Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 252 Repeatedly
Now, after Baoyu moved back to Yihong Courtyard, he didn't care about Xiren and the others tidying up and settling him in. He excitedly went to Grand View Garden.

As he walked along the path to Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Baoyu paused slightly, wanting to see Daiyu, but then remembered Lady Wang's instructions, so he could only sigh and head to Hengwu Garden to look for her.

Who would have thought that after more than a month apart, when Sister Bao met him this time, she was neither friendly nor distant. After only three sentences, she began to persuade Baoyu to study hard and make progress.

Baochai is now single-mindedly focused on being a wife of the Chen family, and she already dislikes Baoyu for his lack of ambition, so she is too lazy to engage in any pretense with him.

All those profound principles sounded to Baoyu like Buddhist scriptures being chanted by a monk, giving him a headache.

Baoyu immediately turned away and went to Rongqing Hall to pay his respects to Grandmother Jia. When he found that Xiangyun was not there, he asked her and learned that she had also gone to the small side room to learn needlework. So he lingered for a while and then returned home feeling disheartened.

At this moment, Xiren, Sheyue, and others were tidying up in Yihong Courtyard. Hearing the noise, they looked up and saw Baoyu returning lazily with a sullen face. He was lying on the bed, looking even more listless.

Xi Ren stayed by Bao Yu's side for thirty-three days, and naturally she was worried about her mother's condition. With Bao Yu staying in the room, how could she leave so soon?

So she came over and said, "Why are you sleeping again? Didn't you get enough sleep the other day? It's stuffy in the room, why don't you go out for a walk?"

Seeing Xiren's charming appearance, Baoyu reached out and grabbed her, saying, "I want to go, but I can't bear to leave you."

Xiren stepped aside, scolding, "In broad daylight... you can go out and fool around with other women at night. Get up now!"

Baoyu lazily got up, frowning as he asked, "Where are we going?" His sister Bao was always lecturing, and Lin Daiyu… they were becoming increasingly distant. Finally, there was Xiangyun, someone he could talk to, and now she was learning that awful needlework. "Me? I'm always clingy and fussy wherever I go."

Xiren said, "Maybe things will be better once you go out. If you stay here like this, you'll only get more and more annoyed."

Baoyu thought about it and agreed. He figured that even if he didn't have his sisters to talk to or keep him entertained, it would be nice to stroll around the garden, admire the flowers, and see the rare animals.

He got up and went out for a stroll. But as soon as he crossed the Qinfang Gate Bridge, he saw Jia Lan carrying a small bundle and leading two maids hurrying towards him.

Baoyu stopped and asked in surprise, "Where is Lan-ge'er going?"

Jia Lan stepped forward and called out "Second Uncle," then said, "Just now, Uncle Yuan sent someone to tell me that I should go to his new house to study."

Baoyu was extremely impatient with the word "reading" and immediately waved his hand, saying, "Then you should go quickly, but be careful not to go blind from reading too much."

Jia Lan smiled憨厚ly and led the little maid away.

Watching Jia Lan leave in a hurry, Bao Yu became increasingly bored and worried, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, a maid came to tell him, "Second Master, Master wants to see you upstairs!"

Baoyu was so frightened that his face changed color immediately, and he quickly went forward with his head down.

But as soon as they arrived at Qixianzhai, a person suddenly jumped out from the corner of the wall, grabbed Baoyu's little arm and laughed loudly: "Brother Bao, don't panic, it's not your uncle who called you, it's me who called you out to play."

After saying that, he grabbed Baoyu and left: "What a coincidence, Chen Yejun and Liu Xianglian are here today. We brothers should have a good time... It's just a pity that Brother Yuan is not here."

Baoyu was pulled forward by him, and after taking a closer look, he suddenly said, "Brother Pan, why are you so thin?"

Xue Pan froze, his face contorted with unspeakable bitterness. He had always considered sexual pleasure a pleasure, but who would have thought that one day he would find it repulsive?
Xue Pan was a fickle man who easily bored with the old and sought out new things. At first, he was extremely fond of the two maids, He Xin and Sui Jin, and spent all his time with them. As time went on, if Aunt Xue was around, she would urge him to have sex with them; if Aunt Xue was not around, Cao Shi would urge him.

This sexual pleasure has become like a business matter!
The more Xue Pan thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. He vaguely felt that he had become a stud horse in the Imperial Stud's ranch.
It's always been Uncle Xue who plays with women, there's no reason for it to be the other way around.

Because Xue Pan has become increasingly irresponsible lately, he runs out whenever he has free time, ignoring all the discipline from Cao Shi and Aunt Xue. Today, having some free time, he simply came to find Chen Siyuan to play around.

To his surprise, Chen Siyuan was not there, so he simply went to find Baoyu. Baoyu was bored at the time, and they hit it off immediately, so he happily went with Xue Pan.

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

Leaving aside Baoyu, let's talk about how Baochai chased him away with a few words, then turned around and went back to Hengwu Garden to wait quietly, waiting for Aunt Xue and Lady Wang to finish their discussion before coming to talk to her.

She felt slightly uneasy, and considering how her aunt, Madam Wang, had treated her these past few days, she was certain that she would never agree to the marriage proposal. Besides, she had previously hinted at trying to match her with Chen Siyuan, so perhaps this time her wish would come true.

Lost in thought, she didn't realize it was past noon. Ying'er brought the food box, and Baochai quickly ate some afternoon snacks. In the blink of an eye, the old woman outside came back and said, "Miss, Madam is here!"

Baochai put down her chopsticks, found a handkerchief to wipe her mouth briefly, and hurriedly got up to greet them. As she stepped out of the main room, she saw Aunt Xue leading Tongxi and Tonggui, both with furrowed brows, approaching from afar.

Baochai's heart skipped a beat, and she thought to herself... Could it be that something unexpected has happened again?
After exchanging greetings, Aunt Xue looked at Baochai, sighed, and turned to her three maids, saying, "My daughter and I are having a private chat. You all go out and have some fun."

Ying'er and the others agreed and stayed outside to keep watch.

The mother and daughter entered the main room together. After Baochai poured tea for Aunt Xue, Aunt Xue glanced at her, frowned and said reproachfully, "This time... it's finally as you wished."

Baochai's face remained calm, but the hand holding the teapot trembled slightly. She hurriedly asked, "Mother, what you said is so abrupt. What do you mean by 'following my wishes'? What did Auntie say?"

Aunt Xue sneered and said, "What else can we say? It's just the same old thing over and over again, trying to fool us. I know that now that the eldest daughter has been made a concubine, your aunt has become too proud. I'm afraid she looks down on our family's social standing and is thinking of marrying into a better family."

Baojie then said, "Why should Mother be angry? People strive for higher positions, and water flows downhill; it has always been so."

Aunt Xue sighed, "Reason is reason, and affection is affection... When reason and affection are mixed together, it's really annoying." After a pause, she added, "Perhaps your aunt is also fed up. After hearing that you can't wait, she actually intends to match you with Yuan-ge'er."

Baochai pretended to be surprised, but her hands under the table clenched tightly, thinking to herself, "Just as I thought!"

Then Aunt Xue said, "I told you what the First Madam did that day, but your aunt has other ideas. She said she would think it over carefully and then go to talk to the Old Madam."

Should we seek an explanation from the old lady? Yes, if the old lady objects, I'm afraid what the first wife said earlier will no longer hold true.

This is truly a double celebration!

Seeing that Baochai remained silent, Aunt Xue said, "My child, no matter what, it was the east wing who brought it up first. You..."

Bao said calmly, "Don't worry, Mom, I know what I'm doing."

Aunt Xue was unwilling to accept this. She thought to herself that the young man was skilled in matters of love and pleasure, and every time he would make her feel like she was dying of pleasure. If he used such methods on her daughter, her daughter would probably have to give herself to someone else after only a few times. At that time, there would be no room for maneuver.

Aunt Xue couldn't bring herself to say these things, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions. Fearing that staying any longer would reveal their whereabouts, she gave some instructions and then got up to lead Tongxi and Tonggui back home. Before parting, she added that Xue Pan had become increasingly unrestrained these days, and that she might have to return to the old house for a few more days that afternoon.

Baochai readily agreed, but secretly planned to settle the accounts in a few days and then spend some intimate time with Chen Siyuan.

Just after noon that day, Aunt Xue, as expected, led her maids and servants back to the old house by carriage. It so happened that the three young ladies from Xiao Baoxia were leaving school, and they all came out together.

A few days ago, Tan Chun and Xi Chun had a falling out because of the Second Miss's marriage. Although they had been together for the past few days, they had lost the intimacy they used to share.

Tan Chun wanted to find an opportunity to have a word with Xi Chun, but as soon as she left Bao Xia, Xi Chun grabbed Ying Chun's arm and said, "Second Sister, your plum blossom tassel is very nice, can you make one for me too?"

Yingchun was puzzled as to why Xichun was suddenly so close to her. She assumed that Xichun was just young and it was just a passing fancy. So she smiled and nodded, saying, "Since you've said it, I'll make one for you later."

Xichun said happily, "Okay, then I want to watch Second Sister fight!"

They then dragged Yingchun towards Zhuijin Tower.

Tan Chun stopped in front of the porch, frowning deeply. After a long while, she went to Madam Wang's courtyard—since she was raised in Madam Wang's room, she naturally couldn't be deviated from the proper etiquette.

She then led Shishu and Cuimo to Madam Wang's courtyard, only to bump into Aunt Zhao, who was eagerly waiting, as soon as they entered the east gate.

Tan Chun frowned even more, stepped forward and called out, "Who is Auntie waiting for?"

Aunt Zhao waved her hand, shooing Shishu and Cuimo aside as if they were flies. She pulled Tanchun aside, poked Tanchun's forehead with a finger, and said, "You heartless wretch, who else would we be waiting for if not you?"

Tan Chun was taken aback for a moment, then quickly said, "Auntie... this month's allowance hasn't been paid yet."

Aunt Zhao frowned and said, "You're from my gut, can't I find something good when I look for you?" She paused, looked around, and then lowered her voice and said, "Let me ask you... is Second Miss really going to marry Yuan-ge'er?"

Tan Chun spoke frankly: "That's hard to say... The first lady was just talking to herself. Although the old lady didn't say anything else, we still don't know what the master is thinking."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Aunt Zhao gave a strange smile. Tan Chun asked, "What are you laughing at, Aunt?"

Aunt Zhao chuckled and said, "Since we can't be sure, isn't this our chance?"

"what?"

"Nonsense! What are you pretending to be stupid for? Yuan-ge is only five years older than you, and he needs to focus on his studies these next few years. Even if the marriage is arranged, it probably won't be ready until after the next exam. By then, Yuan-ge will be twenty, and you'll be fifteen or sixteen. Isn't that just the right time?"

Tan Chun never expected that Aunt Zhao would have such thoughts. She was both anxious and ashamed, her face flushing red, and she stammered, "You...Aunt...Don't, don't say such things!"

Aunt Zhao sneered, "Am I talking nonsense? Everyone knows Yuan-ge'er is a good man. Oh my, not to mention his future career, just the money he earns will probably fill the treasury! The second young lady is born out of wedlock, and so are you. Judging from your appearance, you are even better than the second young lady. How come you can't compare to her? Don't tell me that it's not good for sisters to compete. The second young lady is from the first wife's family, and she's from a different branch of the family!"

"You, you—" It was truly a case of a scholar encountering a soldier—reason was useless. Tan Chun was already furious by now, so she stamped her foot and walked past Aunt Zhao, saying, "I'm not talking to you anymore!"

Aunt Zhao took a couple of steps after him, and seeing that he had entered Madam Wang's courtyard, she hurriedly followed and said, "I'll talk to the master about it later, just wait for good news!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Tan Chun walked faster and faster. Shi Shu and Cui Mo, who were behind her, overheard a bit and didn't know what to say about Aunt Zhao. They could only hurry after Tan Chun.

Tan Chun slowed her pace as she approached the side hall, and touched her cheek, finding it burning hot. She was a year younger than Daiyu, and was gradually becoming more aware of human affairs, but had never before thought of any particular man.

Aunt Zhao's ramblings only stirred Tan Chun's thoughts. She couldn't help but think of Chen Si's recent arrival, and her face flushed even more.

Jin Chuan'er came out from the side hall to greet them. Seeing Tan Chun frowning and blushing, and seeing Shi Shu and Cui Mo chasing after them, she smiled and said, "Why did you come here, Third Miss? Madam is talking to Second Mistress right now. You'll have to wait a while, Third Miss."

Tan Chun thought it was perfect and went into the side hall to sit for a while. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a cold snort came from inside, followed a moment later by Feng Jie'er's cold laugh. Upon seeing Tan Chun, Feng Jie'er's cold smile immediately warmed, and she said with a smile, "Tan'er's here? Come in quickly, Madam was just talking about you." Tan Chun got up and agreed, then bid farewell to Feng Jie'er and went into the main room. Once inside, she glanced around and saw Madam Wang's face was ashen, her hands spinning the eighteen-piece divination sticks rapidly, clearly gathering her strength... She wondered what Feng Jie'er had said earlier.

Tan Chun stepped forward and greeted them respectfully. Madam Wang gave her a cold glance, and her expression softened slightly. After exchanging a few pleasantries, she said, "The servants in this household are becoming increasingly unruly. How dare they gossip about a young lady's reputation? I just told Feng'er that anyone who spreads rumors will be dismissed from the household. You should also keep an eye out for any gossipy old women in private. Bring them here, and I will deal with them!"

Tan Chun thought to herself, "So it was because of my second sister's gossip..." She agreed in person and stayed for a while before being sent away by Madam Wang.

Madam Wang sat sullenly in her room for a long time, pondering how to find a pretext to send Caixia away later. And what about Aunt Zhao and her son… with the master protecting them, she couldn't just arbitrarily punish them without evidence, but weren't there plenty of ways to get rid of them?
He then summoned Caiyun and instructed her, "Go and check on Aunt Zhao's courtyard. If Huan-ge'er has returned, tell him to come to my room and copy a copy of the Diamond Sutra."

Caiyun agreed, secretly thinking that Huan Laosan was in trouble again, and hurriedly went to Aunt Zhao's courtyard.

A short while later, Jia Huan arrived dejectedly, assuming that Lady Wang was deliberately making things difficult for him because he had scalded Bao Yu last time. Feeling outmatched, the third brother Huan could only bury himself in copying the scriptures.

After considering the matter carefully, Madam Wang, seeing that it was past noon, made up her mind and headed to Rongqing Hall.

They went straight to Rongqing Hall, entered and exchanged greetings. Seeing only Xiangyun talking with the old lady, Madam Wang couldn't help but wonder, "Where is Baoyu?"

Grandmother Jia said with a smile, "Baoyu is always fond of lively gatherings. He was sick for a few days and then confined for thirty-three days. Of course, he must have been restless. Just now, Yuanyang went to Yihong Courtyard to ask and found out that Baoyu had gone out to play with others."

Lady Wang frowned slightly but said nothing more. After they sat down and had some tea, she chatted with Grandmother Jia about everyday matters. Grandmother Jia then said, "You've been working hard these days. Why did you come here so early to observe the proper etiquette?"

Madam Wang bowed and said, "Propriety cannot be disregarded. Since I have nothing else to do, I must come and see the old lady." After a pause, she added, "Also, I heard something... It seems that my sister-in-law intends to betroth Yingchun to Yuan'er?"

Grandmother Jia then smiled and said, "It's still far from settled, we'll have to see what the master says... And coincidentally, the master had to go to Tianjin the very next day. I'm thinking, Yingchun isn't young anymore, I'll discuss this with him carefully when the master returns."

After a pause, seeing that Lady Wang looked hesitant, Grandmother Jia knew that she had something to say. Seeing Xiangyun listening intently, Grandmother Jia gave her a nudge and said with a smile, "You don't need to stay with me, go and find them to play."

Xiangyun obediently agreed and skipped off to find her treasure-hunting sister.

Only Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang remained. Lady Wang pondered for a moment and said, "To say that the second young lady is betrothed to Yuan-ge is certainly excellent. The two are of similar age, one is strong-willed, and the other is refined and gentle. They will surely get along well. I wonder if my elder brother and sister-in-law are also looking forward to finalizing this matter."

The speaker meant well, and the listener naturally picked up on the unspoken meaning. What did it mean that the elder brother and sister-in-law were also hoping for it? Grandmother Jia's mind raced, and she immediately frowned inwardly.

Why did she despise Chen Siyuan? Firstly, he used a marriage certificate of dubious origin to steal Daiyu away. Although the Jia family still misappropriated most of the Lin family's property, now that things were out in the open, the Jia family would have to pay it back if things were truly settled in the future.

Furthermore, this person, upon her arrival, colluded with both families, instigating their daughters-in-law to join forces against her. As a result, the Wu family fell, Dai Liang was finished, and even the Lai family, which she relied on most, is now barely surviving. Her daughter-in-law, Madam Wang, had held the title of head of the household for over a decade, but only in the last two years has she truly taken control.

How could Grandmother Jia possibly be happy with such a malicious young man?
The daughter-in-law, Madam Wang, seemed to be extremely wary of this son... Could it be that she fears that if he marries Yingchun, he will devote himself to helping the eldest son's family and then turn around and deal with the second son's family?
What were the two families thinking? How could they possibly hide it from the shrewd and experienced Grandmother Jia? The old lady knew that the Jia family was now on the decline. In his later years, the old Duke decided to turn the two mansions, East and West, towards farming and scholarship. Unexpectedly, a struggle for the throne caused the most promising Jia Jing to flee to the city, and the most talented of the younger generation, Jia Zhu, to die a violent death.

Looking across the Ning and Rong mansions, where are there any outstanding young men? Since no outstanding ones can be found among the Yu generation, we can only hope for the next generation, the Cao generation.

The old lady is getting on in years, and now she only wants to maintain appearances. As for what will happen to the family in the future, that's for her descendants to worry about. Even if the first and second wives want to fight, they'll have to wait until she closes her eyes in death.

If the wicked Chen Siyuan were to marry the second daughter, he might become even more devoted to devising schemes, and wouldn't the family be thrown into chaos in the future?
Madam Wang observed the old lady's expression and, seeing her slightly furrowed brow, understood what was going on. She then said, "Besides, there's more than one Yingchun in the family; the old lady can't possibly favor one over the other."

"Oh?" Grandmother Jia asked in surprise, "Does Madam mean... No, Tan Chun is still too young."

Madam Wang was taken aback, thinking to herself, how could she have found such a good marriage for her illegitimate daughter? She then said with a wry smile, "Old Madam, you've misunderstood... I mean, there's also Bao'er, isn't there?"

"Baochai?" Grandmother Jia was startled and looked over suspiciously.

Madam Wang said in a low voice, "Bao'er is about the same age as Yuan'er, and the two have been in contact for a long time. I think if the old lady has arranged it, there's no reason why it shouldn't work out. Besides, the old lady knows the situation of the Xue family. They are in dire need of someone like Yuan'er who can support the family."

The old lady said, "Isn't it a match made in heaven that these two have become a couple?"

Lady Wang's words were ostensibly about the Xue family's situation, but implicitly about the Jia family. It should be noted that the Rongguo Mansion still owed the Xue family money, and Grandmother Jia was unwilling to use her own funds to cover the deficit. Although she looked down on the Xue mother and daughter, she only dared to criticize them through plays, never daring to utter a harsh word openly.

Otherwise... if she rejects that so-called "golden and jade marriage" outright, what will happen when the Xue family asks the Rongguo Mansion for money in the future? They can't just mortgage the house, can they? If they do that, how will the Rongguo Mansion maintain its dignity?

Upon closer examination, this "frequent interactions"... doesn't it imply that the two have been having an affair for some time? And since Madam Wang dared to say this, she must have already discussed it with Aunt Xue, so Aunt Xue must also strongly approve of this marriage?
In this way, there will be no more perfect marriage, and the Rongguo Mansion will not have to rush to repay the money. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?
After pondering for a while, Grandmother Jia said to Lady Wang, "Marriage is a serious matter and cannot be taken lightly. It requires both social standing and compatibility between the two people. You know that Madam is always straightforward. Last time, she spoke on her own, but I'm afraid she neither told Master nor asked Yingchun about her feelings."

Now that Madam no longer needs to look after Baoyu, she should send people to quell the gossip in the household these next few days. I have very fondness for both Erya and Baoya, and I will wholeheartedly approve of who marries Yuan-ge in the future.”

Grandmother Jia's words were so tactful that they made Lady Wang curse the old fox inwardly. But she could only say, "Grandmother is right. I'll send a maid to ask the Second Miss what she's thinking. It's not good to force her to do something she doesn't want to do."

Grandmother Jia nodded repeatedly and did not mention the matter again. Instead, she gave instructions on various important and minor matters in the mansion. It was only when dinner was approaching that she sent Lady Wang away.

Lady Wang led Jin Chuan'er and Yu Chuan'er out from the side gate behind Rongqing Hall. After passing the large pink screen wall, they arrived at the gate of Grand View Garden. Lady Wang stopped and instructed Yu Chuan'er: "Go and invite Tan'er here. Tell her to have dinner with me."

Although Yu Chuan was puzzled, she silently agreed and turned to go to Qiu Shuang Zhai to find Tan Chun.

Tan Chun inquired along the way, but naturally couldn't glean anything useful from Yu Chuan'er's words. So she couldn't help but wonder wildly if the things Aunt Zhao had said to her had been spread around.

Tan Chun nervously entered Madam Wang's main room, only to find Madam Wang with a kind and gentle face, who indeed wanted her to have dinner with her.

During dinner, Madam Wang not only showed concern for Tan Chun's well-being but also specially served her several dishes, which brought tears to Tan Chun's eyes. She thought that she had always been obedient and had finally won Madam Wang's favor.

After dinner was cleared away, Jin Chuan'er served tea, and then Madam Wang asked, "How has your second sister been these past two days?"

“This…” Tan Chun hesitated, “I had a falling out with Xi Chun these past two days, so I haven’t gone to Zhuijin Tower.”

Madam Wang asked in surprise, "You and Xichun are always inseparable, how come you've suddenly become estranged?"

Tan Chun, her eyes red, said, "It's just because Xi Chun approves of Second Sister marrying Brother Yuan, but I don't agree with it in my heart—" She paused, then continued, "—I always thought that this was just Madam talking to herself, and Brother Yuan didn't say anything at all."

While feeling a sense of comfort, Lady Wang couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of unease. How old was Tan'er? She was already so perceptive; even Yuan Chun at that age wasn't this clever. Given time, this Tan'er might just become another Jia Min!
Suppressing her disgust, Madam Wang smiled and said, "My child, what you say makes perfect sense. I might as well tell you the truth. Ever since last year, I've had the idea of ​​bringing them together, and I often call Bao'er and Yuan'er to my room to talk. Over time, although they've maintained proper etiquette, I'm afraid they've already decided on each other."

"Well, I just had a moment to myself when your aunt rushed over to tell me that the First Madam had already insisted on betrothing Yingchun to Yuan-ge'er. As the saying goes, forced marriages are never happy. It's fortunate that the First Master had business in Tianjin; otherwise, if he had asked Yuan-ge'er directly the next day and he had refused outright, how would the Second Miss have faced the consequences?"

Tan Chun suddenly realized, "Is that so?"

Madam Wang nodded, looking worried, and said, "I called you here today because I wanted you to find out what the second young lady is thinking... If it really doesn't work out, it would be better to ask the old lady to intervene, so that her reputation won't be damaged in the future."

Upon hearing this, Tan Chun pursed her lips, bit them, and frowned, saying, "This is not good. The master might return at any time. I must hurry and find my second sister to talk to him."

Having achieved her goal, Madam Wang said, "Go quickly, or something might go wrong."

Tan Chun then rose, curtsied, and hurriedly led two maids toward Zhuijin Tower.

Upon arriving at Zhuijin Tower, Xiuju couldn't help but glance at Tanchun with a strange expression. No matter how careful Xichun and Yingchun were in their conversation, how could they guard against eavesdroppers? Inevitably, their private words were overheard by Siqi and Xiuju, and the two of them learned that the Third Miss Tanchun did not approve of the Second Miss's marriage.

As the saying goes, blocking someone's path to wealth is like killing their parents. Women don't have to support their families, so a good marriage can determine whether their later life is good or bad. Tan Chun blocked the path of the Second Miss, which meant blocking the path of Siqi and Xiuju, and these two maids naturally harbored resentment towards Tan Chun.

But since she was a young lady and they were just maids, there were things that could be said behind her back, but not to her face. So they gave her a perfunctory greeting, then went upstairs to inform her, before leading Tan Chun upstairs.

Xing Xiuyan went back to the east courtyard to visit Xing Zhong and Xing Zhenshi, leaving only Yingchun and Xichun talking inside.

Upon seeing Tan Chun arrive, Xiao Xi Chun frowned and asked, "Why has Third Sister come?"

Tan Chun opened her mouth as if to speak, but then turned around and dismissed all the maids before approaching and frowning, saying, "Second Sister, have you thought about what you would do if things didn't go well?"

Xichun, not understanding why, turned her head to look at Yingchun.

Yingchun gave a bitter laugh and said, "Third sister, you see through it but don't say anything. Can't you let me dream for a few more days?"

Xichun then realized something was wrong and stared wide-eyed, asking, "Second sister... Third sister, what's wrong?"

Tan Chun sighed and said to Xi Chun, "Since ancient times, marriage matters have always been discussed and agreed upon in private before being made public. That day, the First Madam neither mentioned it to the First Master nor to Brother Yuan, but spoke of it on her own. Fourth Sister, do you not know that Sister Bao and Brother Yuan have been frequently visiting each other this past year?"

"My mother just summoned me, and that's when she told me that last year she had been trying to bring the two of them together, often having them talk in her room. In terms of who came first, it was Sister Bao; in terms of proximity—" glancing at the second young lady, Yingchun, she said, "—I'm afraid Sister Bao is closer too."

"The First Madam is acting recklessly now. If things change in the future, how will Second Sister face the world?"

Xichun listened, seemingly understanding but not quite, and seeing her second sister's still sorrowful expression, she realized the seriousness of the matter. So she hurriedly asked, "Then, then, since Madam has said, is there any way to salvage this situation?"

Tan Chun said, "Yes, yes!" She paused, then took the second young lady's hand and said, "Second sister, go and beg the old lady right now. If the old lady can stop the master, there will be room for this matter to be eased."

Yingchun shook her head and said, "It was said in front of the old lady that day, and even the old lady agreed—"

Tan Chun interrupted, "Mother went to Rongqing Hall earlier, and I suppose she had another argument with the Old Ancestor. If Second Sister goes there now, the Old Ancestor will surely change her mind."

Looking at the anxious Tan Chun, Ying Chun couldn't help but sigh. She had finally settled down to pursue her own marriage, but she was already behind others. Who knew that Madam Xing would interfere... It was truly a case of one wrong move and the whole game was lost.

After a moment of bitterness, he was finally dragged by Tan Chun to Rongqing Hall.

Once inside, the second daughter burst into tears and threw herself at Grandmother Jia's knees, not mentioning anything about Chen Siyuan, only saying that she couldn't bear to leave Grandmother Jia and wanted to stay for two more years before remarrying.

Grandmother Jia was moved and helped Yingchun up, saying, "When the First Madam mentioned marriage before, I thought she was discussing it with you, but who knew she was making the decision on her own? Our Jia family's daughters are not short of suitors, and we are not short of money and food for two years. Why should they get married so early?"

"Second daughter, get up quickly! Now that you've spoken, I, as your grandmother, may not have other skills, but I'm confident I can protect my own granddaughter. When the master returns, I'll speak to him personally! Unless the Emperor issues a decree, even if it's raining knives from the sky, I'll keep you alive for a few more years!"

The grandmother and granddaughter were embracing each other, a touching scene of maternal love that even brought tears to the eyes of the maids under the eaves. Little did they know that the second young lady was crying because she and Chen Siyuan were destined to be apart, while the old lady secretly hoped that Chen Siyuan and Baochai would quickly get engaged and ideally move out of the Rongguo Mansion the next day.

(End of this chapter)