The Red Mansion Big Liar.

Chapter 296 Betting
The small courtyard in the northeast corner of Rongguo Mansion.

Xue Baochai and Aunt Xue sat facing each other across the table on the kang and narrated the story of Sister Liu.

"Since there is trouble, it is not convenient for my daughter to speak up. I don't think my aunt will care about such trivial matters. I have to trouble my mother to tell Feng girl. This Liu family has served us in Lixiangyuan for several years. It is reasonable for my mother to plead for her."

"Oh! You have always kept quiet about things that do not concern you, so why are you meddling in these matters now? Besides, didn't you say last time that you heard some rumors that the eldest master intended to marry the second girl to him? We couldn't even avoid it, so why did we get into trouble?"

Aunt Xue looked at her daughter opposite her and shook her head like a rattle, causing her body to shake as well.

Xue Baochai smiled helplessly and said confidently, "Mother, don't you think about it? Marriage is always about family background. With Brother Yi's status and behavior, how could he be interested in someone like the eldest master?"

"You mean?"

Aunt Xue supported herself with a pair of jade-like arms, leaned forward, and leaned against the kang table, pressing down heavily on the two huge mountains.

"We can't just believe everything we hear. Tell our daughter that Yun girl, Sister Lin, or even the third sister, all have better hope than the second sister."

"Hmm?" Aunt Xue blinked when she heard that. After thinking for a moment, she asked in confusion, "What you said makes sense, but what does it have to do with this matter?"

"Mother, you don't know! Last time, Yun's two aunts suggested a marriage for her. Although she didn't say it, from my observation, she was quite fond of it in her heart. A while ago, I heard a few maids discussing the second sister in private in the garden. She was a little depressed when she went back. A few days ago, Brother Yi went to Xiaoxiang Pavilion and heard that the second sister had asked for a long vacation. I saw that she was quite excited."

Baochai took a sip of tea and said, "After all, the third sister is from the mansion. It seems that she has heard the rumors for a long time. She has slandered the second sister in front of Brother Yi many times. I didn't pay much attention to it before, but I just came to my senses after hearing the rumors recently. I'm afraid they are secretly competing with each other!"

"What about Miss Lin?" Aunt Xue was still more concerned about her daughter's rival.

"Brother Yi not only asked for medical advice, but also asked Xiangling to become his disciple, and treated her closer than others..."

Hearing that Xue Baochai only talked about how Zhang Yunyi treated Lin Daiyu but did not mention Lin Daiyu's reaction, Aunt Xue sighed with regret.

As if she understood the meaning of this sigh, Xue Baochai smiled and said, "Marriage is a big matter. It is always decided by parents and matchmakers. Although the old lady may not agree, if auntie can bring it up, considering Brother Yi's current status, the old lady may not be able to refuse."

She paused, then continued, "The last time the emperor bestowed rewards, he promised Brother Yi the title of Duke. Although Sister Yun proposed earlier, she is not the daughter of a proper marquisate after all. Moreover, the Shi family is the eighteenth branch in the capital, and she is an orphan. How can she compare to Sister Lin, who is not only from a wealthy family, but also has a father who won the third place in the imperial examination?"

Aunt Xue nodded heavily: "You are really thoughtful. According to you, should we bet on Lin girl?"

Xue Baochai shook her head and said with some disinterest, "Who can be sure of such things? It's nothing more than casting a wide net to catch more fish!"

She paused, then sighed, "Sister Lin is fine, but I see that Miss Yun and Third Sister are competing with Second Sister! Nowadays, people believe everything they hear, and Siqi opens a dyeing factory as soon as she gets a hint of favor, trying every possible way to get a lucrative job for her aunt. Even Lai Da is no exception and is meddling in the mix. We don't have to place our bets on anyone, we just need to do the opposite and not flatter them, and those who are interested will remember it."

"That's right! Since the second girl has no chance, it's just a false alarm. We won't lose anything even if we take the initiative!"

Baochai said calmly, "It is said that we should choose sides early. The more we stand against Second Sister now, the more people will think highly of us. Don't think that he is having a good time now, but I am afraid that he will make a list in the future."

At this point, she couldn't help but sneer and said, "I think Lai Da has limited thoughts. Sister Lin and Yun girl may not be serious about this. If the third sister stands out, will she still be able to benefit from him in the future?"

As she spoke, she stood up from the kang, took Aunt Xue's arm, and urged, "Mom, don't delay any longer, just go over now!" Then she took a shawl from the clothes hanger in the room and put it on Aunt Xue.

Aunt Xue seemed to feel a little hot, but she couldn't resist Baochai, so she had to fan her hands and came to the three-room wing where Wang Xifeng had been assigned.

Wang Xifeng was quite surprised and asked, "Why is my aunt here?"

Logically, a woman should obey her husband, and Wang Xifeng originally followed Jia Lian in calling her aunt, but now she changed her address without saying a word.

Although Aunt Xue also noticed it, there was no outsider here and Wang Xifeng was always good at dealing with people, so she thought she was deliberately trying to get close to her.

He pulled her to sit down and told her the whole story with a smile.

"The Liu family is quite thorough in their work at Lixiang Courtyard. They came to me yesterday to ask for help. I thought it was a minor matter and she had suffered a loss. As a family, harmony is naturally the most important thing. Why did they have to take away the job and make a scene?"

"Oh?" Wang Xifeng said calmly, "I thought it was a big deal, and I had to trouble my aunt to go there in person."

She turned her head to look at Ping'er and said, "Have you heard about this?"

Ping Er bowed and said, "My dear, I didn't hear what happened later."

Wang Xifeng nodded and said, "I understand what Auntie said. I'll ask Ping'er to go over and ask her later."

Upon hearing that Wang Xifeng didn't know about this, Aunt Xue felt more and more that her daughter's analysis was correct. This was Lai Da's shady manipulation to please Zhang Yunyi by believing everything he heard.

However, although Wang Xifeng said she would inquire about it, she did not promise anything. She was a little worried in her heart, but she said, "I feel relieved when you say that. The Liu family is not easy either. My daughter is weak and sickly. If she loses her job, I'm afraid she won't even be able to afford the money for medicine!"

Wang Xifeng was so smart, how could she not understand what she was saying?
But he did not say anything, just held Aunt Xue's hand and said with a smile: "Aunt has a kind heart. The Liu family must have earned it through eight lifetimes to have Aunt take care of them!"

Then he changed the subject and said, "A few days ago, Lian Er bought two prostitutes from outside and even gave them a yard. I heard that one of them has some relationship with Wenlong. He won't blame him, will he?"

"Oh! This kind of thing is so disgusting that it makes people's ears dirty. I always advise him not to go to these unclean places and not to lead others astray. How could he have anything to do with the people bought by Lian Er?"

Wang Xifeng had a reputation as a jealous person, so Aunt Xue thought she thought the matter was related to Xue Pan and quickly denied it.

The two chatted about some family matters, and Wang Xifeng sent the guest away, saying, "It's hot here, so please go back first! I want to ask what's going on!"

Aunt Xue was plump and afraid of heat, so Baochai gave her another shawl before she left. The sweat from her was so thick that it dripped down her cheeks, making her feel extremely sticky. She really couldn't stand it any longer, so she got up and left in a hurry.

……

(End of this chapter)