Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 411 Auspicious Date for Marriage

Rongqing Hall.

With a worried look on her face, Grandmother Jia said, "What Zhang Gaogong said cannot be disbelieved, but Yu'er is really too young, and her health has always been weak."

As soon as she finished speaking, Madam Xing smiled and said, "Old Madam, you are mistaken. Zhang Gaogong only mentioned marriage, not consummation. Yuan-ge'er has always been a considerate person, and he still has Er-ya and Bao-ya ahead of him, so why rush to consummate the marriage with Yu-er?"

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia chimed in, "Since you've said that, you must make it clear to Yuan-ge'er afterwards. If anything goes wrong, I will definitely hold you accountable."

Madam Xing immediately smiled ingratiatingly, "Look at you all, this granddaughter is definitely closer than the daughter-in-law. Alright, alright, if Yuan-ge'er misbehaves, Grandma, just hold me responsible!"

After Madam Xing finished speaking, Grandmother Jia finally smiled. She then glanced at Feng Jie and Li Wan, and after a moment's thought, was about to agree when Feng Jie smiled and said, "Grandmother, you shouldn't order me around anymore!"

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "I know, I know. You're pregnant now, so you shouldn't overwork yourself." She then said, "Yu'er's mother left behind her dowry. Zhuge's wife, go and check the private treasury. Replace the old ones with new ones, and have those hairpins remade at a jewelry shop. Make sure Yu'er gets married in style, just like Er Ya'er."

Li Wan had no way to avoid it, so she smiled and agreed.

Madam Xing smiled and said, "The old lady has agreed... That's good, I'll have to talk to Yuan-ge'er about it."

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "I agree, I agree. I was originally thinking of keeping her for a couple more years, but since Zhang Gaogong has said so, it's better to get married as soon as possible."

Jia She and the others smiled, stood up to offer their congratulations, and then dispersed.

After everyone had left, Grandmother Jia felt a sense of loss. Amber stepped forward and asked with a smile, "When does Grandmother plan to mention this matter to Miss Lin?"

Grandmother Jia said, "It won't make a difference if we talk to her about it one more day. We can find her and discuss it with her tomorrow."

Then, she caught sight of Yuanyang absentmindedly dusting herself with a feather duster. Grandmother Jia chuckled and said, "Look at her! Her mind is wandering off somewhere!"

Yuanyang snapped out of her daze, her face flushed with embarrassment. After thinking for a moment, Grandmother Jia beckoned her to come closer and whispered, "Take these next few days to get ready, and then move to Xiaoxiang Pavilion."

Yuanyang protested, "Grandma, it was agreed that I would serve you before Miss Lin gets married."

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Although Zijuan is a good girl, she is not always perfect. I can rest assured that you will go. Besides, Yunu'er has never been good at making wedding dresses, so you will have to help her with that."

Yuanyang pretended to refuse for a moment, but then readily agreed. When Grandmother Jia urged her to tidy up, she shyly left Rongqing Hall. Originally, she was going to tidy up the side room, but thinking that Daiyu probably didn't know about this yet, she turned around and went straight to Xiaoxiang Pavilion at the back.

Unbeknownst to her, Xing Xiuyan had already left Qingtang Thatched Cottage, and Xiangling, having overheard only a few words, had arrived at Xiaoxiang Pavilion early in the morning.

At this moment, Daiyu sat alone in the study, fiddling with a flower branch, the incense burner still burning. Ouguan sat in the hall, plucking the pipa and softly singing.

Xiangling often came to Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Since Zijuan and Xueyan did not announce her arrival, they allowed her to lift the curtain and enter. Xiangling entered with a smile, and with a glance, she saw the study filled with the fragrance of incense, and Daiyu with a solitary candle burning brightly, looking like a fairy.

Perhaps because she had spent so much time by Chen Siyuan's side, Xiangling's personality had become increasingly cheerful, and now a playful mood arose within her. Seeing the brush and ink on the table, Xiangling's eyes darted around, and she quietly entered the study. After a moment's thought, she picked up her brush and wrote a poem, "Like a Dream":
Just when joy and celebration were in full swing, why did our bond break? I strolled under the moon, my melancholy stirred by the sound of a zither. I would rather, I would rather share my lonely pillow with you.

After finishing writing, Xiangling fiddled with the paper, making a few noises.

Daiyu turned around in surprise and saw that it was Xiangling. She then scolded her gently, "When did you arrive? You didn't make a sound and startled me." She glanced at the still wet ink and leaned over to examine it with a surprised look.

After reading the poem, Daiyu blushed with embarrassment and anger, rolled up her sleeves, and chased after Xiangling: "You little hussy, I'll teach you a lesson today!"

Xiangling laughed so hard she almost fell over, repeatedly dodging and begging for mercy, "Good girl, please forgive me this time!"

Daiyu wouldn't listen. The two chased each other around the table, but Daiyu eventually caught them and gave them a good tickling.

Xiangling couldn't take it anymore and simply collapsed to the ground, giggling as she said, "Good girl, please forgive me, and I'll tell you something serious."

Daiyu spat, "You can't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth. I'd like to hear what you can say."

Xiangling forced herself to stop laughing before whispering something to Daiyu. Daiyu felt even more embarrassed after hearing it, and after a moment of melancholy and confusion, a glimmer of hope began to emerge.

Xiangling, observing the situation, immediately advised, "Although the Jia family is good, we are still living under their roof. Although the master has not mentioned it to us, he must have been the one who orchestrated this matter. I'm afraid that you might encounter some misfortune, young lady."

"Okay, I understand."

Daiyu frowned slightly and sat down on the chair, about to ponder, when Xueyan from outside said, "Sister Yuanyang is here."

Xiangling covered her mouth and laughed, "They must have come to offer their congratulations. They must have some private things to say. In that case, I'll head back now."

Xiangling got up and left, exchanging a brief glance with Yuanyang before hurrying away. Yuanyang glanced at Daiyu and knew that Daiyu must have received the news.

Xueyan and Zijuan, being very perceptive, quickly pulled Ouguan out to play, leaving only Yuanyang and Daiyu to talk.

Yuanyang entered with a smile, curtsied, and said, "Congratulations, young lady. The old lady has given the order for the eldest daughter-in-law to prepare the dowry, and you will be able to get married this year."

Daiyu immediately smiled and retorted, "Why should I congratulate you? I should be congratulating you."

Yuanyang blushed with embarrassment and said reproachfully, "I came here with good intentions to deliver a message to you, but you insist on using me as a raft."

Daiyu's shyness faded, and she giggled as she pulled Yuanyang away, saying, "I didn't lie, so why are you embarrassed?"

Yuanyang was so embarrassed that she couldn't speak for a moment. She thought to herself that she was extremely satisfied with Chen Siyuan. She was a servant of the Jia family, and because of the master's forced marriage, she had sworn in front of everyone that the only man she could marry was Second Master Lian.

She was on good terms with Ping'er and knew that Feng Jie was someone who couldn't tolerate any injustice, but at that time, due to various reasons, where else could she choose besides Jia Lian?
By some miracle, the situation changed drastically, and the old lady betrothed her to Miss Lin. In the future, she would become a maidservant accompanying Miss Lin to marry Chen Siyuan.

That Master Yuan was even more handsome than Master Lian, and he was just as philandering. Because he had no elders to restrain him, he had quite a few women around him. Yuanyang knew she shouldn't be jealous of such things, but she couldn't help but think about them a little.

Unexpectedly, within a few months, Jia Lian frequently came to beg and pester, all in order to get Yuanyang to open the old lady's private treasury so that he could make money.

Yuanyang was relieved that she had chosen to be Miss Lin's dowry maid early on, otherwise she would have been completely under the thumb of Master Lian.
Although it's called a loan, if she had no other choice, why would Master Lian obediently return the money? Who knows, if there are problems with the private treasury accounts, Master Lian might use that to blackmail her, forcing her to sink deeper and deeper into debt.

If this matter is kept secret, it will be fine. But once the old lady passes away, the secret accounts will be exposed sooner or later. What will Yuanyang do then?

Second Master Lian has always been irresponsible and dares not disobey the Master. He can only hope that Second Mistress will have a change of heart and step in to protect him. But if Second Mistress does not step in, she will have no choice but to die.

She had already thought these things through, and now, looking back, she was naturally filled with lingering fear and immense relief. At that moment, Yuanyang disregarded her embarrassment and took Daiyu's hand, saying, "Don't worry, Miss, I will definitely protect you well from now on and will never let you suffer any injustice."

Daiyu blinked, surprised, and said, "Why are you suddenly talking about this?"

Yuanyang shook her head with red eyes and said, "I was thinking that if the old lady hadn't pointed me to the young lady, I don't know what would have happened."

Daiyu was intelligent; if Yuanyang could think of something, how could she not? After a moment's thought, she was horrified. For her, the Jia family was a place of refuge where she was constantly threatened by wind and frost. For a respectable maid like Yuanyang, it was hardly a good place either.
Putting herself in others' shoes, if she hadn't made her engagement to Chen Siyuan at Rongxi Hall that day, she probably would have been confined to the Rongguo Mansion for the rest of her life. Thinking of her aunt Lady Wang's viciousness and her maternal grandmother's indecisiveness, Daiyu felt a sense of relief.

Fortunately, the marriage was arranged early on; otherwise, it's uncertain whether she could have saved her life.

At that moment, the master and servant, though thinking differently, reached the same conclusion. They shook hands and exchanged some private words, which need not be elaborated upon further.

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

The Rongguo Mansion was riddled with leaks. No sooner had Yuanyang come to report the news than busybodies spread the word far and wide.

Xing Xiuyan had already guessed it, so no matter how much Zhuan'er chattered on, she just smiled and remained silent.

Upon hearing the news, the second daughter, Yingchun, joked with Hongyu, "I knew the old lady would agree sooner or later. Now it's perfect, with Daiyu giving birth in a few days, so it's a double celebration."

Hongyu smiled and agreed. She was always very tactful and went to Xiaoxiang Pavilion to offer her congratulations, which made Daiyu scold her. In the end, she gave her two silver coins as a reward.

Because Baochai moved out of Hengwu Garden, Xiangyun felt that Hengwu Garden was empty, so sometimes she would stay with Baoqin, and sometimes she would drag Baoqin to stay with her in Hengwu Garden.

The two younger girls had heard about it from the maid. Xiangyun was surprised and a little unhappy. She pouted and said, "Brother Yuan is really annoying. Second Sister, Sister Bao, and now Sister Lin, isn't he going to empty the garden?"

Baoqin clasped her hands together and laughed, "I knew it! This is wonderful! Soon Sister Lin will be married into the family, and then I'll finally have someone to confide in." Although Baoqin was clever, due to the age difference, her relationship with Yingchun was only superficial. However, because she was closer to Daiyu, the two were quite intimate. As for Baochai, Baoqin had always been at odds with her; why would she pay any attention to this cousin?
Xiangyun snapped out of her daze, her face growing even more miserable. She said, "Yes, you're going to marry into the family too. This garden is getting more and more boring."

Seeing this, Baoqin advised, "It's bound to happen sooner or later, so why worry about it?"

Xiangyun frowned, her face contorted with worry, and shook her head. She couldn't share her troubles with Baoqin. If Chen Yejun bore even a fraction of Chen Siyuan's resemblance, why would Xiangyun be afraid to marry him?

She now wishes all her sisters could spend their lives lounging around in the garden.

When Tan Chun and Xi Chun learned of this, while the two sisters were happy for Daiyu, they also felt a little sad. Firstly, the sisters in the garden were leaving one by one, and secondly, the two younger sisters had always been close to Chen Siyuan, and two marriages had already been arranged for them. It was likely that Baochai's marriage would also be arranged. In this case, it was feared that Brother Yuan would have to move away after the imperial examination.

The two little ones chattered and discussed for a while, and decided to send some thoughtful gifts to Daiyu on her birthday soon.

Qishaizhai.

Although Xiren and Sheyue kept it a secret, Baoyu eventually overheard a bit of it from the cleaning lady that night.

Baoyu was lost in thought for a while, then angrily kicked the door open and entered, startling Xiren and Sheyue, who were sitting on the kang doing needlework.

When the two saw that it was Baoyu who had come, they exchanged a glance and knew that Baoyu must have found out about that matter.

The two pretended not to know, and Musk Moon scolded, "What's gotten into you this time, Second Master?"

Xiren also laughed and said, "Could it be that you were scolded by Madam just now?"

Baoyu was panting heavily. Mushe leaned closer to help him take off his coat, but he shoved her away and stared at the two of them, saying, "Is Lin Daiyu getting married?"

Musk Moon remained silent, still trying to cover things up, but Xi Ren grew increasingly impatient and immediately said, "The old lady has given instructions that the eldest mistress should prepare a dowry for Miss Lin. As for when she will be married, we haven't heard anything about it."

Baoyu said angrily, "Why didn't you tell me about such an important matter?"

Xiren sneered, "What you're saying, Second Master, is quite something. Marriage is a major event that requires the arrangement of parents and the words of matchmakers. Besides, there was already Master Lin's marriage certificate, so Miss Lin was going to marry him sooner or later. You didn't get angry then, but now you're trying to put on a show of power with us."

"If Second Master truly refuses, he should go and speak to the Old Madam and Madam. How can we maids dictate to our masters?"

Baoyu was speechless after being rebuked. After a long pause, he turned and walked away.

Musk Moon shoved Xi Ren and said, "You know what kind of person he is, why add fuel to the fire now?"

Xiren rolled her eyes at him and said emphatically, "Nothing can be built without destruction. Rather than waiting for him to come after us, it's better to let him go and vent his anger on the old lady."

Unable to argue with Xiren, Musk Moon had no choice but to put on her clothes and chase after him. She followed closely behind Baoyu, watching him circle around to the front of the hanging flower gate. The old woman at the gate came forward to greet and inquire, but Baoyu stopped in front of the hanging flower gate as if in a daze and did not move forward.

Musk Moon waited for a while, and suddenly saw Bao Yu sigh heavily, then turn around and look dejected, as if he had lost his soul.

That night, she had another nightmare, kicking and screaming, calling out "Sister Bao" and "Sister Lin," which frightened Qi Xianzhai so much that he didn't sleep a wink all night. He got up early and hurriedly asked Madam Wang to come.

Lady Wang felt heartbroken seeing Baoyu in such a state, but she refused to mention Daiyu at all.

After much nagging and persuasion, Baoyu showed no improvement. Just as Madam Wang was at her wit's end, Xiren secretly offered a suggestion: "Madam knows Baoyu's temperament. He naturally cares about things when they are nearby, but once they are far away, he might forget about them. Last time, Baochan mentioned that it is Madam Xia's birthday soon. I think it would be better to have Baoyu go to the Xia family to offer his congratulations?"

After some thought, Lady Wang found this argument reasonable. The Xia family still had Xia Jingui, and Baoyu's daughter; surely a visit to the Xia family would make Baoyu temporarily put Daiyu aside?
Having made up her mind, Lady Wang turned to Baoyu and told him about it. Perhaps thinking of Xia Jingui and her daughter whom he had never met, Baoyu, who was feeling awkward, finally perked up a bit. Lady Wang was slightly relieved and praised Xiren highly. Before parting, she even rewarded Xiren with a white jade hairpin.

Little did she know that after this experience, Xiren became even more convinced that Baoyu was no good man, and she was determined to leave the Rongguo Mansion as soon as possible.

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

A few days passed quickly, and sure enough, Baoyu took his congratulatory gifts to the Xia family. He left the mansion at dawn and didn't return until evening. When he returned, he had a long and fruitful conversation with Lady Wang, and no one knew what kind of bewitching potion Xia Jingui had given Baoyu.

Lady Wang breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that with Xia Jingui keeping an eye on things, Baoyu would no longer cause trouble over Daiyu's marriage.

February 10th arrived in the blink of an eye, and Daiyu's birthday was just two days away.

That afternoon, Yuanyang shyly carried her bundle to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

Xueyan and Zijuan were naturally very close. Xueyan was not very cunning. She thought that she had followed Daiyu since Suzhou, and her aunt would never leave her. Therefore, she was more sincere. Zijuan was thinking a lot. Fortunately, Hongyu had gone to the Second Miss's place. Although Xiangling often came to see her mistress, she was going to Baochai's place.

At that time, officials below the fifth rank could take two concubines, and those who rose to the fourth rank could take one more. Zijuan's mind was in turmoil at the moment, because her duties overlapped with Yuanyang's. Now she only hoped that Chen Siyuan would be promoted soon, so that she could at least be given the status of a concubine.

After Yuanyang was settled, Baoqin came looking for Daiyu, and the two chatted and laughed inside.

After joking around for a while, Baoqin said with a smile, "I just read a joke this morning, and I'll tell it to Sister Lin right now."

Daiyu smiled and agreed, "Alright, tell me about it."

Baoqin cleared her throat and said, "There was a wealthy household who had surplus land to rent out. The tenant, Zhang San, brought a chicken to ask for the rent. When the wealthy household saw that Zhang San had hidden the chicken behind his back, he said, 'I won't rent it to you.' Zhang San was anxious and quickly presented the chicken. The wealthy household was overjoyed and agreed to rent it again and again."

Zhang San was puzzled and asked, "Why didn't you rent it before, but now you're renting it again? What's the reason for this?"

The wealthy man argued confidently, "At first it was nonsense, but now it's just acting according to circumstances."

Daiyu, being well-read, had naturally seen this joke before, and immediately chuckled and echoed it. Zijuan and the others, having never heard it before, laughed so hard they were doubled over, only stopping when someone knocked on the door from outside.

Xueyan asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"

Then a maidservant from the outer room announced, "Master Yuan has arrived."

Yuanyang and Xueyan hurriedly got up to tidy up. Baoqin's eyes darted around, and she whispered to Daiyu, "They must be coming early to deliver congratulatory gifts. Sister Lin, do you know what Brother Yuan is going to give this time?"

Xiangling often visited Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Daiyu knew that Chen Siyuan had given Baochai a set of wedding clothes from the Sui and Tang dynasties some time ago. Recalling that Chen Siyuan had given the Second Miss a set of wedding clothes from the Wei and Jin dynasties last year, she knew that the one given to her this time must also be a wedding dress.

Since the wedding attire was largely based on the Ming dynasty style, Chen Siyuan could not possibly have sent a Ming dynasty style. Therefore, the only option left was the Song dynasty style wedding attire.

She knew perfectly well what was going on, but smiled and shook her head, not wanting to explain to Baoqin. Baoqin, being perceptive, jokingly remarked, "Sister Lin must have known all along," before quickly getting up, exchanging a few pleasantries with Chen Siyuan who had just entered, and then taking her leave.

When Yuanyang, Zijuan, Xueyan, and the others saw that Chen Siyuan was indeed carrying a fine cloth bundle, they all covered their mouths and laughed. They quickly greeted him and then withdrew.

Daiyu's pretty face flushed red with embarrassment. She didn't get up when she saw Chen Siyuan, but scolded him from afar, "Strutting around in the market with a bundle in your hands, who doesn't know what's inside?"

Chen Siyuan chuckled, "So what if they know? What can they do about it?"

As he spoke, he leaned closer to Daiyu, placed the bundle on her lap, stretched lazily, and said, "Sister, please take a look and see if it suits your taste."

Daiyu glanced at him inwardly, but eventually lowered her head and untied the bundle. Inside, she saw a ruyi (a type of traditional Chinese dress), a beizi (another type of traditional Chinese jacket), a xiapei (a type of traditional Chinese robe), and a daxiushan (a type of traditional Chinese robe). Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the beizi was made of cloud brocade.

Daiyu was slightly taken aback, and then she heard Chen Siyuan say, "Sister's figure is most suitable for Song Dynasty wedding clothes, but the Song Dynasty style is simple and thin. After thinking it over, we decided to use Yun brocade for the long-sleeved shirt and the jacket."

Daiyu was speechless, and said helplessly, "You do know how to serve water."

Before she could finish speaking, Chen Siyuan grabbed her delicate hand and looked up to see his bright eyes staring at her with delight. Daiyu suppressed her shyness and pouted as she looked back at him. Chen Siyuan then said gently, "Sister, please wait a little longer. After the imperial examination, I will find a matchmaker to come and propose marriage."

Daiyu quickly lowered her eyes, and after a long while, she responded in a voice barely audible. A moment later, she added, "So, after the imperial examinations, you're going to move out?"

"Yes, Liang Garden is nice, but it's not a place to stay for long."

Daiyu knew that Chen Siyuan was doing it on purpose, but she was very flustered. Although Liang Garden was not good, who knew that moving away from Liang Garden would make it better? She glanced nervously at Chen Siyuan and saw his tender eyes. Daiyu felt a little relieved and thought that perhaps Chen Garden would be better.

(End of this chapter)