Red Mansion, Ningfu Scholarly Family

Chapter 11: The Gap between the Two Governments
……

The eldest daughter of the East Mansion spoke. Although Miss Lin did not say anything, she obviously agreed. Yuanyang could only return home helplessly.

"What's wrong with you girls? Why don't you want to go back after coming here?"

Zijuan thought for a moment and said, "I don't know either. It's probably because I had a quarrel with Master Bao these past two days."

"Ugh!"

Yuanyang sighed and said, "How can I tell the old lady when I get back? It really worries me to death."

Zijuan said, "Whatever you say, just tell the truth. The old lady knows our girl's temper. No one can force her to do something she doesn't want to do."

Yuanyang shook her head and said, "It's easy to deal with the old lady, but I'm afraid that Master Bao will make trouble again if he can't see Miss Lin."

Zijuan smiled and said, "What can we do? He doesn't dare to enter the East Mansion. It's useless to make a fuss. The old lady can't help either."

Lady Jia's words are effective everywhere except in the East Palace, where Master Jing has the final say.

……

Jia Baoyu, who was anxiously waiting at Grandmother Jia's place, did not expect that even after the old ancestor had spoken personally, she still did not invite the person back!
"what!"

"Where is Sister Lin going to live?"

"I disagree!"

Jia Baoyu was so angry that he jumped up, his face purple, and he grabbed the jade from his neck and threw it out: "What the hell is this? Who cares about your broken thing!"

Everyone in the room was shocked!
"what!"

"Baoyu!"

"My life!"

The maids and wives rushed to grab the fallen jade. Grandmother Jia stood up at once, and without anyone trembling, she ran forward and cried excitedly: "That is your life, your life, how could you drop it!"

Baoyu sobbed, "Sister Lin is not coming back, what use should I have for that thing? I might as well throw it away!"

At this time, Jia's mother was helpless.
She couldn't order Jia Jing to send someone over, so she could only coax Baoyu and say, "Your fourth sister was frightened yesterday and didn't dare to sleep alone at night, so I asked your sister Lin to go over and keep her company. She will be back tomorrow."

Baoyu wiped his tears and said, "Why don't you ask Fourth Sister to come and sleep with us?"

Grandmother Jia's face darkened.

Once, she saw Xichun had lost her mother at a young age and was pitiful and had no one to raise her, so she planned to take her in and raise her together with Yingchun and Tanchun. However, she turned out to be a stubborn girl with a strange temper who rejected her kindness. From then on, she disliked Xichun.

She doesn't care if she can't get married because she has no one to educate her. It will be a disgrace to the East Mansion anyway.

To outsiders, the two families may seem like one family, but in fact they are not that close. The brothers have their own rankings based on seniority, and only the girls are ranked together from both families, which helps maintain superficial harmony.

……

Ning Mansion, Ning'an Courtyard.

The two girls had already changed into their evening makeup and were lying on the embroidered bed hugging each other and whispering to each other.

"The old lady wanted to take me over to live with my second and third sisters."

"At first I was a little hesitant and couldn't make up my mind, but Rong Geer reminded me: As the eldest daughter of Ningguo Mansion, you represent the reputation of Ningguo Mansion. How can you live in someone else's house in such a humble manner?"

Lin Daiyu sighed.

"You have a great brother...nephew!"

She always subconsciously thought of Rongger as Xichun's brother.

“Hehe.” Xichun covered her mouth and laughed, “Although he is my nephew, I always think of him as my older brother. Rong Ge’er has taught me a lot of things in the past few years.”

"Sister Lin, you don't have to be sad. You never know when your uncle will be promoted and come to Kyoto to be an official. Then you can go home and be Miss Lin. You don't have to be so cautious every day over there."

"I hope so."

Lin Daiyu looked at the bright moonlight coming in through the window, slightly absent-minded.

When her father first took office as the Imperial Censor of Huaiyang Salt, although she was still young, she knew that her father had a very difficult time in the officialdom in Jiangnan. He had to be cautious and nervous at every step, and he even had to send her to his grandmother's house to relieve his worries.

Since coming to Kyoto, I have had to change some of my habits at home in accordance with the local customs. I take every step very carefully, for fear of being laughed at.

"There is one more thing, Sister Lin."

"I told you, don't be mad at me."

"what's up?"

"You should move out of the Bisha Kitchen!"

Lin Daiyu blushed and actually said to Xichun "taught her a lesson".

"This... I also want to move out, but my grandmother won't say anything, and I really can't bring myself to say it."

"This is easy. Sister Lin is not good at asking. Let me think of a way."

... "Sister Lin."

"Sister Lin?"

"Sister Lin!"

"I will never dare to do it again!"

"Why are you always silent? How did I offend you?"

"What did I do wrong? Tell me, can't I change?"

This time Jia Baoyu was really scared!

Although they had quarreled, Lin Daiyu still lived in the Bisha Kitchen, and the two of them would see each other every day, and they would be fine after a while.

Now Lin Daiyu actually went straight to live in the East Palace and instantly became estranged from him.

"hehe."

Lin Daiyu sneered: "I heard that your jade was dropped again yesterday?"

“额，哈哈。”

Baoyu smiled awkwardly and said, "I was so worried when you didn't come back from there. I promise I won't break it again, okay?"

Lin Daiyu continued to sneer and said, "You promised your uncle the other day that you would study hard. Did you study hard?"

"That's different." Baoyu waved his hand and said, "I have fulfilled all my promises to you."

"unnecessary!"

Lin Daiyu stood up and walked outside.

"where are you going?"

Baoyu asked anxiously.

"Where I go is none of your business!"

Lin Daiyu didn't even turn her head.

Baoyu stamped his feet anxiously: "Are you speaking in anger?"

"truth!"

"Are you going to the East Palace again?"

Baoyu became anxious and chased after him.

Lin Daiyu stopped and asked, "So what?"

Baoyu's face turned red: "I won't let you go!"

"hehe."

Lin Daiyu sneered: "Do I have to ask Master Bao for permission before I can go anywhere? Am I your maid?"

"I, Sister Lin, please stop making trouble..."

"Who is messing with you? Get out of the way!"

"Woooooooo..."

Jia Baoyu burst into tears again and ran into his grandmother's room, feeling extremely aggrieved.

Grandmother Jia quickly hugged him in her arms and comforted him, "What's wrong, Baoyu? Who has offended you again?"

Mrs. Wang, who was sitting below, frowned slightly.

Who else could provoke Baoyu like this?
It must be Lin girl without a doubt!

Baoyu cries every other day!
Sure enough, Mrs. Wang’s guess was correct.

"Wuwuwu." Baoyu cried aggrievedly, "Sister Lin always ignores me. She went to the East Palace to look for Fourth Sister again."

After listening to this, Grandmother Jia was speechless for a while.

This morning she had just carefully instructed Lin Daiyu to stay at home as much as possible and not go out.

"Hehehe..."

Mrs. Wang gave a barely perceptible chuckle.

She knew Lin Daiyu too well. On the surface, she looked like an obedient and well-behaved young lady, but in fact, she didn't listen to her elders at all and was very rebellious.

When she first came, she told Lin Daiyu to talk less to Baoyu. However, the girl agreed on the surface, but actually continued to do as she pleased and did not take her words seriously at all.

(End of this chapter)