The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 340 Fortunately
The You and Ma families met at the temple, and after exchanging glances, they quickly began the marriage process.

Because of her heavy pregnancy, Madam You readily handed over the dowry she had prepared for her second sister.

After all, the marriage proposal from the Ma family couldn't take place at the Jia family's residence.

As luck would have it, one of the dowry items she prepared for her was a two-courtyard house in the south of the city.

Old Lady You, with her two daughters, waited for the Ma family to come and propose marriage.

Because the Ma family was poor and they were afraid of losing too much face, Sister You secretly gave them thirty taels of silver as a gift for the twelve kinds of offerings prepared for the marriage proposal, including chicken, duck, goose, fish, four kinds of dried fruit, four kinds of sugar, tea, sesame seeds, etc.

However, to their surprise, the Ma family prepared four kinds of gifts for the marriage proposal: three kinds of sacrificial animals, fish, four kinds of dried fruits, and betrothal cakes.

This was indeed the case for ordinary people, but Old Lady You and Third Sister You both knew that she had given the Ma family thirty taels.

Is this what they prepared?
You Sanjie picked up a broom and started hitting Jin, the wife of Jia Huang, who had been hired as the matchmaker for the man's family.

The second sister was shocked and tried to stop them, but it was too late. The maids and servants, including Xing'er, who had been sent by Madam You, quickly threw everything away.

This little bit of stuff is a slap in the face to their great-grandmother.

Since it involved the reputation of Madam You and the Ningguo Mansion, and it was Third Sister who started the trouble, they naturally wouldn't care that Madam Jin was their maternal grandmother.

"If you put everything together, do you think it weighs three ounces?"

Sister You blocked her sister's path as she tried to call out to Scholar Ma, saying, "If you continue to demean yourself, you are no longer my sister."

Second Sister You: "..."

My sister's eyes were red.

She slowly raised her hand and gently tucked back the hair that had fallen out when her sister angrily swung the broom. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

She was also taken aback by the manners she received.

She's already broken off one engagement, so breaking it off again...

He hesitated for a moment, but his sister exploded again.

"You'll always be my sister, and I'll always be your older sister."

At this point, Sister You finally made up her mind and shouted outside, "Xing'er, Scholar Ma owes our family thirty taels of silver. We need to get it back."

Thirty taels, that's still money.

So, before the You family members returned to the manor, Shen Ning saw Jin Shi coming over crying and begging her to make a decision.

"Aunt, they know what's going on with the Ma family. Now, they're doing this... Aren't they just playing me and the Ma family for fools? How can I ever face my parents' home again!"

That kind of gift is indeed somewhat inappropriate.

But since they've acknowledged Ma as their cousin, they should have been prepared!

The Ma family was poor, so instead of spending so much money on elaborate betrothal gifts, they might as well save some and make some clothes for their cousin.

He had to dress properly to be able to enter the Ningguo Mansion!

"They want more money, but where does the Ma family have any? They're scholars, they're getting married, they need to have some nice clothes made for them."

Madam Jin was furious and determined to cry and complain to Shen Ning, demanding compensation from the manor.

"But look at what happened to my niece-in-law, all for those thirty taels of silver!"

Her face and hands were covered in bloodstains from You Sanjie's broom. Although the skin wasn't broken, You Sanjie had really used force!

"...What thirty taels? You're making things up out of the blue, how am I supposed to adjudicate your case?"

Shen Ning frowned deeply, "Tell me about this thirty taels first!"

"Uh~"

Xiao Jin let out a sob. She wanted to make the Ma family sound better, but she couldn't hide it. If she dared to lie, Xing'er and the others would find out when they returned.

She could only tell you about how Second Sister You gave her thirty taels of silver for the betrothal gifts. "...Auntie, it's not that the Ma family didn't want to do it properly, but as you know, after all these years of studying, their family is really broke. Didn't Second Sister think of this when she took out the silver?"
Men have to maintain their image when they're out in public. For such an important event as proposing marriage, wouldn't he have to be dressed in something new?

The betrothal gifts were a bit meager, but isn't that how it is for ordinary families?
When he passes the imperial examination and becomes a Jinshi, won't he get everything back?

They complained the gift wasn't enough, so they offered more, but instead...

"Has the Ma family returned those thirty taels?"

Shen Ning suddenly stopped her and asked the most crucial question.

"Can't it still work?"

Little Jin slapped her thigh and cried, tears and snot streaming down her face, "I even pawned one of my niece-in-law's gold bracelets."

What?
Shen Ning glanced at her wrist and couldn't help but curl her lips upwards.

She originally didn't want to interfere too much in You Erjie's affairs.

Life is what it is, and when it comes to marriage, she can help once, but not forever.

But since Sister You San stood up for her sister, and Sister You Er wasn't completely blinded by Scholar Ma and still knew to ask for the thirty taels back, she naturally had to lend a hand.

Heaven helps those who help themselves.

"Isn't this how it should be?"

Shen Ning put down her teacup and said in a calm voice, "Paying back debts is a matter of course. It's true that the Ma family is poor, but since they gave money for the gifts, any family with a modicum of manners should at least do something presentable, if not go to great lengths."

But now they've become greedy, openly and blatantly greedy.

"Whose face are you trying to slap by sending such a small amount?"

At this point, her face suddenly turned cold. "Jin, besides being the groom's matchmaker, you're also a daughter-in-law of the Jia family. Zhen'er and You have taken good care of you two over the years, haven't they? When you noticed something was wrong, didn't you just say something, offer some advice, instead of daring to go and propose marriage so brazenly?"

She remembered who this Ms. Jin was.

In the Dream of the Red Chamber, there is Aunt Jinrong who makes a ruckus in the school.

"How much do you look down on my Ningguo Mansion, and on the matriarch of my Ningguo Mansion?"

Shen Ning's voice sharpened, "Guards, take her to the ancestral hall and let her think carefully in front of the ancestors about how she should be a daughter-in-law of the Jia family."

"Auntie~"

Ms. Jin was terrified.

Her body went limp, and she slid off the chair and knelt down. "I didn't mean that, I..."

She wanted to say something more, but the old women knew Shen Ning was angry and wouldn't let her continue.

Grandma was such a kind person!

Because they were from the ladies' quarters, every reward they received was of the highest quality.

The You family has no one else but these two stepsisters, whom the eldest mistress dotes on like her own sisters. Because of this, even the madam looks at them with more respect. Yet, this Jin family has led the Ma family to treat them so disrespectfully.

How heartbroken would Grandma be if she found out?
Seeing that Jin was still protesting, Granny Wang didn't hesitate to pull the handkerchief from her hand and stuff it into her mouth.

Good, the world is quiet.

Shen Ning rubbed her forehead and instructed, "When Xing'er returns, have him come over immediately."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Little Magpie from Madam You's courtyard came running over, shouting, "Madam, our eldest mistress has gone into labor!"

After Lady You became pregnant, although she left all the household chores to Yingchun, Daiyu, and others, it didn't mean she didn't care at all.

Jin was the matchmaker for the second sister and the Ma family, and she suddenly arrived in such a disheveled state...

Lady You couldn't help but overthink things.

Over the years, she has tried her best to be a good matriarch of the Ningguo Mansion. Whenever her relatives have any problems, she will help them if she can.

But Lady You also knew that because of her background, many people were still gossiping behind her back, saying that she had gotten lucky to marry into the Jia family.

She couldn't argue with that incredible luck.

Sometimes, I'm even glad she had this incredible luck.

Although her biological mother died early and her father also passed away early, her stepmother did not mistreat her, and her two younger sisters were very well-behaved.

Even though Jia Zhen was not a good person, he still gave her a respectable appearance after she married into the Jia family.

Her stepson and she had tested each other, always getting along well and never even arguing.

After her mother-in-law returned home, and with several interventions, You Shi's life became even better.

Inevitably, she wanted to give her stepmother and two younger sisters as much face as possible. Everything was fine before, so why is it like this now...?

In her haste, Madam You wanted to ask in this direction, but before she could even step out of the courtyard gate, the child in her womb, just like her, became anxious as well.

The midwives quickly took their positions in the courtyard, and the maids and servants, who had already mentally rehearsed this situation several times, all carried out their duties in an orderly manner.

When Shen Ning arrived, Madam You's labor pains had subsided, and she was being forced to eat eggs by the midwife. "Mother~"

"It's alright, it's alright, don't be afraid!"

Shen Ning was afraid that Madam You would be scared, but in fact, it was she herself who was scared. "Does it hurt now?"

"Just a little bit."

When Madam You noticed that her face was pale, she quickly said, "Mother, I'm fine. I'm young and healthy, and both of you have taken care of you. You can rest assured!"

Although I'm still worried about my second sister, nothing is more important than the baby in her belly right now.

Her well-being is the foundation of the whole family's well-being.

When Yu was in pain, she tried her best to let go of everything.

But my mother-in-law looks like this...

Yu couldn't help but feel comforted.

"Excuse me, both of you."

Shen Ning looked at the midwives, Zhong and Liu, who had taken care of her during childbirth, and said, "Just tell me if you need anything..."

"Don't worry, Madam. The eldest madam's pregnancy has been very smooth, and there will be no problems."

"Yes, madam, please sit outside and rest for a while."

Both of them were afraid that her nervousness would make Lady You nervous as well.

"Don't worry, Mother."

Madam You also encouraged her to go out, as she was afraid that staying there would frighten her and distract her.

"Well!"

Shen Ning was someone who listened to advice, and said, "I'll be right outside. The physician has arrived too. Just call out if anything happens."

She left, and then remembered to send someone to the palace gate to inform them that Jia Zhen should return as soon as possible if possible.

It's impossible for Lady You to be giving birth to babies while he comfortably goes home and becomes a father.

In this era, women giving birth are truly risking their lives, with one foot already in the gates of hell.

While Qingzhu served her tea to calm her down, Old Lady You, Second Sister You, and Third Sister You returned and rushed over immediately.

None of the three expected that the Yu family would launch their attack today.

"My dear in-laws, sister~"

"Don't worry, the eldest sister is eating right now."

Shen Ning glanced at You Sanjie and said in a gentle voice, "We're still in the labor pain stage, and the midwives all say it's going well."

"Thank you very much!"

Old Lady You was extremely grateful.

She came to help with the delivery, but she wasn't there at the most crucial moment.

"You're too kind, this lady is my daughter-in-law."

The fact that Lady You had a child somewhat made up for the regret in the Dream of the Red Chamber.

In the Dream of the Red Chamber, she was clearly the matriarch of the household, yet she lived like an invisible person.

Her husband and stepson couldn't persuade her or control her, and her family couldn't persuade her either.

They could only endure it. Although they managed to survive until the end, the Jia family fell, and what good life could You Shi possibly have?

"Please sit down. The midwives are inside, so please be alright."

As a relative by marriage, Shen Ning couldn't pretend not to know what the mother and her two daughters had been up to today, so she could only say frankly, "I already know everything that happened when Madam Jin came to our house. The Ma family is not a good match. It's fortunate that Second Sister Yu was able to discover this so early."

Old Lady You: "..."

Second Sister You: "..."

Sister You San: "..."

None of the three expected that the Jin family would dare to come here.

"Auntie, did my eldest sister suddenly startle because Jin Shi startled her?"

Sister You clenched her fists tightly, her face turning red.

"That's not it."

Shen Ning comforted her, "It was going to happen in the next few days anyway, it could have been a day earlier or a day later. Don't worry, I've already punished Jin by sending her to the ancestral hall."

"I'm sorry to have troubled you, my in-laws."

Old Lady You blushed deeply.

Sister You also lowered her head.

"...It's Jin's fault. Her heart is poisoned. What good people are the ones she recommends?"

Shen Ning sighed, "Even someone like Ma Juren, who is greedy for the money to propose marriage, won't last long even if he becomes an official." She glanced at You Erjie, "Erjie is still young and doesn't know how wicked people can be. Her future in-laws should make the decision about her marriage."

"Yes Yes!"

Grandma You nodded hurriedly.

It was also because the mother and daughter were greedy and harbored illusions about the Ma family.

But now, Old Lady You has completely given up on this idea.

Given the second daughter's personality, if she were to marry into the Ma family, not only would she be taken advantage of, but she would also likely implicate her sisters.

"This place is not suitable for children."

Inside the room, Yu's labor pains had probably started again, and her groans were getting louder.

If Sister You Er and Sister You San are here, and they get frightened, they might be psychologically afraid when they get married and pregnant in the future.

For their mental well-being, Shen Ning said, "Second Sister, Third Sister, you should go back now! I'll let you know as soon as I have any good news."

"Yes!"

Sister You Er and Sister You San looked at Old Lady You, and seeing her nod and let them leave, they quickly bowed and withdrew.

Old Lady You couldn't stay still. After exchanging a few words with Shen Ning, she went into the delivery room and stayed there with her.

When Jia Zhen returned on horseback, Xing Shi, Jia Wen, and Jia Min were also there.

Inside the room, Madam You listened to the midwife and didn't use all her strength to scream. She only groaned when she couldn't bear it anymore.

But Jia Zhen was very flustered.

His mother nearly lost her life giving birth, and Madam You...

Jia Zhen paced anxiously back and forth outside the window.

When Jia Huang heard that his wife had been punished in the ancestral hall, he dared not come to Shen Ning to beg for mercy. He kept inquiring about Jia Zhen until he returned, at which point he came over timidly.

But Jia Zhen had no time to pay attention to him at that moment.
Shou'er learned the whole story from Xing'er, took the silver Xing'er gave him, and didn't report it to his superiors.

Jia Huang waited until no one was there in the first and second queues, and then he obediently went back.

At his home, Scholar Ma was also waiting.

The duck that was almost in his hands flew away because of his mother's so-called show of force and frugality. How could he be willing to accept that?

He was just about to ask Jia Huang to find an opportunity for him to meet Sister You.

Second Sister You was very beautiful, just the kind of girl he liked.

He decided to apologize to her on behalf of his mother, asking her not to hold it against him for his sake, and promising to treat her well in the future.

"Don't even think about it."

Jia Huang was terrified of Shen Ning. "Now that the eldest aunt of the East Mansion is personally in charge of this matter, even I am in trouble. You... you can forget about ever seeing that Second Sister You again in this lifetime."

For women, marriage is often like a second birth. Love is beautiful, but how long can it last?
Only after experiencing setbacks and heartbreak in life do girls realize how important it is to be well-matched in terms of social status and background.

In marriage, the worst thing is to support the poor.

The man won't think the girl is that great; he'll only think her son is capable. Similarly, the man will think he's capable.

Therefore, be cautious about marriage. Keep your eyes wide open, because that marriage certificate may bind you for the next few decades of your life.

When romantic love transforms into familial affection, a sense of responsibility and morality can also become invisible shackles.