Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 32 Ripples
Sister Feng knew exactly what kind of person Jia Qin was. If there was no one else available, how could Sister Feng dare to use him?

The new brother Yuan is different. He looks upright and has an incorruptible character. He doesn't need much help from me. Just help me for a month or so, and the funeral will be handled properly.

The more Sister Feng pondered, the more she thought it was right. But Ping'er poured cold water on her, saying, "Madam, he's the eldest wife's nephew, and he's going to take the imperial examinations. How can you order him around casually?"

Feng Jieer sneered, "Don't you know what kind of personality my mother-in-law has? Even if we're relatives, it's inevitable that there will be rifts after getting along for a long time... Don't worry about it. I'll ask Brother Xunyuan in a few days."

Ping'er responded, "It's good that you have an idea, ma'am."

Sister Feng glanced at the clock and quickly stood up and said, "Oh, it's already this hour. Hurry up and get ready. We must go to the old lady."

When the master and servant had packed up and were about to leave, they happened to run into Li Wan, who had just finished her lessons, leading the three sisters to Lady Jia's courtyard.

The crowd bumped into each other and had a good chat, then they all went through the hall and went around to the front.

At this moment, Tanchun couldn't help asking, "Sister Feng, how's that matter going?"

Feng Jieer said, "What else can we do? Such a disobedient servant deserves to be beaten and punished."

Xichun also asked, "What about Brother Yuan?"

Sister Feng couldn't help but wonder, "It wasn't Brother Yuan's fault. I've dealt with it, and he's naturally gone back to rest... Oh, I even asked Ping'er to send a screen over."

The three sisters looked at each other and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Xichun was young and not yet cunning, so she smiled and said, "I said Brother Yuan was fine, but Third Sister was still worried."

Sister Feng grumbled, "Well, it's only been a few days, and instead of worrying about me, you keep thinking about the new brother Yuan. You three ungrateful little bastards, it's a shame I treated you so well in the past."

Yingchun quickly laughed and said, "Sister Feng is wrong. Brother Yuan is new here, so it's normal for him to be bullied by such a traitorous servant. Sister Feng is in charge of the household now, so who would dare to touch the tiger's whiskers?"

Tanchun also said, "That's exactly the truth, it's not that we are biased."

Sister Feng laughed and said, "Tiger whiskers... I've become a tigress!"

Sister Feng and the three younger sisters-in-law were arguing with each other, and Li Wan, watching with a smile, suddenly realized that it was no wonder that the three younger sisters-in-law had been so absent-minded while learning needlework. They were worried about the new arrival, Yuan Ge. Those three poems were indeed very good, but it was a pity that I didn't know the author's writing skills.

Li Wan thought again, this person has such a fierce temper, how can this be a long-term solution? She must not let Lan'er learn from him, so it is best not to get involved with him.

As they were talking, they entered Rongqing Hall from the corridor. Inside, only Lady Wang and Aunt Xue were talking with Lady Jia.

Seeing Feng Jieer, Li Wan and the three sisters coming together, Jia Mu was naturally very happy. She smiled and joked a few times, then hurriedly ordered Yuanyang and Amber to pour tea for them.

After everyone was seated, Jia's mother asked, "Why did Fengge come just now? Is there something going on at Ningguo Mansion?"

Sister Feng glanced at Madam Wang and said with a smile, "It's not the Ningguo Mansion, but something happened at this house. A servant saw that the screen chosen by Brother Yuan was good, so he secretly brought it back home, and Brother Yuan just happened to catch it."

Feng Jieer avoided the important issues in her words because she was troubled by her aunt, Lady Wang.

Jia's mother's expression suddenly changed. "Is there such a thing? How did Fengge deal with it?"

Feng Jieer said, "Such a disobedient servant must be dealt with severely! Tomorrow morning, in front of all the wives and mothers-in-law, give him thirty lashes, a fine of six months' salary, and he must also compensate for the damaged screen."

Grandmother Jia frowned slightly, about to say the punishment was a bit lenient, when she suddenly realized that Sister Feng hadn't mentioned the servant's name. She knew without asking, so she was probably one of Lady Wang's chambermaids. Grandmother Jia said, "This is a proper treatment. Call Lai Da later, and tomorrow morning, drag him outside the ceremonial gate and have him beaten, so that all the servants inside and outside can see clearly."

Sister Feng agreed with a smile. Although Mrs. Wang also smiled, the rosary in her hand could not help but spin faster and faster.

Since ancient times, harmonious relationships between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law have rarely existed; most have been engaged in a lifetime of overt or covert warfare. Consider Lady Wang, a fiery and outspoken woman before she married. But after spending decades in the Jia family, she's been tamed into the vegetarian and Buddhist-inspired woman she is today.

After much difficulty, she finally became the head of the household, but her mother-in-law was still there, and the old lady was still in charge of all the household affairs. Therefore, Mrs. Wang simply handed the housekeeping responsibilities to Feng Jieer, and only took charge of the overall situation from the back.

Mrs. Wang knew from Sister Feng's meaningful glance just now that the servant who had committed the crime might be one of her own. She was filled with hatred and fear, and was thinking of going back to find Sister Feng to ask her what had happened.

Not to mention the joyful atmosphere in Rongqing Hall, the news that Zhao Yihua was severely punished spread throughout the mansion in a short time.

The maids, wives, old women, and servants were naturally terrified when Feng Jieer was mentioned, and they were also a little scared when Chen Siyuan was mentioned.

The private rumors soon spread to Lady Wang's courtyard.

But one day Jia Huan went to Aunt Zhao and clamored to buy a katydid cage. This was because Xiang Lian and Yu Ai, two of his students in the private school, had gilded katydid cages in their arms. Winter was approaching, and the katydids were still alive and would chirp incessantly if they were pricked with a grass stem.

Jia Huan felt jealous and started quarreling with Aunt Zhao when he returned.

How could Aunt Zhao bear to buy such a toy for Jia Huan? She scolded him harshly, and finally gave Jia Huan a dime, after which he happily left.

Just as Jia Huan had left, the maid, Xiao Jixiang'er, came running back with the message: "Auntie, I just heard from Mrs. Hu that your brother coveted Master Yuan's screen and was caught red-handed by Master Yuan. He then summoned Second Madam. Second Madam has announced that he will be given thirty lashes tomorrow morning and fined half a year's salary."

The Zhao family was Madam Wang's companion, consisting of three siblings. Aunt Zhao was in the middle, with an older brother, Zhao Guoji, and a younger brother, Zhao Yihua.

In her early years, Aunt Zhao had taken advantage of Lady Wang's pregnancy to find an opportunity to sleep with Master Jia Zheng. By the time Lady Wang came to her senses, Aunt Zhao was already pregnant with Tanchun. Having come to this point, she had no choice but to accept the situation.

Zhao Guoji was naturally on the same page with Aunt Zhao, and would agree to all her requests; but her brother Zhao Yihua was a traitor, and was closer to Madam Wang.

Because there was a rift between the two siblings, and now hearing that Zhao Yihua was in trouble, Aunt Zhao immediately raised her eyebrows and said hatefully, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, he really thinks that just because he follows Madam he is the master? He can't distinguish between near and far, he deserves to be beaten!"

As soon as the voice fell, Xiao Que outside said, "Auntie, please see Sister Zhao."

Aunt Zhao was a little surprised, and then she saw Xiaoque leading Zhao Guoji's family in.

The two were called sister-in-law, but now they were completely different. Aunt Zhao was Jia Zheng's concubine, so she was at least half the master... In fact, Aunt Zhao completely regarded herself as the master - Zhao Guoji's family was the son of the Jia family.

When two people meet, one naturally sits upright while the other stands to talk.

Aunt Zhao asked, "Why are you here today?"

Zhao Guoji's wife said, "Let me know, Auntie, that the head of the household asked me to come and borrow some money from you... He said that his brother is really struggling right now and can't even write two characters for Zhao with one stroke, so I need a hand."

Aunt Zhao was immediately furious: "Why? Go back and tell my brother why he remembered us now, but why did he forget about us when he sold us out that day?"

(End of this chapter)