Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 120 Partiality

Sister Feng's children's courtyard.

Ping'er brought a plate of pine goose oil rolls, but Jia Lian didn't even look at it. He just picked up a longevity fruit (peanut) and put it in his mouth. He picked up the wine cup and took a sip. Suddenly, he took out something from his arms and threw it in front of Fengjie'er.

"What is this?" Feng Jieer looked at the small box, put down her chopsticks and picked it up.

These days, the Rongguo Mansion is busy building a villa for the imperial visit, and Jia Lian is busy supervising it and has no time to wander around, so he always has to eat with Feng Jieer at mealtime.

Jia Lian smiled and said, "Open it and take a look."

Feng Jieer opened it as instructed and saw a pair of cat's eye earrings inside. She immediately smiled and said, "Who gave these to me as a gift?"

"Hey," Jia Lian said with a smug smile, "Don't worry about it. I'll still pay you tribute later."

Feng Jieer was feeling proud and was comparing the cat's eye earrings. She was about to say something when someone called out from outside, "Is the Second Madam home?"

Ping'er hurried out to meet him, and after a moment she returned, approaching with a strange look on her face, saying, "Madam, the maids up ahead have sent word that Master Yuan has received a reward from Prince Ping of Yan, and has brought back two large carts. He took some for himself, and I'd like you to distribute the rest."

The food will be kept for the New Year, and Master Yuan intends to distribute the brocade and silk to various places."

Sister Feng was extremely surprised. She exchanged a glance with Jia Lian and hurriedly asked about the details. When Ping'er told her about the two large carts of goods, she immediately smiled and said, "Look! I knew Brother Yuan was a promising young man. He hasn't even started studying at the Imperial College yet, and he's already been recognized by a distinguished person."

As he spoke, he looked at Jia Lian and said, "You are so suspicious and you have to take that risk!"

Jia Lian was now certain that Chen Siyuan had been brought in by the eldest master, Jia She, after the Lin family's main branch's fortune. He sighed and said listlessly, "Never mind. I'm afraid I was wrong. This is a fight between gods, why would a little brat like me get involved?"

Sister Feng smiled and said, "It's rare that you figured it out on your own. I'll invite Brother Yuan back next year. You can't avoid him this time."

Jia Lian agreed hesitantly.

Feng Jieer began to think about it. There were sixteen pieces of brocade and silk gauze. The first wife, the wife, and the concubine would each get one piece of brocade and two pieces of silk gauze. Then it would be Li Wan, herself, Sanchun, Daiyu, and Baochai's turn, each getting one piece of brocade and one piece of silk gauze. The rest would be put into the public treasury and left for the old lady to reward others.

She did not even bother to have lunch, but went out to the back to check the quality of the brocade and silk yarn. Seeing that they were indeed of the highest quality, Sister Feng was immediately amazed. Although the brocade was not considered cloud brocade, it was still of the highest quality.

The Jia family had frequent dealings with the Zhen family of Jinling, and the Zhen family was in charge of the Jinling weaving business. Because Feng Jieer was extremely knowledgeable about fabrics, just looking at the quality, this piece of brocade would have to be worth at least twenty taels. It's harder to say about silk gauze, but it could be worth more than ten taels.

Calculating this way, the brocade and silk yarn alone are worth at least five hundred taels! After that, the fruits, smoked pork, and dried lamb, plus the cave dishes ordered earlier, even if Brother Yuan didn't spend a thousand, he would have to spend at least eight hundred taels.

While Feng Jieer was stunned, she secretly made up her mind. She had always admired Chen Siyuan's generous character, and now that she saw his bright future, she thought she would become his good friend in the future.

As for the old lady... I'm afraid that after this incident, even if the old lady has some complaints in her heart, she won't dare to offend Brother Yuan easily, right?

At that moment, Sister Feng personally checked the inventory and put it into the warehouse, and sent the maids to distribute it everywhere.

A little later, Zhou Ruijia arrived at Lady Wang's place and presented her with two rolls of brocade and three rolls of silk gauze. Lady Wang was very surprised and asked, "Was this a gift from the old lady?"

Mrs. Zhou Rui laughed and said, "Madam, you guessed wrong this time. It was Master Yuan who returned from Prince Ping of Yan's mansion and somehow received two carts of gifts. Master Yuan seemed grateful and kept some for himself. He asked Second Madam to give the rest away. This is for Madam and Third Miss."

At this time, the East Courtyard had been completely demolished and the villa for the visit was about to be built, so Tanchun returned to the wing room in Lady Wang's courtyard first.

Mrs. Wang was increasingly puzzled and said, "Oh, it's rare for him to be so thoughtful." After a pause, she asked, "Why did Brother Yuan go to the Prince of Yanping's mansion?"

Zhou Ruijia said, "I don't know about that. I heard that he met a noble man by chance. He didn't recognize him at first, but later he found out that it was King Ping of Yan."

Madam Wang sighed and said, "This is just luck. If I catch the eye of Prince Ping of Yan, even if I only graduate from the Imperial College, I might even be able to become an official in the palace."

Zhou Ruijia smiled and said, "That's true."

Mrs. Zhou Jui chatted for a while, then hurriedly got up and took her leave, heading back to the Pear Fragrance Courtyard. It was just past noon, and Aunt Xue and Baochai were both resting in the Pear Fragrance Courtyard.

Upon hearing Zhou Ruijia's arrival, Tongxi hurriedly led her inside.

Seeing the two rolls of brocade and three rolls of silk, Aunt Xue asked curiously, "Who sent these?"

Mrs. Zhou repeated her previous words with a smile. Aunt Xue and Baochai exchanged a glance of astonishment. After listening carefully, they sent Tongxi away to escort Mrs. Zhou out of the Pear Fragrance Courtyard.

Of course, Zhou Rui's wife went to the east side of the courtyard. In the Lixiang Courtyard, mother and daughter looked at each other, and Aunt Xue said, "I am a poor woman, and now I have suddenly become acquainted with Prince Ping of Yan... How can I justify this?"

Baochai's face was calm as she said, "Brother Yuan is a man of noble character. Though hardship befell him, it could not dampen his ambition. His poetry, though somewhat arrogant, reveals his broad mind and aspirations. Such a man, now appreciated by such a noble person, will surely have a bright future."

Aunt Xue disapproved, saying, "So what? At best, he'll be chosen as a minor official after dropping out of school. Even if he works hard for decades, he might not be able to become a prefect."

Baochai remained silent. She recalled the previous times she had run into Chen Siyuan, each of which had left her feeling uneasy. Now, hearing that he had been appreciated by a distinguished person, she couldn't describe the feeling. Was she a little annoyed, yet also a little happy? Baochai was puzzled, unsure what to think.

At this time, Liu Yan'er came over to greet her. She always acted obedient in front of Aunt Xue, but Aunt Xue's treatment of her has improved a lot recently.

Sister Bao disliked Liu Yan'er and simply went to the side room to read. Liu Yan'er then started to grumble to Aunt Xue. When she heard that Chen Siyuan had been appreciated by Prince Ping of Yan, Liu Yan'er suddenly felt mixed emotions.

She is not a kind person. Although she has never hurt anyone herself, there are many people who are depressed because of her taking away their money.

Initially, Liu Yan'er was content to be Xue Pan's concubine, but she was also afraid her impersonation would be exposed, so she was always cautious. Recently, seeing Chen Siyuan staying there with a clear conscience, and rumors of his engagement to Daiyu, Liu Yan'er naturally felt unbalanced.

We are all liars, so no one should look down on anyone else. But why can I only be a concubine, while Chen Siyuan can become a rich young man?
After chatting with Aunt Xue for a while, Liu Yan'er made up her mind that she must find an opportunity to meet Chen Siyuan again and ask for some benefits.

But Zhou Ruijia went straight to the east wing, entered the main room, greeted Mrs. Xing, and then asked with concern, "Has the eldest lady been avoiding any food these days?"

Madam Xing said sadly, "I don't know why, but she prefers spicy food. I'm afraid she's pregnant with a girl."

Zhou Ruijia smiled and said, "Daughters are the most caring. This time it's a girl, and who knows, the next one might be a boy."

Mrs. Xing curled her lips and said nothing. She knew her own business. If she could fool Jia She once, could she keep doing it? There were so many concubines in the East Wing Courtyard, and she was the only one who was pregnant. Even if that old man was stupid, he would figure it out after another try.

Is there any chance after this?
Mrs. Zhou Rui saw this and said nothing more, "Congratulations to the eldest lady. I don't know how, but Master Yuan was appreciated by King Ping of Yan. He paid a visit to him this morning, and the prince rewarded him with two large carts of gifts. Master Yuan asked Second Madam to distribute them, and after some calculation, Second Madam gave each of the ladies a piece of brocade and two pieces of silk." "Huh?" Madam Xing blinked. How did that little thief suddenly get to know King Ping of Yan?
After a hasty and detailed interrogation, Zhou Ruijia told her everything she knew. Mrs. Xing was secretly delighted and laughed to herself, thinking that it would be great if her father had a bright future. Even if the child in her arms couldn't inherit the title, her father would always be able to take good care of her.

Mrs. Xing couldn't hide her joy, and she rewarded Zhou Ruijia with some Lu'an tea. Zhou Ruijia thanked her with a smile, but turned around and secretly criticized her.

The tea was good, but who was he giving two taels of tea to? It was so stingy, no wonder the old lady looked down on him.

At this time, Yingchun had already returned to the east wing courtyard. Tanchun and Xichun were also there. Zhou Rui's wife walked in, bowed, and hurriedly explained the purpose of her visit.

He then presented a piece of brocade and a piece of silk gauze, and said to Tanchun and Xichun, "The third young lady's share has been sent to the mistress, but the fourth young lady's share has not yet been sent. Will it be sent to her room later?"

Xichun was currently living in the back building of Rongqing Hall. Upon hearing this, she nodded with a stern face and said, "Please, Sister Zhou, send me to my residence."

Tanchun was delighted, for she liked Chen Siyuan's character the most. She immediately inquired about the reasons one by one, and then let Zhou Ruijia leave.

After Zhou Rui's wife left, the three sisters gathered together. Tanchun said with a smile, "As expected, it was just a case of a dragon playing in the shallows and a tiger in the plains. With Brother Yuan's character and talent, he will sooner or later catch the eye of a noble person."

Xichun said naively, "I've received a reward... Can Brother Yuan be an official in the palace someday?"

Tanchun shook her head and said, "What's the point of being an official in the palace? I heard that Brother Yuan has been studying hard behind closed doors these days and rarely goes out." Tanchun had long wanted to go find Chen Siyuan, but hearing that he was studying hard behind closed doors, she forced herself to hold back. "Who knows, if he passes the imperial examination one day, he'll even be called out outside Donghua Gate!"

Xichun pondered, "So... will Brother Yuan and Sister Lin's relationship be successful?"

Tanchun was choked and speechless for a moment. She was naturally intelligent and knew that such a matter would probably lead to other twists and turns.

Yingchun seemed to be of a dull disposition, but in reality she was quite clear-headed. She immediately pulled Xichun aside and said, "It's not good to talk about this. If Baoyu heard about it, he would probably go crazy again."

Xichun nodded and said nothing. Suddenly she looked up at Yingchun and said with a smile, "Second sister, Brother Yuan seems to be a good man. If Sister Lin doesn't marry, why not Second sister marry?"

Yingchun was startled, her face flushing with shame. She stepped forward and tugged at Xichun's cheek, saying, "Well, you're teasing me. I'll teach you a lesson!"

Tanchun also joined in the fun, saying, "Fourth sister, your childish words are innocent, and I think they make sense!"

Yingchun stood up angrily: "You are teasing me too!"

The three sisters laughed and made noises for a long time before they stopped.

As the saying goes, the speaker may not mean it, but the listener may take it to heart. Yingchun thought about it for a while, but she could no longer remember what Chen Siyuan looked like. However, thinking about his character and talent, she couldn't help but feel some girlish thoughts about him.

But Zhou Rui's wife left the east wing and went straight to Rongqing Hall.

There were still some that had not been delivered to Xichun and Daiyu. Zhou Rui's wife found Amber and sent Xichun's portion to the back. After hesitating for a moment, she took a piece of brocade and a piece of silk and went straight to the green gauze cabinet.

A few years ago, when she sent flowers to the palace, Miss Lin had never given her a good face. This time, they were both brocade and silk, and she wanted to see what Miss Lin could say.

When they entered the green gauze cabinet, Grandmother Jia had already taken a nap. Only Zijuan and Xueyan were guarding Daiyu in the cabinet.

When Zhou Ruijia entered, she smiled and said, "Miss Lin, the Second Mistress sent me to bring you brocade and silk."

Daiyu was reading. Upon hearing this, she put down her book and asked in surprise, "What's the reason?"

Zhou Ruijia then told the story of Chen Siyuan.

Daiyu's face was calm, while the two maids beside her had different expressions: Zijuan frowned in displeasure, while Xueyan was beaming with joy.

Zijuan's indenture is in the Rongguo Mansion, and her whole family is there too, so she naturally wants to facilitate the marriage between Baoyu and Daiyu; Xueyan has been with Daiyu since she was a child, and her indenture is with Daiyu, so she hopes that she will marry whoever treats her well.

After Zhou Ruijia had said this, she held the brocade and silk gauze before Daiyu and said with a smile, "Take a look, young lady. This time, they are all the same."

Daiyu was intelligent, so how could she not hear Zhou Ruijia's sarcastic tone? She glanced at her, too lazy to argue with such a useless thing, and said calmly, "Thank you very much."

Zhou Ruijia was so disappointed that she dropped her brocade and silk and withdrew with a smile. Zijuan looked at her with dismay and hurried out to see her off.

As soon as she left, Xueyan hurried to Daiyu and said, "Miss, Master Yuan has been appreciated by a distinguished person!"

Daiyu's face was calm, and she glanced at him with a reproachful look: "He's been appreciated, why are you so happy?"

Xueyan smiled foolishly, secretly hoping that Mr. Yuan would pass the autumn examination one day, so that her own girl would not have to be trapped in the Rongguo Mansion, which seemed peaceful on the surface but was full of dangers in secret.

A moment later, Zijuan returned, and Xueyan excused herself to go out and listen carefully. After passing the East Courtyard, where the imperial villa was being built, and turning from the alley, she bumped into Hongyu coming towards her from a distance.

The two women were naturally affectionate when they met. Hongyu pulled Xueyan to a corner and handed her a brocade bag, whispering, "This is what the master brought for Miss Lin. He said it was to be used as a reward for the people below during the New Year."

The brocade bag felt heavy in her hand. Xueyan opened it and took a look inside. She was immediately surprised: "Money?"

Hongyu said, "You don't know, the master was thinking about you girls, and was afraid that if he gave it to her for no reason, she would be disliked. He was troubled for a long time before he gave her a brocade bag."

Xueyan felt relieved and thought to herself, isn't this Master Yuan a hundred times better than Master Bao?
He then chatted with Hongyu for a while, telling her about Daiyu's recent situation, and then returned happily.

Just then, Zijuan went to make tea, and Xueyan came over and handed her the brocade bag mysteriously: "Miss, guess what this is?"

Daiyu laughed and said, "You're up to something again! I'm not the worm in your stomach, so how would I know what it is... Could it be some spices?"

Xueyan opened the brocade bag and showed it to Daiyu. She lowered her voice and said, "Master Yuan sent Hongyu to give it to you. He said it was for you to use as a reward for the New Year."

Daiyu was stunned for a moment and wanted to refuse, but when the brocade bag fell into her hands, other thoughts arose in her mind.

In the Rongguo Mansion, although the old lady favored her, the rest of the family treated her as a distant relative living there. Any good things she had were only obtained after Sanchun and Baochai. Besides Baoyu, there was now another person who only cared about himself: Chen Siyuan.

When she regained consciousness, she saw Xueyan had already left. Daiyu stammered, tightening the brocade pouch in her hand, but ultimately refused. She decided to return the favor someday.

(End of this chapter)