Dream of the Red Chamber: Madam, please have some self-respect!

After the maids scrambled away, Madam Wang's chest heaved violently as she gritted her teeth and growled at Zhou Rui's wife, who was serving her.

"What does the old lady mean by this? Huh? Tan Chun was raised under my name, so she's my daughter! Her marriage isn't being discussed with me, her legal mother, but with that scoundrel instead? Isn't this a blatant slap in my face?!"

The more Madam Wang thought about it, the angrier she became. Her usual composure vanished, and even her normally calm voice changed tone.

"The old lady clearly doesn't like me! She humiliated me in public the other day, and now she's doing this again! She's deliberately using that wretched mother and daughter to put me down! What kind of person is that Aunt Zhao? Does she even deserve to be called one?! What a piece of trash!?"

Zhou Rui's wife rarely saw Madam Wang so distraught, so she quickly stepped forward to pat her back and soothe her, whispering, "Madam, please calm down. Be careful not to upset yourself. Perhaps... perhaps the old lady was just thinking about it for a moment..."

"What do you mean, 'just suddenly remembered'!" Madam Wang abruptly interrupted her, her eyes filled with resentment. "She did it on purpose! Seeing that Yun-ge'er has become successful and sought after, she wants to win him over as soon as possible! By marrying Tan-chun to him, she can both keep Jia Yun tied down and elevate Aunt Zhao, which is perfect for upsetting me! Does she think I don't know what she's thinking?!"

Lady Wang, panting heavily, felt increasingly convinced that Grandmother Jia was wicked.

If Jia Yun really married Tan Chun, with Jia Yun's influence, Tan Chun's talent, and Aunt Zhao's troublemaking ways, would she and Bao Yu still have a good life in this mansion?

Are you trying to bully my Pearl because she died young? If she were still alive, she would definitely be a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), let alone a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial imperial examinations)!

How could there be any more incidents like those in the West Corridor?

Rumors spread like wildfire in the inner quarters of a grand mansion. The servants in the know had already been gossiping amongst themselves, most of them fully aware that: "Second Master Yun is now a rising star, and Third Miss is so capable. If they get together, Aunt Zhao will have a lot more leverage! The Old Madam's move is brilliant!"

Among the sisters, Tan Chun soon heard the news as well.

She naturally went to Aunt Zhao to verify the authenticity.

Although Aunt Zhao kept shaking her head in denial, the smile in her eyes and her wide-open mouth confirmed that what she said was true.

Teasing between sisters is inevitable.

At first, Baochai smiled knowingly and subtly mentioned, "I heard that the old lady values ​​Yun-ge highly. Sister, you are very fortunate."

Then Xichun, ever the outspoken one, grabbed her and asked with a grin, "Third Sister, will we have to start calling you Second Grandmother Yun from now on?"

Tan Chun blushed deeply from her sisters' teasing, stamping her feet in embarrassment and spitting out, "If you keep talking nonsense, I won't stand for it!"

The words were a bit embarrassing, but the joke was also a sincere blessing—except for Yingchun, who was sighing and lamenting in the corner.

However, when Tan Chun closed the door and was alone...

She touched her burning cheeks, her heart pounding like a deer's. An indescribable sweetness spread through her heart.

She had always been in love with Jia Yun, and now that her grandmother had arranged for them to be together, although she felt shy and embarrassed, her hidden admiration for him was like a seed sprouting after being nurtured by spring rain, quietly breaking through the soil and giving rise to boundless joy and longing.

She sat at her desk, her fingertips unconsciously tracing circles on the open pages of the book. The image of Jia Yun's elegant figure and calm gaze floated into her mind, and the corners of her lips unconsciously turned up slightly.

If I could really be with him... that would be wonderful...

Meanwhile, her ideal husband, Jia Yun, was lying on the couch studying.

During the few days I've been recuperating, the small courtyard under the west corridor has been more lively than usual.

Each household sent someone to deliver some medicinal herbs and tonics, more or less.

Although these were all just formalities, they revealed Jia Yun's delicate position in the household. The most surprising thing was that Wang Xifeng actually came in person.

That afternoon, Jia Yun was resting with his eyes closed when he heard footsteps outside and Qingwen's greetings.

Then the curtain was lifted, and a fragrant breeze wafted in. It was Wang Xifeng, accompanied by Ping'er, who walked in with a smile.

Today, she was still wearing her usual bright red satin jacket embroidered with gold butterflies and flowers, with a five-colored silk embroidered dark blue and silver fox fur coat over it, which cinched her slender waist tightly, making her breasts appear even more prominent, as if they were about to burst out of her clothes.

Especially the red-gold and kingfisher feather hairpin adorning her hair, which swayed gently with her movements, making her already stunningly beautiful face even more radiant.

However, the sharpness in her brows and eyes seemed to have been softened by something, and her movements carried an indescribable air of languid charm.

"Oh, Yun-ge'er, you've really suffered a lot." Wang Xifeng walked to the bedside, looking down at Jia Yun who was lying face down. Her tone was as straightforward as ever, but the last syllable seemed to have a small hook, gently tickling the heart.

She bent down slightly to put the gift down, revealing a section of her fair and smooth neck and the faint outline of her voluptuous figure through her collar.

"The old lady is the same; when she gets angry, she doesn't care about anything. I brought a top-quality ginseng and several boxes of White Jade Muscle-Regenerating Ointment from the palace, which is specially used to treat these sores and is extremely effective."

Jia Yun struggled to get up and bow, but Wang Xifeng held him down: "Don't move! Be careful not to tear your wound."

She instructed Ping'er to give the gift to Qingwen, and then waved for Qingwen and Ping'er to go to the outer room to keep watch.

When only the two of them remained in the room, the atmosphere became slightly tense.

Wang Xifeng pulled up a stool and sat down on the edge of the couch, leaning back limply. Her gaze swept over Jia Yun's pale yet still undeniably handsome face, and she sighed, saying in a low voice, "Speaking of which, I've thought about that so-called club idea you mentioned before, and I think it's indeed feasible."

Jia Yun's heart stirred, and he looked up at her.

Wang Xifeng continued, lowering her voice even further: "As you know, the manor looks prosperous now, but our coffers are nearly empty. Income is low, expenses are high. If we don't find a way to make money, we'll eventually run out of resources. Lending money at exorbitant interest rates is ultimately a sinful act, and it's very risky. Opening a restaurant or teahouse, and offering some elegant card and board games, is both respectable and a reliable way to make money."

Seeing that Jia Yun didn't respond, Feng Jie decided to speak frankly. She leaned forward a little more, her ample bosom almost touching the pillow Jia Yun was using.

"More importantly, after yesterday... I've finally realized that in this mansion, just being good at managing the household and reading people's faces isn't enough. Without real money and power in your hands, it's all just empty talk. The old lady humiliated me like that yesterday; didn't she think I could be easily manipulated?"

This was partly an explanation, and partly a heart-to-heart talk.

Jia Yun, upon hearing this, immediately understood Wang Xifeng's intention.

She seeks cooperation for both profit and power, wanting to have more capital that is not subject to others.

This coincides perfectly with Jia Yun's desire to build connections and expand his influence.

"Second Madam is very insightful." Jia Yun's voice was still a little weak, and the warm fragrance of a mature woman lingered around her, making one feel slightly intoxicated. "However, if it is a club, then the mahjong room is only a part of it."

"Oh?" Wang Xifeng raised an eyebrow. "What are your thoughts?"

"We can start by setting up a trading company," Jia Yun said slowly.

"A trading company?" Wang Xifeng was somewhat unfamiliar with this term.

"Exactly," Jia Yun explained, his gaze carefully avoiding looking too close to her face. "Simply put, we'll partner up to create a single entity. Under this entity, we can not only run mahjong parlors, but also venture into other businesses in the future, such as clothing, dried goods, and even... perhaps even government procurement in the future. All businesses will be under the name of this trading company, managed uniformly, with profits shared equally. It's like a big tree; the mahjong parlor is just one branch. We need to help this tree grow more branches so that it can withstand wind and rain."

Wang Xifeng was an extremely intelligent person; she understood immediately, and her eyes flashed with an amazing light!

She instantly understood the advantages of this "trading company": it could integrate resources, expand its scale, and build a reputation, which was far superior to going it alone!

"Great idea!" She clapped her hands in approval, her full breasts trembling slightly with the movement. Then she began to shrewdly calculate, "Since we're partners, how should the shares be divided? You provide the ideas and the people to manage the specific affairs, that's 30%. I'll provide a small portion of the capital and be responsible for coordination and management both inside and outside the mansion, that's also 30%. The remaining 40%..."

She hesitated for a moment, then a glint of light flashed in her eyes. "It will be incorporated into the public treasury and become part of the Jia family's property. After all, without the Jia family's name, many things will be difficult to accomplish. I'll speak to the matriarch on her behalf."

Jia Yun secretly praised Wang Xifeng for her thoughtfulness.

Giving 40% to the Jia family was both a way to seek protection and to reassure Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang, preventing them from interfering.

This is indeed the safest option at the moment. He nodded in agreement: "Let's do as Second Grandmother says."

With the business settled, the atmosphere became more relaxed.

Looking at Jia Yun lying motionless, Wang Xifeng recalled the embarrassment and panic she felt in the bathtub that day, and her heart warmed inexplicably. She even felt a mischievous urge and an indescribable desire to get closer to him.

She stood up, swaying gracefully as she walked to the table, picked up the box of White Jade Regenerating Ointment, and said with a smile, "Speaking of which, your wound needs a dressing change. That little girl Qingwen is clumsy; she probably won't do it right. But I'm in a good mood today, so I'll change your dressing myself, so you can share in my good fortune?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Yun's ears instantly turned red, and she hurriedly refused, "I wouldn't dare trouble Second Madam! This...this is not right! Qingwen can do it!"

"Oh, are you shy now?" Wang Xifeng raised her phoenix eyes slightly, her gaze shimmering with a hint of mockery.

She approached the bed, her rich fragrance almost enveloping Jia Yun, and said in a tone only the two of them could hear, "Now you're acting all formal with me? As the saying goes, it's only polite to reciprocate. You saw me naked that day, so it's only fair that I see you back today!"