probably hopeless. If Baochai were selected as a tutor, at least she could stay for another two years; if she doesn't get selected, she'll have to choose someone else now."

Lady Wang asked in surprise, "Why are you in such a hurry, sister? Baochai is a girl of excellent character and appearance, why rush to arrange a marriage?"

"How can we not be in a hurry?" Aunt Xue said, "Baochai gave birth in the first month of the lunar year, and she will be sixteen or seventeen by the new year. Our family naturally doesn't need to follow the example of poor people and marry off our daughters early. But at most, we can only keep her until she is eighteen. If we keep her any longer... wouldn't she become an old maid?"
Besides, when it comes to marriage, a truly suitable match is hard to come by. It might take a year to find one, and another year to discuss the arrangements. So, shouldn't we hurry up and get things done?

Lady Wang had been confined for thirty-three days, focusing all her attention on Baoyu, and had no time to attend to matters outside. She assumed that Aunt Xue was coming to urge her again, and couldn't help but feel a little annoyed.

Suddenly remembering how she had previously tried to matchmake Yuan-ge'er and Bao-chai, she casually said, "What's that saying again? 'A blessed person doesn't need to beg,' so why should you go to such lengths, sister? Yuan-ge'er is far superior to Bao-yu. He's already arranged a marriage between him and Yu-er. If Bao-chai were to marry him, wouldn't that be a wonderful thing?"

Aunt Xue was stunned for a moment, never expecting that it was Madam Wang who brought it up first before she had even mentioned it herself.

Lady Wang, observing Aunt Xue's expression, assumed that her younger sister had not thought about this matter, and then smiled and advised, "Sister, you might as well think about it carefully. Yuan-ge and Baochai are about the same age, and they would be a perfect match if they were together. Besides, Yuan-ge has passed the imperial examination at a young age. Who knows, he might rise to the top in the next examination and become a scholar in the imperial academy."

As the saying goes, "First come, first served," and since Yuan-ge'er can fulfill whatever my sister desires, why not bring Baochai and Yuan-ge'er together?

Aunt Xue felt a mix of emotions. She thought to herself that she had been deceived by her good sister for years, and only now, when the truth was revealed, did she realize that her good sister had never taken a liking to her Baochai.

Well, well, since we can't count on a perfect match, we might as well let that young man have it.

Aunt Xue breathed a sigh of relief, then looked up with a worried expression and said, "I hadn't thought of that idea of ​​yours, but hearing you say it... it's not entirely impossible."

Lady Wang was secretly pleased and said with a smile, "We're all family, would I lie to you and push Baochai into a fire pit?"

Aunt Xue suddenly frowned and said, "But... someone beat me to it a few days ago."

Madam Wang asked in surprise, "Ahead of the curve? What do you mean?"

Aunt Xue sighed and recounted all the things that happened to Madam Xing that day.

Madam Wang frowned upon hearing this. She thought to herself that she had previously intended to matchmake Wang Yunping and Chen Siyuan, but who knew that the two would become enemies instead. Madam Xing had already betrothed her niece Xing Xiuyan to Yuan-ge'er as a concubine, and now that she had betrothed her second daughter, Yuan-ge'er might as well do anything for the First Madam.

Madam Wang has already witnessed Yuan Ge'er's abilities. Wouldn't the Rongguo Mansion gradually fall into the hands of the eldest son's family?

This can't happen!

Madam Wang immediately gathered her strength and pondered for a long time before saying, "How can we completely believe what the eldest madam says? I think she might have acted on her own initiative... Otherwise, why hasn't the eldest uncle spoken up all this time?"

He paused, then continued, "Besides, a daughter of one family is sought after by a hundred families, and isn't the reverse also true? If you've made up your mind, sister, I'll be there to help you. In terms of looks, talent, and character, in what way is Baochai not better than the Second Miss? Yuan-ge'er isn't blind; as long as he makes his feelings clear, and the two are compared side by side, even a fool would know which to choose!"

(End of this chapter)