Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 362 Celebrating Birthday and Strengthening Relationships

Madam Xing glanced at her sideways and couldn't help but sneer, "Why do we need to talk about marriage? Just say it straight."

I knew Madam Xing was brainless; no wonder she could never outmaneuver Madam Wang!
Chen Siyuan said helplessly, "As the saying goes, old people are like children. When people get old, they inevitably become a bit childlike. At the Lantern Festival banquet, the old lady gave a long speech, openly refuting the stories of talented scholars and beautiful women, but secretly she scolded me, Baochai, Daiyu and me thoroughly."

"Is that so?" Madam Xing had no idea about this.

Chen Siyuan was somewhat troubled. After a moment's thought, he realized that among Madam Xing's women, Miao'er and Tiao'er were only clever but not very useful; Wang Shanbao's wife and her two daughters-in-law were domineering but lacked wisdom. Without a strategist by their side, it was no wonder they couldn't even tell good from bad.
Chen Siyuan then said, "I heard that because the Dowager Consort is seriously ill, the palace will release a lot of maids and nannies. I'll find a usable one for you later, so you won't be sold off without even realizing it."

Madam Xing was extremely unconvinced and pouted, saying, "If you have something to say, just say it directly. You have to beat around the bush. It would be a miracle if I could understand it."

That's what she said, but Madam Xing has one good point: once she's made up her mind about someone, she'll listen to whatever you say. So she paused and then said, "That's fine. It's not good for you to stay in the manor after you get married. If you don't have a suitable person by your side, I'm really afraid you'll be schemed against."

Chen Siyuan took Madam Xing's hand and played with it, gently instructing her on how to speak. At first, Madam Xing listened attentively, but after a while, her eyes became moist, and she stared intently at Chen Siyuan, not listening to a word he said afterward.

Upon seeing this, Chen Siyuan complained, "I'm teaching you with all my heart, how come you're still distracted?"

Madam Xing immediately gritted her teeth in hatred, raised her hand and lightly slapped Chen Siyuan, saying with a belly full of resentment, "Don't you think about it? We haven't been alone together since winter began."

Chen Siyuan was both amused and exasperated, so he could only comfort him gently and explain it to him again in detail, finally making sure he understood.

After a long while, Madam Xing left reluctantly. Chen Siyuan was also captivated and sat at his desk for a long time before finally settling down to read.

Unable to put his mind at ease, he picked up his brush and wrote a note, then found Hongyu and ordered her to quietly deliver it to Fengjie's courtyard in the front.

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

After receiving the explanation, Madam Xing did not rush to Rongqing Hall. Instead, she went back to the east wing to find Wang Shanbao's wife to hear the explanation.

After practicing for a while, it was late afternoon when they finally set off for Rongqing Hall.

Since it was still early before Shenshi (3-5 PM), only Fengjie was free to keep the old lady company in Rongqing Hall.

When Grandmother Jia saw Madam Xing, she frowned to herself and said, "Fourth Brother is still young, so you don't need to come here so often."

Madam Xing laughed and said, "Fourth Brother can call her Grandmother now, it's because of the cold weather, otherwise we would have to take him to the old lady to ask for a reward."

"As expected?" Even though she disliked Madam Xing, Grandmother Jia became happy.

Seeing that there was indeed a way, Madam Xing recounted in detail the amusing things Fourth Brother had done in the past few days. Grandmother Jia listened with great interest, wishing she could rush to the east courtyard immediately if only it weren't for the late hour.

Seeing that Grandmother Jia was getting more and more excited and her face was full of smiles, Madam Xing changed the subject and said, "Grandmother, in two days the second young lady will give birth, and she will be seventeen after that."

Grandmother Jia's smile froze, and she said with some worry, "Yes, they've grown up in the blink of an eye, it's time to talk about marriage." She paused, then said wistfully, "If it were ten or twenty years earlier, why would our Jia family's daughters have had to worry about getting married?"

During the reign of the retired emperor, he indulged the four kings and eight dukes, bestowing titles and favors upon them constantly. At that time, the Eastern and Western mansions were indulging in extravagance and debauchery. Every time the old Duke went on a campaign, whether it was a border conflict or the suppression of bandits, he would always bring cartloads of fine goods back to the mansion.
Since the current emperor ascended the throne and the old Duke passed away, the two mansions, East and West, have been declining. Even middle-aged women like Lady Wang are still unwilling to accept this and plan to use Yuan Chun's influence to gain wealth and status. As for the elderly and frail Grandmother Jia, she loves to reminisce about the past and knows that she is nearing the end of her life and that the Jia family is powerless to reverse the decline. So all that is left for her is to sigh.

Madam Xing chimed in, "I married into the family a little late, but I've heard stories of how things were back then, and it was truly enviable. In those days, we could just pick any son of a powerful family, and once our daughters were married, their in-laws wouldn't dare to give us a hard time. It's nothing like how difficult things are now."

The decline of the Eastern and Western Prefectures, along with the decline of the Four Kings and Eight Dukes, can be summarized as follows: after the current emperor ascended the throne, he became extremely wary of military power and relentlessly suppressed the old nobles in a slow and gradual manner, like boiling a frog in water. As a result, their influence has waned.

Grandmother Jia nodded and said, "Our family is not doing well these days, and other noble families are probably even worse off. It's just a pity that the children of Yun'er's two uncles are still young, otherwise I would have swallowed my pride and not let Er Yatou be left without a place to live."

That's just self-aggrandizement. The second daughter, Yingchun, is difficult to marry off, firstly because of the Jia family's decline, and secondly because Baoyu has tarnished the Jia family's reputation. Therefore, to this day, no matchmaker has come to propose marriage for the second daughter.

Madam Xing chimed in, "What the old lady says is absolutely right. It really is a matter of timing and fate." Then she added, "However, Er Ya is getting older. She'll be seventeen after giving birth. It will take at least a year from the engagement to the wedding. Eighteen is the perfect age to get married. If we delay any longer, she'll become an old maid."

Seeing that Grandmother Jia frowned and nodded, Madam Xing continued, "To be honest, Grandmother, my husband and I discussed this several times during the year, and he has been looking around and has indeed found two suitable candidates."

"Oh? Who are they?"

Madam Xing said, "One is the Sun family of Datong. They were originally a military family of the Great Shun Dynasty, but now only one descendant remains in the capital. This man is named Sun Shaozu. He is tall and strong. I heard from the eldest master that he is skilled in archery and horsemanship and has a hereditary position as a commander. Although he is about ten years older than Yingchun, he seems to be a kind and considerate person. Second daughter will definitely not be mistreated after marrying into his family."

As soon as she finished speaking, Grandmother Jia was still trying to figure out who Sun Shaozu was when Sister Feng, who was listening in, couldn't stand it anymore and asked, "Madam, isn't that Lord Sun who came to collect debts every few days before the New Year?"

Madam Xing's face stiffened immediately, and she said with an awkward smile, "It was just a misunderstanding, which we discussed early this morning."

"So it was him!" Grandmother Jia's face immediately changed! Sun Shaozu often came to collect debts, so this shameful matter naturally fell into Grandmother Jia's ears. Afterwards, she even had someone carefully investigate.

Sun Shaozu was twenty-six or twenty-seven last year, while Yingchun was only seventeen after giving birth. The two were more than ten years apart in age, so how could they be a good match?
Moreover, most men of that time would marry before they reached adulthood. The Sun family was not a poor, lowly family that had studied hard for years. Why would they wait until they were this old to ask for a wife? Perhaps this man had already been married. Wouldn't Yingchun become a concubine if she married him?
Grandmother Jia frowned and said with a sullen face, "Since ancient times, it has been customary for women to marry into a lower social class or marry into a higher social class. The Sun family is just an ordinary military family. In terms of family background and future prospects, how can they be a match for Yingchun? Besides, this person is not young and has not been married yet. Have you investigated the reason?"

Madam Xing immediately stammered and changed the subject.

When Grandmother Jia saw Madam Xing's attitude, she became even angrier and scolded her, "Now that you have adopted Er Yatou and are in charge of her as a mother, you should think about Er Yatou's future. How can you push Er Yatou into a fire pit? We should discuss this matter again and send someone to investigate carefully later."

Madam Xing was scolded until she was ashamed and could only nod in agreement.

Suppressing her anger, Grandmother Jia drank a cup of tea before asking, "Is this the only one surnamed Sun? Are there no other alternatives?"

Madam Xing said in a muffled voice, "This one was only found after the master put in a lot of effort. The old lady knows that her daughter-in-law comes from a humble family and doesn't know any suitable people. If this person is not suitable, we might as well wait until after next year's imperial examination and find a husband from among the successful candidates."

Grandmother Jia shook her head repeatedly in anger. Sister Feng hurriedly came over to smooth Grandmother Jia's back and said with a smile, "If you ask me, why does Madam go to such lengths? There is someone in the manor who will be taking the imperial examination next year. In terms of appearance, talent and temperament, she is second to none. If Second Miss were to marry into that family, she would truly be the perfect match."

Madam Xing feigned surprise and said, "Yuan-ge'er? No, no, there were rumors circulating in the manor before that Er-ya said she would rather die than marry. If I bring it up again now, wouldn't that be embarrassing for Er-ya?"

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia became anxious and scolded, "You're confused! Yingchun's words that day were merely a temporary measure. Besides, so much time has passed, how could they be taken seriously?"

Madam Xing chuckled awkwardly, "Grandma's words are wise... I have considered strengthening our family ties through marriage, but Grandma knows about Yuan-ge'er's situation. I'm just worried that Yingchun will be wronged if she marries him."

Sister Feng chimed in, "How could they be wronged? Lin and Bao are both adopted daughters, so they can't be considered the principal wife. Yingchun, on the other hand, will be married off with all the proper rites and be the principal wife. With Brother Yuan's talent, even if he fails the imperial examinations twice in a row, he'll surely pass the exams before he's thirty, and who knows, he might even become a high-ranking official."

Besides, Brother Yuan is quite adept at business; in just two or three years, he has amassed a fortune far exceeding that of ordinary noble families. Wouldn't my second sister be jumping into a lucky hole if she married into that family?

The more Grandmother Jia listened, the more reasonable it seemed, and she couldn't help but nod repeatedly. But when she looked up, she saw Madam Xing biting her lower lip, hesitant to speak, her face showing extreme reluctance.

Grandmother Jia immediately put on a solemn face and said in a deep voice, "Eldest daughter, why do you look so unwilling?"

"No, no, ma'am, about this..."

Madam Xing hesitated, and Sister Feng said, "That's right. If Brother Yuan wants to make a name for himself in his official career, his wife needs to come from a family that can help him. Our family is a noble family, and we have never been able to associate with civil officials. I suppose Madam is thinking that after Brother Yuan passes the imperial examination, we can find him a suitable wife?"

Madam Xing glared at Feng Jie'er resentfully, then quickly smiled apologetically and said, "Grandma, don't listen to Feng'er's nonsense. I was just wondering because I haven't asked Yuan'er what he's thinking, which is why I'm not sure."

The two women, mother and daughter-in-law, worked together in unison, which intimidated Grandmother Jia. Although she didn't particularly like Chen Siyuan, after much thought, she couldn't find a more suitable grandson-in-law for the time being.

Moreover, Yingchun is not young anymore. If she delays any longer, she will really become an old maid, and then it will be even more difficult for her to find a husband.

Therefore, he spoke up: "Since we haven't asked, let's ask first. I'll say it here: that Sun guy is no longer worth mentioning. Even if he's never been married at his age, he's still thinking about marrying into a higher social class. His marriage is a major event, and we need to ask Yingchun's opinion. If both Yingchun and Yuan'er agree, then the marriage is settled."

Madam Xing feigned reluctance and agreed, then quickly excused herself with a troubled expression. Once outside Rongqing Hall, Madam Xing could no longer conceal her laughter… almost revealing her teeth, thinking to herself that the little thief was indeed adept at manipulating people. This scheme, which had deliberately disgusted Sun Shaozu, had ironically made the old lady eager to matchmake Yingchun with the little thief.

Madam Xing, having listened to Chen Siyuan's advice, was ultimately impatient. So she wandered around the Grand View Garden, making a show of visiting Zhuijin Tower and Qingtang Thatched Cottage. The next morning, she went to the old lady and said, "Yingchun has nothing to say, but as for Yuan-ge'er... I had to put in a lot of effort to persuade him. This morning, the master said it's better to act early than late, so why not settle this matter on Er-ya's birthday?"

Grandmother Jia had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but she couldn't figure it out for a moment. Not wanting to break her promise, she could only silently agree.

After Madam Xing left triumphantly, Grandmother Jia pondered for a long time before finally realizing what was going on. She then turned to her head maid, Yuanyang, and said, "Do you think the First Madam and Yuan-ge'er are conspiring to deceive this old woman?"

Yuanyang had already established a mistress-servant relationship with Daiyu that morning, and knowing that she would be marrying into the Lin family with Daiyu one day, she naturally favored Chen Siyuan. Upon hearing this, she smiled and said, "If you ask me, Grandmother is overthinking things. Firstly, how could the First Madam be so calculating? Secondly, Master Yuan is a good match for you. Rather than choosing someone whose background you don't know, Second Miss would be better off marrying Master Yuan."

After thinking it over, Grandmother Jia agreed. For the sake of her granddaughter's marriage, she put aside her dissatisfaction for the time being and decided to resolve the matter openly in the future.

The next day was the second day of the second lunar month, when Yingchun gave birth to a child.

Early in the morning, Xiuju helped Yingchun with her washing and dressing, then sat down at the dressing table to style her hair into a bun. Meanwhile, the head maid, Siqi, had gone to the accountant yesterday to exchange a considerable amount of loose silver. For the young lady's birthday celebration, the maids and servants of Zhuijin Tower would naturally receive double their monthly allowance. But now that Yingchun was in charge of the household, there would be no shortage of maids and servants coming to offer their congratulations. These people didn't need double their monthly allowance, but they still needed some loose silver as a reward.

After counting the money, Siqi frowned and said with heartache, "I might have to spend seventy or eighty taels today. It's really a loss."

It was only a little past dawn, and the sky outside was just beginning to brighten. Yingchun smiled without saying a word, while Xiuju said, "Those in charge will always receive a congratulatory gift, so it's not like they're losing out."

Just then, they heard a knock on the door downstairs. Siqi quickly put down the silver box and went downstairs to open the door. A moment later, she turned around and saw Hongyu holding a tray with a big smile on her face.

The tray was covered with red silk. Upon entering, one would curtsy and offer congratulations on Yingchun's birthday.

Yingchun smiled and turned around to ask, "Why are you here so early?"

Hongyu smiled and said, "Master sent me to deliver a congratulatory gift to the Second Miss. He just had breakfast and was urging me to come, afraid that I would be late."

Siqi took the tray and was about to lift the red silk when Hongyu reached out to stop her, saying, "Let the Second Miss lift the red silk herself... Miss, please continue with your work. I'll head back now."

Yingchun responded and quickly gave Siqi a wink. Siqi then placed the tray on the table, took a two-ounce silver coin from the silver box, smiled, and forcefully stuffed it into Hongyu's hand before seeing her downstairs.

As soon as Hongyu left, Xiuju said, "It seems that good things are coming soon. Miss, quickly take a look at what the congratulatory gift is."

Yingchun responded softly, got up and went over, reached out and lifted the red silk, revealing a set of clothes inside: a black robe and a crimson skirt, with a large red handkerchief with colorful silk ribbons hanging down.

The second young lady was so embarrassed by the sight that she couldn't speak. Just then, Siqi turned around and, together with Xiuju, picked up her clothes, looking somewhat puzzled.

The clothes were beautiful, but completely out of step with the prevailing fashion. They had wide sleeves, were simple at the top and voluminous at the bottom, and were paired with a crimson shawl, making them look rather strange.

The two maids, lacking experience, couldn't discern anything amiss, but Yingchun, being knowledgeable, knew that this was a wedding dress from the Wei and Jin dynasties. The fact that Chen Siyuan had sent this item made his intentions clear, naturally causing Yingchun to feel quite shy.

The two maids argued for a while but couldn't come up with a solution. Siqi just smiled and said, "This style looks novel. Why don't you try it on, Miss? If it looks good, you might as well wear it today."

Yingchun hesitated for a moment, but after being urged by Siqi, she finally agreed.

In a short while, two maids helped Yingchun get dressed. The second young lady was of medium build and slightly plump. After putting on the black and red wedding dress, she looked even more beautiful.

Just then, an old woman from outside came to urge Yingchun to change. Without waiting for this, she put on a bright red scarlet blanket and hurriedly went downstairs to burn incense and offer prayers.

Afterwards, she went to pay her respects to the elders in various places. Grandmother Jia, whose eyesight was failing, and Yingchun, who was wrapped in a bright red scarlet felt, did not immediately realize that this was a wedding dress from the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties. The remaining ladies, Madam Xing and Madam Wang, were not knowledgeable and only praised how beautiful it was. Fengjie, who knew the inside story, took the opportunity to tease Yingchun.

Upon arriving at Daoxiang Village, Li Wan glanced around and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Second Sister, on achieving your wish and having double happiness."

Yingchun knew she couldn't hide it from Li Wan, so she blushed and said, "Sister-in-law, please stop teasing me."

Just as Li Wan was about to speak, Xi Chun, who couldn't wait any longer, dragged Tan Chun, Bao Qin, and Xiang Yun to Daoxiang Village to join in the fun.

Upon entering the room, Tan Chun was taken aback by Ying Chun's clothes, while Bao Qin covered her mouth and laughed. Xiang Yun, with a stern face, secretly said to Bao Qin, "Second Sister's outfit seems a bit unusual, but I can't quite place it."

Baoqin chuckled to herself, "Good things are coming soon, just wait and see."

Xichun pestered Yingchun for a few words, and seeing Li Wan's smiling, teasing expression, she urged, "What were you and Second Sister talking about just now?"

Li Wan gestured with her chin toward Yingchun and said, "Look at Second Miss's outfit, I can't see anything special about it."

Having discovered the truth, Tan Chun and Bao Qin smiled without saying a word, Xiang Yun scratched her head in confusion, and Xi Chun frowned and pondered for a while before saying, "The color of heaven and earth... isn't this the wedding dress in the Zhou Dynasty? Oh, is Second Sister about to get married?"

Yingchun was so ashamed that she couldn't explain herself. She could only make a few excuses before hurrying back to Zhuijin Tower. But no sooner had she returned to her room than a group of her sisters came after her.

This time, apart from a few younger children, even Sister Bao, Sister Lin, and Xing Xiuyan came.

Cousin Xing, whose family was not wealthy, only gave a phoenix hairpin. However, both Baochai and Lin Daiyu gave generous gifts. Baochai gave a peacock hair ornament with pearls and filigree, while Daiyu gave a red gold magpie and plum blossom hair ornament.

In this way, it serves as both a birthday gift and a way to add to the décor.

Being young ladies confined to their chambers, the younger girls kept quiet about it, but Baochai, Daiyu, and Xing Xiuyan remained silent, only exchanging knowing smiles whenever they exchanged glances with Yingchun.

Amidst their playful antics, noon had passed before they knew it.

The sisters were enjoying playing Go when suddenly a magpie came looking for them and called the third sister, Tan Chun, downstairs to chat.

Tan Chun was very surprised. When she came back downstairs, her expression had changed drastically.

Xichun hurriedly asked, "Third sister, has something happened?"

Tan Chun frowned and said, "My aunt sent someone to say that Huan-ge'er's uncle is not well, and I must go and see him."

Since Tan Chun was being raised under Lady Wang's care, it was inappropriate for her to address Zhao Guoji as her uncle, just like Jia Huan.

Yingchun said solemnly, "In that case, I will send a stewardess with Third Sister to take a look. Also, if anything is missing or lacking, Third Sister, just send someone to let us know."

Daiyu also said, "I have some good old ginseng in my room. Why don't you take it with you, Third Sister? It might save your life."

Tan Chun was deeply grateful and quickly curtsied to express her thanks. Daiyu sent Zijuan to accompany her, and Tan Chun led the others to Xiaoxiang Pavilion to retrieve the old ginseng before taking a carriage to Zhao Guoji's house.

Because the Dowager Empress was seriously ill, Yingchun did not invite female musicians or opera troupes on this day. Instead, a banquet was held in Rongqing Hall around 3 PM.

As always, a screen served as a partition, with men and women seated on either side. Halfway through the banquet, Tan Chun was seen hurriedly turning back, her brow furrowed.

After a long while, Grandmother Jia ordered the table to be cleared away, and maids served tea, snacks, and fruit. Under normal circumstances, Jia She, Jia Lian, and the others would have long since grown impatient and taken their leave.

The two men already knew the reason, so they patiently waited in the hall. This aroused Lady Wang's suspicion. She pondered for a long time and concluded that the eldest son's family had malicious intentions again, so she became even more cautious.

At this moment, Jia She gave Madam Xing a look, and Madam Xing coughed lightly and said, "Old Madam, Yingchun is seventeen now that she has given birth. It would be good to choose a husband for Yingchun."

Grandmother Jia smiled and agreed, saying, "That makes sense. You parents should carefully look for suitable candidates, and if they are appropriate, then arrange the marriage as soon as possible."

Madam Xing agreed twice, and then Chen Siyuan got up and strode into the hall. He first bowed deeply to Grandmother Jia, and then bowed to Jia She and Madam Xing.

With a smile, Grandmother Jia asked, "What's wrong, Yuan-ge'er? Is there something you want to say?"

Chen Siyuan stood up and said loudly, "I have lived in your household for three years and know that Second Sister is gentle, virtuous, knowledgeable and reasonable. I wish to prepare a small gift to express my love for Second Sister and my wish to be bound together by a thread of fate." As he spoke, Chen Siyuan's gaze unconsciously turned to Yingchun.

Yingchun was so flustered that her heart trembled, and she wished she could wring the handkerchief out of its watery state, but she still mustered up the courage to look back at Chen Siyuan.

As soon as the words were spoken, Madam Xing led the way by clasping her hands in approval, followed by a chorus of congratulations from the hall. Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Marriage is a serious matter, and the parents should make the decisions... What do you think, sir?"

Jia She stroked his beard and examined her for a moment before laughing and saying, "Yuan-ge'er is certainly a good one, but there's one thing: if you get married in the future, you must not mistreat Yingchun."

Chen Siyuan bowed in agreement, and Sister Feng immediately joked, "This is wonderful! Double happiness, a marriage between relatives. If I had known this would happen, I should have invited an opera troupe so we could have a good time."

As soon as he finished speaking, congratulations erupted everywhere, and everyone wore a smile. Xiangyun was young and did not have much contact with Chen Siyuan, so she sincerely congratulated him. Xichun had frequent contact with Chen Siyuan, but because she was young, she had not yet developed any other thoughts, so she also clapped enthusiastically.

Xing Xiuyan knew her background and had wholeheartedly brought the two together, so she was overjoyed that her wish had come true.
Daiyu's marriage was arranged long ago; she only thought about continuing the Lin family line and never considered becoming a wife. Because her second sister was gentle and compliant, she was also overjoyed.

Baoqin goes without saying, but Baochai felt a slight pang of sadness, knowing she had no choice. It was far better for her to be the principal wife than for anyone else;

Tan Chun, however, felt a mix of emotions. The Third Young Lady had begun her menstrual cycle and was experiencing the first stirrings of love. She had initially developed feelings for Chen Siyuan, and lately, she had been frequently encouraged by Aunt Zhao. Although she knew it was unlikely, she still harbored a sliver of hope.

Now that everything is settled, her eldest brother wants to marry her second sister, and she will never have another chance. Naturally, she feels extremely bitter.

(End of this chapter)