Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

When the sisters in the hall heard what Grandmother Jia said, they all knew that since their eldest sister Yuanchun had returned home, the old lady would definitely keep her in the West Mansion.

Over the years, they had all heard that Yuan Chun had been raised by Grandmother Jia since childhood and was greatly favored by the old lady, just like Bao Yu is now.

Apart from Yingchun, who was the eldest and very familiar with Yuanchun, the other sisters were mostly unfamiliar with their eldest sister.
Because Yuan-chun left home ten years ago, Tan-chun, who was her younger sister from the same father, was only just beginning to remember things at that time. After many years, her memories have gradually faded.

Xichun was born not long ago and naturally knew nothing of human affairs. Shi Xiangyun and Tanchun were about the same age and were being raised by the Shi family at that time.

Daiyu had not yet come to the Jia family that year, and had never met this elder sister.

When Wang Xifeng married into the Jia family, Yuan Chun had already been in the palace for two years, so Wang Xifeng had never met Yuan Chun.

Only Baoyu received Yuanchun's teachings from a young age. Before Yuanchun entered the palace, she taught her younger brother to recognize more than a thousand characters and to compose poems and couplets in their spare time, which guided and stimulated his talent.

Baoyu's current level of education is not so much due to what he learned from the clan school, but rather mostly from his elder sister's teachings; he has been living off his past knowledge for nearly ten years.

Therefore, Baoyu naturally had a deep impression of Yuanchun, and the siblings had a profound bond.

He wasn't really confused; he was just feigning ignorance out of self-pity. He was already worried about whether he could continue to live in the West Mansion after getting married.

Now that her eldest sister has returned home, the old lady has made it clear that she wants to stay in the West Mansion. With her eldest sister's protection and companionship, she will surely be able to continue living in the West Mansion.

Although Lin Daiyu and Baochai are now indifferent and rarely exchange heartfelt words, they are still close friends.

But as long as we can see each other often, and it will ease the longing in my heart, I would be willing to die again.

……

Wang Xifeng was not pleased with what Grandmother Jia said, even though Yuan Chun had a good reputation at home and was not as scheming and domineering as her aunt.

But according to Wang Xifeng's selfish desires, none of the second branch of the family lived in the West Mansion, which truly satisfied her.

Two days ago, news came from Rongqing Hall that his aunt had the audacity to try to take a share of Runxinchunhao's business, and was severely punished by Cong Laosan.

Cong Laosan also took the opportunity to press on relentlessly, making a decision on the spot to move Baoyu out of the West Mansion, and even coaxing some information out of the old lady.

Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng was overjoyed. She had previously caused Baoyu so much trouble by cutting staff, restricting monthly allowances, and moving antiques.

However, Auntie was like a turtle eating a weight, pretending to be confused, and Baoyu ignored her completely, remaining unchanged.

He was usually efficient in managing his household affairs, but he was completely lost when faced with this mother and son.

In the end, Cong Laosan was the one with the means. In no time, he was able to use the opponent's strength against them, open the door and drive away the dog, and get rid of the problem once and for all, and have some peace and quiet.

They finally managed to get Baoyu away from the West Mansion, and then after the New Year, a second wife's older sister came along. It's like all that was lost.

If my aunt were to use this opportunity to get involved again, when would this messy affair between the first and second wives ever end?

However, since the old lady had previously promised Baoyu to move out of the West Mansion, she was not completely senile.

Right now, I want my granddaughter, who has been away from home for ten years, to spend a few more years with me. It's not right or wrong for me to refuse her directly...

……

However, Yingchun had a different opinion after hearing what Grandmother Jia said.

Wang Xifeng considered matters with an eye on controlling the power of the eldest and second branches of the family, while Yingchun considered various matters within the family, but in all her actions, she only thought of her brother Jia Cong.

Among the sisters, Yingchun was the most familiar with Yuanchun. She knew her elder sister's temperament very well; she was bright, cheerful, generous, and proper—in short, an excellent person.

Last time, during the three-year selection process in the palace, the Second Madam had considered spending money to pull strings and give Yuan Chun, the eldest sister, a chance to be selected.

Her brother rejected the idea outright and then asked her to prepare New Year's gifts and send them to her elder sister in the palace.

Afterwards, Congdi and his elder sister exchanged letters. They were of the same mind, equally shrewd, and acted in perfect harmony.

Congdi also said that his eldest sister was of noble character, did not covet worldly things, and was only interested in returning home, which was quite rare. It can be seen that the two cousins ​​got along very well.

Next year, when the eldest sister leaves the palace, if she can live in the West Mansion, not only will it be easier for the sisters to get along and visit each other, but Congdi also admires the eldest sister's character and will surely be willing to do so.

……

Seeing that Grandmother Jia was hesitant and waiting for her reply, Wang Xifeng didn't want to create too much of an awkward silence.

He smiled and said, "My eldest sister has been away from home for ten years. It's only natural that the old lady feels sorry for her eldest granddaughter and wants her to stay by her side."

She was thinking about how to use both soft and hard tactics, and how to persuade Grandmother Jia to lose interest in keeping Yuan Chun.

But Yingchun smiled and said, "It is a good thing that eldest sister is coming back to stay in the West Mansion. Firstly, eldest sister has been away from home for many years, and returning home will allow her to fulfill her filial duties to the old lady."

It would be convenient for us sisters to visit each other, and secondly, the eldest sister is a young lady from a secluded family, which is different from married men.

She will live in the inner courtyard of the West Mansion, which will not violate family etiquette and will only allow for familial relations. Brother Cong will surely be happy with that.

Upon hearing Yingchun's words, Wang Xifeng's mind lit up, as if she had grasped something.

She knew very well that her second sister was no longer the same as before; she was no longer the blockhead she once was. She was now in charge of the household affairs, keeping everything under tight control.

Their thinking and actions are no less than mine, and they are even more literate and capable in some ways.

Moreover, the second sister dotes on her brothers the most. The siblings have always been close, and the second sister understands Cong Lao San's thoughts better than she does.

Her words just now indicated that her younger sister was a young lady, unlike married men, and that living in the inner courtyard of the West Mansion was not against etiquette.

The meaning is quite clear: although Cong Laosan dislikes Baoyu for staying in the West Mansion, he does not dislike this younger sister.

In short, Baoyu, this married man and father of a child, must be kicked out of the inner courtyard of the West Mansion.

Otherwise, it would not only be against family etiquette, but all the women in the courtyard would also become the subject of gossip.

Despite her gentle and refined appearance, the second sister's words were actually quite sharp, knowing exactly when to let things slide and when to keep things under wraps, leaving no room for error.

Seeing the tide turning, Wang Xifeng naturally wanted to say something agreeable, and said with a smile, "Second sister's words make sense. After Baoyu gets married, he will move back to the East Courtyard."

The younger sister, however, is a young woman of marriageable age. She can live in the inner courtyard of the West Mansion without any taboos and can properly take care of the old lady, thus relieving the pain of separation between the grandmother and granddaughter for many years.

Moreover, I've already decided on a place for my younger sister to stay when she returns home. There's a perfect place—spacious, convenient, and very close to Rongqing Hall.

……

Grandmother Jia remembered the previous incident regarding the distribution of Xinchunhao liquor, and how her grandson had gotten into a rage and insisted on moving Baoyu back to the East Courtyard.

She now wants to keep her second wife's eldest granddaughter by her side, but she doesn't know what that boy will do. If he doesn't agree to this, she, as his grandmother, will lose face.

Grandmother Jia was feeling somewhat uneasy, but after hearing Yingchun's words, she felt much more at ease.

Knowing that her second granddaughter cherished her brother the most and always went along with his wishes, she could say such things because Cong-ge'er felt the same way.

In her joyful mood, she heard Wang Xifeng say that she had already taken a liking to even Yuan Chun's residence, which made her even happier and more pleased.

Smiling, she asked, "Feng girl, which nice place have you taken a fancy to? It would be perfect for the eldest daughter to stay in when she comes back."

……

When Baoyu heard Yingchun talk about married men, he couldn't help but feel disgusted. When she said that it didn't affect family etiquette, he felt even more guilty and believed that she was subtly attacking him.

He felt as if his heart was being torn apart, filled with resentment and indignation.

It's not like I wanted to get married; it was my parents-in-law who forced me. I have to fulfill my filial duties, so what can I do?

Just as she was feeling sorry for herself, she heard Yingchun agree that her eldest sister should live in the West Mansion, and Sister Feng even said that she had her eye on the place where she should live.

This made him forget his sadness and immediately attracted his attention. He wanted to hear where his older sister lived when she went home.

If we lived in my sister-in-law's old courtyard, it would be very close to where I lived, and it would be convenient for my brother and me to visit each other daily...

……

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "I've heard the old lady mention my eldest sister. According to the palace's rule of returning home after ten years, my eldest sister will be returning home after Baoyu's wedding..."

Baoyu was furious when he heard this. He was just talking about his elder sister going home, but why did it bring up his marriage?

Why is it that everyone in this household keeps talking about my marriage? They won't stop until they've mentioned it several times a day. It's like I'm seeing ghosts! How am I supposed to live this damn life?
Wang Xifeng continued, "I heard a few days ago that Brother Cong has discussed with the old lady that Baoyu will move back to the East Courtyard after his marriage."

The courtyard where he lived happened to be vacant. The house there was spacious and comfortable, fully furnished, and it was a sunny south-facing courtyard, very close to Rongqing Hall.

I thought there was nowhere better, and it would be perfect for my younger sister to live here. It would also be convenient for her to take care of my grandmother.

The space vacated by the younger brother's move is perfect for his older sister to come home and live; it's a very auspicious arrangement.

……

As soon as Wang Xifeng said this, the hall fell into an instant of silence, truly deathly still, and everyone's gaze involuntarily turned to Baoyu. Yingchun, Daiyu, and the others smiled inwardly, knowing that Baoyu usually did too much work.

She would either act spoiled and unreasonable with Grandmother Jia, causing chaos, or she would throw tantrums and smash antiques and other valuables.

In addition, the second wife coveted the first wife's family fortune...

As the eldest sister-in-law of the main branch of the family and the current head housekeeper of the West Mansion, Wang Xifeng felt very uncomfortable with Baoyu, both publicly and privately.

She was eager to get rid of Baoyu and put an end to her aunt's ridiculous idea.

So when Yuan-chun left the palace and returned home, Grandmother Jia wanted her to stay in the West Mansion. Even though Wang Xi-feng went along with it, she didn't forget to send Bao-yu away.

However, both Yingchun and Daiyu had the intention of protecting Jia Cong's family business, so they were naturally happy to see this happen.

Baochai, Tanchun, Shi Xiangyun, and others felt that this matter was in accordance with etiquette and was perfectly reasonable, so naturally they remained silent.

After hearing Wang Xifeng's words, even though it was a foregone conclusion that Baoyu would move out of the West Mansion, it was something that Grandmother Jia had no choice but to do.

When Wang Xifeng brought it up again so passionately, he looked somewhat uncomfortable.

However, Wang Xifeng's words were not wrong at all. The courtyard where Baoyu was currently living, regardless of the layout and orientation of the rooms, was the best in the West Mansion.

Otherwise, Grandmother Jia wouldn't have let Baoyu stay here. Since he's going to move out after his marriage, this nice courtyard is for her eldest granddaughter to live in, and she can't even find a fault with it.

This can be considered as the eldest son's wife taking care of her dignity. Even if Grandmother Jia is biased towards Baoyu, she can't find any fault with it.

Seeing Wang Xifeng looking at her with a beaming smile, as if she were trying to please her and waiting for her praise, the old lady felt both amused and exasperated, and was truly helpless.

He could only laugh and say, "Your idea is excellent. Last time, Cong-ge told me that when he went to the palace to meet the emperor, he had the opportunity to visit the eldest maid."

It is said that her residence in the palace was quite old, and she was served by only one maid, Baoqin, on a daily basis. She used to be pampered and noble at home, but these years in the palace she has lived a very busy life.

Now that she has finally returned home from the palace, it's natural to find her a proper place to live, and Baoyu's current courtyard is just right.

……

The conversation between Grandmother Jia and Wang Xifeng sounded very warm and pleasant, full of family harmony, but to Baoyu it was like a bolt from the blue.

He had assumed that the place Wang Xi was interested in was probably the courtyard where his sister-in-law had lived, but he never expected that she would ask him to move out and vacate the courtyard for his older sister to live in.

How could this be? Nobody consulted me before asking me to move out of the West Mansion. It's outrageous! I absolutely cannot agree to this.

If he had known things would turn out this disgusting, he would have preferred his older sister never to come back...

If I were to move out of the West Mansion like this, how would I ever see my sisters again? Wouldn't I become like a world apart from Lin Daiyu and Baochai, even though we were so close?

If I were to end up like that, I'd rather just die!

……

As Grandmother Jia and Wang Xifeng were lost in their own thoughts, someone suddenly spoke in the hall. The voice was mournful and affectionate, and the tone was lively and crisp.

"Grandma, how can I move out of the West Mansion? I grew up here. How will I be able to take care of you in the future?"

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia suddenly felt a headache coming on and didn't know how to respond.

He blamed his daughter-in-law for not handling things properly, wondering why she hadn't discussed the matter with his son beforehand, and why Baoyu had to make a scene in public, which would have been embarrassing for everyone.

Seeing Baoyu in this state, still acting all spoiled and unreasonable, Wang Xifeng's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and anger flared up in her heart.

This is no longer the Rongguo Mansion of the second branch of the family, and we can no longer allow Baoyu to put on a show!
She had seen through Baoyu's tricks. From childhood to adulthood, whenever he encountered the slightest displeasure, he would either smash the jade or throw a tantrum, showing no manly strength or spirit whatsoever.

Thinking that by controlling the old lady and the second wife, they can control the entire household, they don't even know whose family business is now, and still think they are the phoenix of Rongguo Mansion.

If Baoyu is allowed to act recklessly like this, what if the old lady softens and Baoyu moves out of the West Mansion, and something goes wrong?

If a married man, with his wife and children, were to live haphazardly in the inner courtyard of the West Mansion, wouldn't I, as the eldest daughter-in-law and head of the household, become nothing more than a clay idol on display?

If this gets back to the elders of the family, everyone will laugh at her, saying that the matriarch is a good-for-nothing and that she will be humiliated.

Moreover, all the sisters in the West Mansion have moved to the East Mansion, leaving her as the only young wife, and her husband is exiled to the border for many years.

If Baoyu were still living in the inner courtyard, outsiders wouldn't know the situation and might think that she, as the eldest sister-in-law, was being lenient. Who knows what rumors would spread? Would she even be able to face anyone...?

Therefore, regardless of public or private matters, and putting aside others for the moment, for Wang Xifeng, Baoyu must get out of the West Mansion after getting married!
……

Having made up her mind, Wang Xifeng said with a smile, "Brother Bao, why do you ask such a question? It makes the whole family feel uncomfortable."

Now that the Cong brothers have inherited the title and family business, this is the inner courtyard of the main house of the West Mansion.

Before you get married, you can stay here temporarily because you need to keep the old lady company. But now you are about to get married and start your own family.

You are, after all, the man from the second wife's side; you can't possibly bring your wives, concubines, and children to live in your cousin's inner courtyard from the first wife's side.

Not only does it violate the taboo between men and women, but it also goes against family etiquette; outsiders will laugh at it.

Last time at Rongqing Hall, Cong and his brother and the old lady had already discussed this matter. After you get married, you will move out of the West Mansion to maintain proper family etiquette.

When this matter was discussed, the Second Madam was also present, and she confirmed that she knew about it. Didn't the Second Madam tell Brother Bao about it?

……

Although Wang Xifeng had a smiling face and seemed kind, she was actually quite blunt in her words, and Yingchun and the other sisters could all sense the sharpness in them.

Grandmother Jia's expression changed slightly, and she secretly thought something was wrong. Baoyu, disregarding the occasion, bluntly said that he would not move out of the West Mansion.

Feng Yatou is the eldest son's wife and now manages the household affairs of the West Mansion. How could she let this go? She was getting angry.

Baoyu was naive and inexperienced. After hearing Wang Xifeng's words, he was filled with resentment and his mind was clouded by anger.

Wang Xifeng spoke with a smile, and for a moment he couldn't detect the ill intent in her words.

Seeing that the situation was not going well, and knowing that her Baoyu was no match for Feng'er, Grandmother Jia quickly tried to speak up to smooth things over.

Before she could speak, Baoyu blurted out, "This is utterly unreasonable. Jia Cong lives only in the East Mansion and rarely comes to the West Mansion."

Why try to control everything and make the whole family uncomfortable? I live in the West Mansion and it doesn't bother anyone, so why do you have to come and chase me away?

He is now a Hanlin Academician, a man who considers himself well-read and knowledgeable; he should know the principles of brotherly love and respect. Why has he come to this?

As Baoyu spoke with increasing fervor, his expression grew more and more pained and indignant, a surge of grief and anger filling his heart. He felt that Heaven was blind and only knew how to humiliate a kind person like him…

But as soon as he said this, even though Grandmother Jia always doted on him, her old face changed slightly, and she panicked.

Upon hearing this, Yingchun, Daiyu, and the others all showed anger on their pretty faces.

Shi Xiangyun, being straightforward and outspoken, was so angry that her face turned red. She was about to jump up and retort when Baochai pulled her sleeve to stop her.

Even though Tan Chun was Bao Yu's own sister, she couldn't help but frown and her face turned ugly after hearing his nonsense.

Wang Xifeng's pretty face darkened, and she said, "I am completely illiterate, while Brother Bao is highly learned. When it comes to reading, I know nothing about it."

However, I do know a little about what brotherly love and respect mean. Brother Cong is the head of the West Mansion and also Brother Bao's elder brother.

You never address him properly, always calling him by his given name, not even daring to do that to me, his sister-in-law. Is this what you call brotherly affection?

Upon hearing this, Baoyu's face instantly turned pale, then flushed crimson, making him look quite frightening.

He was also very concerned about his image, always presenting himself as a gentle and refined gentleman in front of his sisters, firmly believing in his own innocence and boasting of his extraordinary qualities.

Now even Wang Xifeng, who is illiterate, openly mocked him for not understanding brotherly love and respect, making him lose face in front of his sisters and causing him to tremble with anger.

Seeing that Grandmother Jia was in a hurry to speak, Wang Xifeng spoke first, saying, "Grandmother, I thought it was a reasonable matter, but Brother Bao is so magnanimous."

As the sister-in-law, I don't have much say in this matter. Even if I ask Brother Cong to speak up, I'm afraid it won't work. It's best to ask the elders to make the decision.

Both Cong and Baoyu are the old lady's grandsons, and it's difficult for her to decide whether they are good or bad.

I think Brother Cong has always respected the Second Master, and he is also Baoyu's father. Only by having him decide this matter will everyone be truly satisfied.

Upon hearing this, Baoyu's legs went weak, his whole body trembled, and the grief and indignation on his face vanished instantly.

Big White's round face turned deathly pale with fright. He could no longer maintain his composure and felt an urge to flee in panic.

Yingchun and Daiyu, who had just been angry, were suddenly struck dumb by Wang Xifeng's taunting words.

Looking at Baoyu's expression, they saw that he had been hit hard and was in a sorry state. The two couldn't help but laugh, but they just pursed their lips tightly.

Seeing Baoyu's hopeless expression, Wang Xifeng felt even more contempt for him.

He said, "Feng'er, go and stand guard at the entrance of the East Courtyard. When the Second Master returns from his official duties, he will immediately invite you to Rongqing Hall for a talk..." (End of this chapter)