The Red Mansion

Chapter 54: Keep Baochai Now

Aunt Xue seemed to relive the feeling she had when she had written the agreement on the Grand Canal. With each word Jiang Nian read, her heart grew heavier, and by the time Jiang Nian pointed to the signature, her heart was sinking like lead.

Xue Baochai also seemed to relive the mood at that time, a mixture of shame, anger and humiliation.

The sound of Jiang Nian reading the concubine's contract was like an invisible blade, stripping away the dignity of both mother and daughter.

After reading the concubine agreement, Jiang Nian stared directly at Aunt Xue and said coldly, "Based on what happened yesterday, you have indeed violated the agreement! If I take this agreement to the authorities, your Xue family's reputation will be greatly tarnished, and you will be punished again!"

Aunt Xue was embarrassed and panicked. In her mind, Jiang Nian was already a strong and mean person. She felt that Jiang Nian's words were not bluffing. With Jiang Nian's strong and mean character, he would definitely do what he said.

Thinking of this, she hurriedly pleaded: "Uncle Jiang, I really know I was wrong, please forgive me this time!"

Xue Baochai raised her eyes and looked at Jiang Nian, her expression sad, as if she was silently pleading.

Jiang Nian's gaze became sharper, and his tone left no room for doubt: "Compensation must be made!"

Aunt Xue cried again, this time because she was scared.

She choked and said, "You...how do you want me to compensate you?"

Jiang Nian shifted his gaze slightly, glanced at Xue Baochai, and said to Aunt Xue, "I don't need you to take any other compensation, just let Miss Xue live with me now! Don't blame me, it was you who broke the agreement first, and I no longer trust you. Only when Miss Xue lives with me can I feel at ease. Otherwise, who knows what tricks you will play in the future? This time it was Wang Ziteng, maybe next time you will ask the Rongguo Mansion to subdue me!"

When these words were spoken, Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai were both stunned.

The room was silent for a moment, only the wind coming in from the window blew the curtains, and the curtains trembled slightly, as if quietly discussing this sudden change.

Aunt Xue came to her senses and said hurriedly, "This... this is probably inappropriate! You haven't married yet, and you're still young, and Bao-ya-yi isn't even old enough to wear a wedding band yet."

Jiang Nian's expression returned to calm. "I'm just letting Miss Xue live with me first. I'm not in a hurry to take her as a concubine. In fact, I won't have sex with her until she reaches the age of 15. She's just a guest here, and my servants will serve her like a girl."

Not to mention Xue Baochai, even Aunt Xue was embarrassed by these words.

Jiang Nian stared at Aunt Xue with a sharp gaze and said firmly, "If you agree to this, it will be compensation for breaking the contract."

Without waiting for Aunt Xue to continue to refuse, Jiang Nian continued, "In my opinion, this is actually a good thing for your Xue family. Now that your family has lost even the title of Imperial Merchant, it will be difficult to conceal the fact that Miss Xue is being promised a concubine. She would be embarrassed if she stayed with me. Besides, since Miss Xue is destined to be my concubine, it would be easier for her to develop a relationship with me if she came earlier. I will naturally take care of your Xue family in the future if we have a deep relationship. If you insist on not agreeing, it means you are unwilling to make amends. Even if I take Miss Xue as a concubine in the future, I will not take care of the Xue family. And if I take her as a concubine after my wedding, it will be difficult for her to develop a deep relationship with me with my wife around."

The words were blunt, yet still cutting.

Aunt Xue lowered her head and pondered, weighing the pros and cons in her mind.

Xue Baochai lowered her head silently, feeling mixed emotions.

Aunt Xue didn't dare refuse, but she felt that what Jiang Nian said made sense. More importantly, she hoped that Jiang Nian could take care of the Xue family. She also hoped that Xue Baochai, even as a concubine, could have a deep relationship with Jiang Nian and have a high status in the Jiang family. This would be beneficial to the Xue family. If Xue Baochai became a lowly concubine despised by Jiang Nian, the Xue family would not be able to profit from Xue Baochai.

Aunt Xue pondered for a long time, looked up at Xue Baochai, and saw that Xue Baochai looked aggrieved. Although she felt reluctant, she gritted her teeth and said to Jiang Nian, "Okay, I'll do as you say!" Jiang Nian was secretly happy.

In his opinion, the chances of success of this matter were slim. The attitude he displayed in front of the Xue family mother and daughter today was actually a deliberate performance in order to increase the chances of success.

Now, Aunt Xue really agreed.

"Mother always says I'm her precious daughter, the apple of her eye, the apple of her eye. But now it seems she can't take that seriously..."

Xue Baochai had tears in her eyes and lamented in her heart.

Jiang Nian looked calm and said to Aunt Xue, "Since you have agreed to this, Miss Xue can stay here. When you return, send someone to bring her luggage and belongings."

Aunt Xue pleaded, "I intend to return to Jiangning with my son in two days. Since Bao-ya-tou wants to stay with you, I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to see her again after I return to Jiangning. Let her stay with me for the next two days so that we can have a proper farewell. I'll bring her here in two days, okay?"

Xue Baochai stared at Aunt Xue in astonishment with her tearful eyes wide open. She said in a trembling voice, "Mom, you...you're going back to Jiangning?"

Aunt Xue sighed and nodded helplessly: "Yes, I will tell you more about this later."

Jiang Nian was reluctant to agree and didn't want anything to change, for example, Wang Ziteng might interfere.

However, when he saw Xue Baochai's tearful eyes and her aggrieved and pitiful expression, and heard that Aunt Xue was about to take Xue Pan back to Jiangning, he pondered for a moment, nodded, and said lightly, "Yes."

He actually wanted Aunt Xue and Xue Pan to return to Jiangning. Given Xue Pan's personality, staying in the capital city would easily lead to trouble, even serious trouble. Since Xue Baochai was his concubine, she might affect him.

He had asked Xue Baochai to live with him now, both because he didn't want to see any further complications with her becoming a concubine and because he was planning to take the imperial examination. He knew that as a commoner prince, even if he passed the exam, Emperor Taishun might not allow him to become a Jinshi. However, he wanted to use this method to strengthen his presence in Emperor Taishun's eyes, improve his image, and ultimately gain a chance to enter the imperial court!

With his extraordinary memory in this life and his good luck that will most likely play a role in the imperial examination, it will not be difficult for him to pass the examination.

It is not difficult, but if he wants to get good grades as soon as possible, he must study very diligently. It also involves eight-legged essays, so it is inevitable that he will be bored and lonely. Having Xue Baochai living at home can reduce the boredom and loneliness.

……

……

When Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai arrived, Jiang Nian did not go out to greet them, and when the mother and daughter left, Jiang Nian did not see them off. Although his goal had been achieved, if nothing unexpected happened, Xue Baochai would come to live with him in two days.

As the Xue family mother and daughter left the Jiang residence, the mourning sounds from the Qin family next door continued. Aunt Xue saw sedan chairs and carriages parked at the Qin residence's gate, along with several figures, including some in white linen mourning clothes. Feeling guilty, she tugged at Xue Baochai's sleeve, the gold-embellished hairpins in her hair swaying gently, and in a few steps, she quickly got into her own carriage.

As the carriage started moving, accompanied by the clatter of horse hooves outside, Xue Baochai couldn't wait to ask Aunt Xue, "Mom, why are you going back to Jiangning all of a sudden?"

Some people don't want to see the Xue family plot anymore. In the early stages of the book, the Xue family plot is the focus, but it will soon give way to other plots. The author will work hard to control the plot rhythm of the book.

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(End of this chapter)