After the rebellion was successful, I realized that this place was the Red Mansion

Chapter 147 Discussing the Reception

Meanwhile, Xue Baochai, Wang Xifeng, and others arrived at Grandmother Jia's courtyard.

After everyone entered, the three sisters Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xichun stood up to greet them, and then each took their seats.

Hearing their words, Grandmother Jia nodded and said, "The Emperor's grace is boundless. His Majesty's visit to our mansion is a great honor, even though some of our family members have left."

Lady Wang and Lady Xing said, "Tomorrow we're going to pay respects to our ancestors, but the men in the family aren't here, so only we women can go."

He couldn't help but sigh, "If only Lan'er were still here."

Everyone knew that Jia Lan was the only one who might still be able to return, because he was in the palace, under the care of Yuan Chun, and could see the emperor frequently.

As for Jia Baoyu, Jia Lian, Jia Huan, and others, don't even think about it. It would be fortunate if they were pardoned in three to five years.

Lady Wang first agreed to the ancestral worship ceremony tomorrow, then glanced around and prepared to make arrangements for tomorrow. Her daughter-in-law was not there, and had somehow run off into the palace. She didn't treat this house as her home at all, but rather the palace as her home!
Grandmother Jia, reclining on the couch, got down to business: "Our family will be receiving the Emperor in a few days. Although the palace has sent people, we still need to make some preparations beforehand. We will purchase things as we did when the Imperial Concubine visited her family last time. Bao and her maid will decide on all the arrangements."

Baochai smiled and said, "That's how it should be. Fortunately, the old lady and the madam helped come up with ideas, otherwise Qin and I would have been in a panic."

Everyone laughed, saying that the two women were young and this was the first time they had encountered such a situation. Grandmother Jia then sent someone to invite Madam You, Madam Shi, and Madam Wang over, and also invited Aunt Xue.

When the Shi and Wang families heard that the emperor was going to visit their residence, they were both happy and apprehensive, and hurried over to discuss the matter.

The women of the Jia, Wang, Shi, and Xue families gathered together again to discuss matters.

Taking advantage of everyone's good mood, Aunt Shi Xiangyun said, "I was thinking that although there are eunuchs and old women in the mansion who go out to help with shopping, it is still a bit inconvenient. The old women are women, and the eunuchs are not very useful. Why don't we ask the men of our family and the Wang family to wait on West Street? If there is anything that needs to be bought, we can ask them to go out and buy it."

The women from all four families pondered this matter carefully.

Everyone knows that the person in charge of purchasing can make a lot of money. Now that the second wife of the Shi family says she will hand over the purchasing to the men of the Shi and Wang families, she is undoubtedly trying to help her family.

Inside the mansion and outside the mansion, one is in heaven and the other is on earth.

The women inside the mansion were adorned with gold and silver, lived in the vast Duke's mansion, and had food and clothing provided by the emperor, plus a monthly allowance; while the men outside the mansion were crammed into a cramped two-courtyard house, and had to carefully budget their food, clothing, and lodging.

All the men in the Jia family were punished with forced labor, making it difficult for them to help out.

However, the male members of the Shi and Wang families are still alive. The Shi family now has Shi Xiangyun who has entered the palace. The Wang family has no girls in the palace, but Madam Wang, Aunt Xue, and Wang Xifeng are all members of the Wang family. It is only right that they take care of their maternal family.

Madam Wang nodded and said, "I think this is a good idea. It's better to have men go out to shop. Let's do as the aunts have discussed."

Shi Xiangyun's second aunt and Wang Ziteng's wife remained silent, only looking at Xue Baochai and Xue Baoqin.

The maids and servants standing inside were all shrewd and immediately saw through the hidden meaning:
These days, nothing in the household can be accomplished without the ladies' approval!
Madam Xing smiled and said, "It's best if the young ladies make the decision."

Madam Wang was already embarrassed, and upon hearing her words, she became even more ashamed.

Baochai quickly said, "I think this is a good idea. The aunts have considered everything carefully. However, even though we are using our own family members, we should still follow the old rules and do what we are supposed to do, spending as much money as we can."

Lady Wang Ziteng smiled and said, "That makes sense. We should be even more careful with our own family. The money in the mansion belongs to the emperor. If we spend it recklessly, it would be a crime of deceiving the emperor, and no one can bear that responsibility."

Hearing her say that, Baochai finally relented and said with a smile, "I will discuss it with Miss Lin and Miss Yun when they return."

"That's the way to do it," everyone said, knowing that she wouldn't dare to agree alone. They suggested that the girls discuss it together so that they could be more lenient if she was blamed later.

Baoqin hadn't said much, and she didn't seem to care much about the steward's affairs. Right now, she was thinking about going to the palace tomorrow and seeing the Emperor again…

Just then, a maid rushed in to report: "Old Madam, Madam, many gentlemen and ladies-in-waiting have arrived from the palace!" "They've arrived so quickly? Who are they?" everyone asked hurriedly.

The maidservant listed them off: "I've heard that there's Master Sun, the head of Fengzao Palace; Master Zhou, the head of Kunning Palace; Master Liu, the head of Qianqing Palace; and female officials from Cining Palace, Jingren Palace... quite a few masters and ladies-in-waiting!"

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia quickly stood up and instructed everyone, "Follow me out to greet the people from the palace!"

Madam Wang, Madam Xing, and the wives of the Shi and Wang families all stood up. Baoqin was about to stand up as well, but Baochai pressed her down with her hand. She then smiled at Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xichun and said, "We don't need to go out to greet them."

Everyone was stunned for a moment.

Baochai then smiled at Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, and others, saying, "Grandmother, Madam, there's no need for you to go out to greet them. The eunuchs and ladies-in-waiting aren't here to deliver an imperial decree. Just invite them in."

For a moment, everyone's expressions were different.

Baochai, Baoqin, and the others have all entered the palace and gained favor. Although they are not yet imperial concubines, they are favored by the emperor. No matter how powerful the palace eunuch is, he is just a servant in front of them. How can a master go out to greet a servant? When they come in, standing up slightly to greet them is already giving them face.

Only those like Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang, who were unaware of the great favor bestowed upon Baochai and others, were intimidated by the former power and influence of these eunuchs.

It should be noted that when Xia Shouzhong, Dai Quan, and others came to the Jia family mansion, Jia Zheng, Jia Zhen, and other men of the Jia family would all go out to greet them, and when they left, they would also see them off. They had to serve these eunuchs who served the emperor well and could not be neglected.

But now, Baochai and Baoqin are the emperor's favored concubines and the masters of these eunuchs.

Grandmother Jia came to her senses and laughed, "What Bao-ya said is right. I'm getting senile. The young ladies shouldn't have gone out to greet the people from the palace. Feng-ya, you, Yuan-yang, and Ping-er take some people out and invite all the people from the palace in."

Wang Xifeng was a young wife, so it was most appropriate for her to go out and greet them. Logically, Li Wan should also be invited, but unfortunately, Madam Zhu was not there.

The ladies were all seated, but Wang Ziteng's wife was restless. She worried every day that no one from the Wang family went to the palace.

She secretly instructed her maid, "Go and call the two young ladies here."

They were referring to the sisters Wang Junyi and Wang Xuanzhu, who were still at the Ningguo Mansion.

A short while later, Wang Xifeng led the people into the courtyard.

After the eunuchs and female officials entered, Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, Baochai, Baoqin, and others stood up to greet them.

At first, Grandmother Jia was a little worried, afraid of offending these people in the palace. But when she saw them come in, she hurriedly went to Baochai and Baoqin to bow and said with a smile, "This servant/this maid greets the young ladies!"

Regardless of which girl it was, all the young girls were greeted with respect and greetings, including Xichun, who had not yet entered the palace.

After the young ladies had finished paying their respects, the eunuchs and female officials bowed to Grandmother Jia and said with smiles, "Greetings, Grandmother! It's been quite a while since we last met. How are you, Grandmother?"

"Okay, okay, thank you for remembering!"

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Only then can I rest assured."

Everyone took their seats, but the eunuchs and female officials dared not sit, saying, "How can we sit in front of the young lady? We must stand and observe proper etiquette!"

Baochai remained silent. Baoqin glanced at them and then smiled, saying, "This isn't the palace, and we shouldn't be setting rules here. Just sit down. We'll be discussing things later, and standing won't be tiring."

They glanced at Baoqin again, and only after recognizing her did they sit down.

(End of this chapter)