The destiny of all heavens begins in the Red Chamber

She was eager to know the details of the meeting at the Prince's residence, but she was also worried that her brother might not be quick-witted enough and suffer a loss.

In addition, Jia Baoyu had a lot of trouble at the Rong Mansion, so he simply didn't go visiting and instead stayed at home to wait for his elder brother to return.

I never expected that my brother would only return after I had waited from morning until afternoon, when the sun was almost setting.

"It went pretty well!"

Xue Pan was a little stunned, but after sitting down, he laughed and said, "With Brother Huan here, how could anything go wrong?"

Of course, he was quite uneasy. After all, Jia Huan's attitude was indeed too casual, as if he didn't take Prince Zhongshun seriously at all.

Xue Baochai, being the person she was, immediately noticed that her brother's expression was somewhat unnatural.

"Brother, is something wrong?"

She asked eagerly, "Could you tell me what you were talking about? It would broaden my sister's horizons!"

Xue Baochai was clever enough not to casually offer to give advice.

After all, Xue Pan is of a certain age and has been traveling outside for many years. He can at least manage the Xue family's business in a relatively normal way. How could he still listen to her opinions as he did when they were children?

Sometimes, due to a lack of understanding of the outside world, Xue Baochai's decisions were not appropriate.

Xue Pan never mentioned it, but Xue Baochai learned about it from the old shopkeepers who reported it to her.

Therefore, she became less and less involved in the day-to-day business operations.

My main responsibility is managing the accounts and doing some work like checking for omissions and filling in gaps.

As a result, she felt much lighter on her shoulders, and her overall energy and spirit gradually improved.

"There's definitely no problem!"

Xue Pan smiled wryly, "However, I see that Brother Huan's attitude is too casual, and I'm worried that there might be trouble in the future!"

Next, he informed his younger sister Xue Baochai in detail about the cooperation to be discussed at the Prince's Mansion.

Xue Baochai listened with great interest, but her heart was in turmoil.

Just as his elder brother Xue Pan said, Jia Huan's attitude was far too casual.

It seems like they can turn on you in an instant, and they don't care at all what Prince Chungshun is thinking.

At first, she also felt that Jia Huan was being a bit arrogant, after all, he was a powerful prince!

But after hearing this, Xue Baochai changed her mind.

Tsk tsk, so Prince Zhongshun needed something from Jia Huan. No wonder Jia Huan was so casual!

Although she didn't know what Jia Huan and Prince Zhongshun were up to, she still managed to deduce a clue.

It seems that Prince Chungsun has taken a fancy to a place in Goryeo.

As for whether that's actually the case, she couldn't guarantee it, but she just felt that's how it was.

He held Jia Huan in high esteem.

The ability to command a powerful prince is not something everyone possesses; the Xue family certainly doesn't have that kind of confidence. Even if the Xue family controls some formidable resources, the inherent power imbalance due to their status is no joke.

Similarly, she didn't understand where Jia Huan got his confidence from.

Isn't he afraid that Prince Zhongshun will abandon him after using him?

Anyone who has read a few history books will not have a good impression of the royal family. They are capable of doing almost any despicable thing, and I believe Prince Zhongshun would be no exception.

Regardless, the fact that Jia Huan was able to stand on equal footing with Prince Zhongshun when discussing important matters at the Prince's residence was certainly a good thing for the Xue family, who lacked power and influence.

Similarly, after listening to Xue Pan's account, Xue Baochai could only say that following Jia Huan's lead was the most appropriate course of action, and that they should not easily give the Prince Zhongshun's mansion a chance.

After all, when it comes to trust, the brother and sister naturally trust Jia Huan more.

At least, based on their understanding of Jia Huan, he had no record of swindling people!

"Brother, next time you participate in such negotiations, try to listen more and talk less!"

Xue Baochai reminded her, "Judging from the situation, you two probably have a fairly long period of cooperation ahead of you!"

"I just don't understand what Brother Huan and Prince Zhongshun are plotting."

"If we could find out, it would probably make things much easier for the Xue family in the future!"

Still possessing a girlish heart, Xue Baochai has a strong desire to explore matters on a higher level.

"forget it!"

Xue Pan, however, voiced his objection: "If Huan-ge'er doesn't say, I won't ask him!"

"If they ask me something really important, then I'll be the one in an awkward situation!"

If you don't have enough strength and insist on getting involved, the final result will definitely be very embarrassing.

He was frustrated because neither Jia Huan nor Prince Zhongshun would necessarily want to talk to him anymore.

Upon hearing this, Xue Baochai paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement, though her heart was filled with regret.

In fact, she wouldn't have had such a strong curiosity originally, and she was very clear about her 'duty'.

However, he had been quite traumatized by attending Lin Daiyu's coming-of-age ceremony, which caused him to lose his composure and want to perform well.

Or rather, they strongly desire that the Xue family's strength will rapidly increase, so that they will no longer be looked down upon by the powerful and wealthy.

Just thinking about the grand spectacle surrounding Lin Daiyu's coming-of-age ceremony makes me feel quite uncomfortable.

Leaving aside Madam Xing, who was falsely granted the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady, and the Old Madam, who was granted the title of Super-Rank Imperial Lady...

Among Lin Ruhai's fellow townsmen and classmates alone, there were two wives of third-rank civil officials and nearly a dozen wives of fourth- and fifth-rank officials, making for a rather luxurious gathering.

Don't underestimate the wives of civil officials who hold the fifth rank; their husbands are typically those who hold low positions but wield great power.

The titles of Censor, Supervising Secretary of the Six Ministries, and Senior Official of the Ministry of Personnel were so prestigious that no one dared to be negligent in the slightest.

This only applies to those in the capital. Those high-ranking officials who have been transferred to local areas and have made a name for themselves all sent congratulatory gifts. At the very least, they are fourth-rank prefects.

These civil officials' families were so well taken care of that even the old lady of the Rong family wouldn't dare to neglect them.

Nearly a dozen noble ladies personally paid their respects, which gives you an idea of ​​how grand Lin Daiyu's coming-of-age ceremony was.

In contrast, Xue Baochai's coming-of-age ceremony was incredibly simple and plain!

The scene in the original novel of Dream of the Red Chamber where the old lady pays twenty taels of silver to embarrass herself is not present.

Because the Provincial Residence was built on the site of the Pear Fragrance Courtyard, the Xue family had moved out of the Rong Mansion long ago.

By spending a fortune to live opposite the Rong Mansion, the Xue family managed to barely maintain their dignity.

Even so, Xue Baochai's coming-of-age ceremony could only be described as meager.

The only person who came to pay their respects was Madam Wang, an elder of noble birth!

Wang Ziteng's wife, one of the relatives from the Wang family, did not come over. She only sent a gift through a younger member of the Wang family, and that was all.

Compared to Lin Daiyu's coming-of-age ceremony, which featured three tables in the inner courtyard and nearly five or six tables in the outer courtyard, Xue Baochai's coming-of-age ceremony only had one simple table.

There's a saying that goes, "No comparison, no harm!"

Previously, when the sisters lived together in the Rong Mansion, they didn't realize it. In fact, Xue Baochai thought she was superior to the three sisters because of her knowledge, appearance, and other factors.

Under the deliberate flattery of Lady Wang and the servants in the mansion, Xue Baochai, though always very clear-headed, could not help but feel somewhat conceited, believing that she could rival Lin Daiyu.

As for Wang Xifeng, who was illiterate, she didn't think much of her at all.

Otherwise, you can call her 'cousin' or 'older cousin' when you meet her.

However, Xue Baochai always addressed Wang Xifeng as "Spicy Phoenix" and "Little Phoenix," which was quite impolite. No wonder the relationship between Wang Xifeng and Xue Baochai was rather strained.

At her most arrogant, Xue Baochai even felt that she was on par with Qin Keqing of the Ning Mansion, who had royal blood, at least in terms of knowledge and demeanor.

Unfortunately, all these beautiful fantasies were shattered at Lin Daiyu's coming-of-age ceremony, which made her fully realize her status and identity, and that she was not even as good as Tan Chun and Ying Chun among the three sisters.

This is a fact!

At Lin Daiyu's coming-of-age ceremony, the wives of the civil officials lingered on the three sisters of the Spring Festival for quite some time, but not a single one of them looked at Xue Baochai for even a moment!

Also, let's see tomorrow.

Chapter 269 Jia Baoyu, the Disliked One (Please Subscribe)

The reality is very cruel!

Xue Baochai sensed the strict hierarchy and barriers of the capital city.

Even if she considered herself to be first-rate in terms of knowledge, interpersonal skills, and appearance, she still couldn't meet the standards of the noble ladies.

Lin Daiyu's coming-of-age ceremony almost broke her spirit!

But the more this happened, the more it fueled his lofty ambitions!

Entering the royal family was something I dared not even dream of, and at the same time I realized that I had been somewhat naive.

Outside, those officials' wives didn't take her seriously. So what if she entered the palace?

Did you climb up from the bottom step by step?

Because of her family's special relationship with the Imperial Household Department, Xue Baochai knew some things about the palace.

Life was not easy for the palace maids!