The King of Beijing in the Red Mansion

How could Grandmother Jia not understand what Lady Wang meant? If she didn't want the eldest maid to marry into the palace alone, then she had to find someone to marry into the palace with her, the so-called dowry concubine.

Generally speaking, the maids who come as dowry are mostly personal maids. This is the practice in ordinary families. However, among wealthy families, the maids who come as dowry do not need to be stated explicitly, as they are sent to help the mistress share her worries.

If the woman intends to have a maid as a dowry, she will choose among the sisters of the clan, or even her own sisters or nieces, to show respect to the man.

Yuanchun married into the Beijing Prince's Mansion, which was a high-ranking marriage. In order to show the importance of the Beijing Prince's Mansion, it was impossible for her to marry a maid as a dowry. That meant that she had to choose someone from the clan. The closer the relationship between the chosen person and Yuanchun was, the more respect the king had for the man.

Now Mrs. Wang has specially sought out Grandmother Jia to discuss the matter, with the intention of choosing one from among the sisters in the mansion.

Mrs. Wang lowered her head guiltily upon seeing this. It was a natural awe she showed towards her mother-in-law.

Grandmother Jia's eyes changed, and she thought to herself that this marriage with Prince Beijing's Mansion was too important for the Jia family, and it was natural to treat it with caution. Yuanchun could only help the Jia family if she had established herself in Prince Beijing's Mansion. After careful thought, Mrs. Wang's approach was not wrong, and it was even thoughtful.

Sighing, Grandmother Jia said, "That makes sense. Let the third girl accompany the eldest girl to the palace."

Several girls in the mansion were raised by Grandmother Jia, and she knows everyone's personality. The second and third girls are the most suitable for dowry at the moment.

But since she was to be a dowry maid to help, the smart and capable third girl was just right in terms of status and character, while the second girl was too honest and could do nothing except help serve the prince.

Concubine Teng's status is much higher than that of a concubine. She has a formal identity and can attend formal banquets, etc. The other party is the royal palace, so it is not considered an injustice to the third girl.

Mrs. Wang's eyes lit up when she heard this, and she smiled and replied, "That's what I meant."

Mrs. Wang had thought carefully about the choice of dowry.

Among the girls in the mansion, the second girl is honest and incompetent, cowardly and afraid of things, and has the nickname "Wooden Head". If she is married off as a dowry, she can't help in much except serving the prince. She is no different from a dowry maid, and there is no need to make a big fuss about it.

Moreover, the second girl is the eldest wife of the Duke of Rong’s Mansion. Although she is a sister of Yuanchun, they are not as close as blood relatives.

As for the fourth girl, she is from the Ningguo Mansion and is even further inferior. Moreover, she is too young and not yet ready to be married, so she is not suitable.

On the other hand, the third girl is different. She is in her prime and is waiting to be married. Although she is not born to Lady Wang, she and Yuanchun have the same father, so they are naturally close to each other. This can also show her respect for the Prince of Beijing's Mansion.

Moreover, the third girl has always been intelligent, smart, capable, and would be perfect to be Yuanchun's right-hand man if she were to be married off as a dowry.

The only thing that bothered Mrs. Wang was that her biological mother, Aunt Zhao, was a disliked person. Although the dowry of concubines did not sound very impressive and was somewhat regarded as a lucky draw, that was the palace of the king and was a great thing for the daughters of illegitimate children.

I'm afraid that this slutty bitch Aunt Zhao will become arrogant because of this, and jump around in front of me, which is disgusting.

For this reason, Mrs. Wang even planned to let the second girl go with her as a dowry. After all, although the second girl was honest and incompetent, she would be obedient and help Yuanchun win the prince's heart if she went with her as a dowry.

However, the third girl had always been filial, sensible, and grateful in front of her, and she was also a likable person, which made her quite liked by Mrs. Wang. Sometimes she also felt sorry for the third girl for having such an ungrateful mother.

After much thought, Mrs. Wang still chose the third girl. However, the marriage of a girl in the mansion required the approval of Lady Jia, so even though Mrs. Wang was the third girl's biological mother, she still needed to seek Lady Jia's consent.

Now that Lady Jia has agreed, she can make the decision on the rest.

Grandmother Jia glanced at Mrs. Wang and nodded, saying, "You are the mother of the eldest girl, so you can handle it yourself!"

Now that it has been decided, the rest will be handled by Lady Wang, the biological mother, which can also be considered as showing some favor to the future mother-in-law of the prince.

Mrs. Wang smiled when she heard this. Ever since the eldest maid was married to the Prince of Beijing by the emperor, Lady Jia's attitude towards her has become much friendlier. If not, she would not have said so much.

After responding, Mrs. Wang felt it was inconvenient to stay any longer, so she stood up, greeted her husband and left. Next, she had to go find the third girl to talk to her.

PS: As for the choice of dowry maid, the author considered for a long time between Yingchun and Tanchun, and felt that Tanchun was more reasonable, so he accepted Tanchun first. Besides, there was still plot development for Yingchun, but it was more difficult to design for Tanchun. Please don’t criticize me if you don’t like it.

In addition, Jia Yuanchun did not have a nickname. The author is hesitant about whether to give her one. What would be a good name? Can you give some advice so that the author can decide whether to give her one?

Chapter 76: First meeting with the man from the Rongguo Mansion

In front of the three beast-headed rooms of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion, the main door was wide open, and a dozen people in gorgeous crowns and clothes were sitting in front of the door.

"Here it comes, here it comes." Lai Da, the chief steward of the Jia family's Rong Mansion, trotted and shouted excitedly.

Soon, we saw a huge force coming from the north, like a huge silver mountain pressing down on the ground.

Shui Rong was riding a horse, wearing a white crown with silver wings on his head, a white python robe with five claws sitting on a dragon, and a red sash made of jasper. His face was like beautiful jade and his eyes were like stars. He was a very handsome man.

He dismounted in front of the gate of the Duke of Rong's Mansion and headed towards the Mansion accompanied by the Minister of the Interior and Feng Ziying and others.

The people from Rongguo Mansion hurriedly came to welcome him and met him with state etiquette.

Shui Rong faced these people in front of him. He had only heard of them in the original book, but he didn't know them, so he bowed and smiled in response.

After Feng Ziying's introduction, Shui Rong also knew the identities of these people in front of him. The man on the left with a long beard and slightly gray hair was Jia She, the current lord of the Rongguo Mansion. He inherited the title of first-class general and was a licentious and foolish person by nature.

The handsome young man next to him is Jia Lian, the son of Jia She. He has a very good appearance. Unlike other men in the Jia family who simply live a life of idleness and wait for death, he is smart and capable. Many major events in the Rongguo Mansion were completed under his leadership. He is the man responsible for the external affairs of the Rongguo Mansion.

It’s just that Jia Lian is a frivolous and dissolute person, but it’s not a big deal. Aren’t amorous and lustful things common among men?

In Shui Rong's impression, Jia Lian's wife is more famous than he is.

On the right, the man with a dignified face is Jia Zheng, Shui Rong's future father-in-law. He is a pedantic person and there is nothing much to say about him.

Next to him stood a young man, wearing a purple gold crown inlaid with jewels on his hair, a golden headband with two dragons fighting for a pearl tied at his eyebrows, a red arrow-shaped sleeve with two-color golden butterflies on it, a long tasseled palace gown with colorful silk flowers, a dark blue flowered Japanese satin jacket with eight circles and tassels, and small court boots with a green satin and pink base, looking very elegant.

Her face is like the Mid-Autumn moon, her complexion is like flowers in the spring morning, her temples are as if cut by a knife, her eyebrows are as if painted with ink, her face is like peach petals, and her eyes are like autumn waves.

That’s right, this is Jia Baoyu. Shui Rong can tell from his appearance that his face is indeed big, worthy of the name of Big-faced Bao.

As for Jia Baoyu, the protagonist of the original novel, Shui Rong's performance was ordinary and there was no need to make a fuss about it.

But when he saw the way Big Face Treasure was looking at him, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. It seemed a little familiar, and he felt a little cold.

There was also a handsome young man standing on the other side. This man was Jia Huan. However, in the original novel, Jia Huan was portrayed as having a crooked head and was ugly. But now it seemed that Jia Huan had the demeanor of a young man from an aristocratic family.

After thinking about it carefully, Shui Rong was not surprised. After all, her mother, Aunt Zhao, who had such an annoying character, could become Jia Zheng's aunt. Her appearance must be good. How could the appearance of a person coming out of her intestines be bad?

There was also another young man who was small but well behaved. His name was Jia Lan.

At the moment, these people can be said to be the most important gentlemen in the Duke of Rong’s Mansion. They are all welcoming him at the door, and their attitude is indeed full of sincerity.

Surrounded by the crowd, Shui Rong entered the Mansion of Duke Rong and walked to the main hall. Two women in brocade clothes stood in front of the door. They were Madam Xing and Madam Wang.

Let’s not talk about Madam Xing for now. Madam Wang has a friendly face and is indeed kind-hearted. However, Shui Rong knows that this mother-in-law with a “bodhisattva face” is actually a vicious person.

After entering the main hall, Shui Rong paid his respects to Jia Zheng and Wang Fu-ren, his father-in-law and mother-in-law, and they bowed three times in return, which was considered the complete greeting ceremony.

The rest was the banquet. Quite a few people came to the Rongguo Mansion to congratulate. Most of the famous nobles in the capital came to congratulate. Quite a few super-grade dukes and super-grade earls came. Even the other three kings sent people to congratulate. The engagement banquet was a lively one.

Shui Rong understood this clearly in his heart. All these people came here because they smelled the scent. With such a scale, it was no wonder that the emperor was wary.

The engagement party was lively and bustling, but Shui Rong felt a little annoyed. Thinking it was about time, he found an opportunity to slip into the inner courtyard.

"Your Highness, why are we here in the inner courtyard? We don't know the way here, and it would be bad if we bumped into the women in the mansion!"

Walking on the corridor, Xiao Fuzi couldn't help but remind them.

Although there is no problem with Shui Rong's identity, it is always rude to trespass into the inner courtyard without permission.

Shui Rong looked slightly tipsy at this time, obviously having drunk a lot at the banquet. He rubbed his forehead and said nonchalantly, "I know my limits."

It is indeed not good to trespass into the inner courtyard, but Shui Rong is not stupid, and he will not go to other people's courtyards. He came to the inner courtyard this time for his own purpose, not to steal jade or fragrance.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Fuzi shut up and did whatever the prince said.

Soon, Shui Rong saw a group of maids carrying fruit plates not far away and greeted them.

The leading maid saw Shui Rong, who was wearing a white python robe with a five-clawed dragon, and was obviously aware of his identity. She was also startled, and hurriedly moved forward and saluted, saying, "This servant greets the prince."

Shui Rong nodded slightly and looked at the maid in front of him. She had a thin waist and narrow back, was light and pretty, and had an oval face that was very even and looked quite pretty.

Seeing the few freckles on the maid's cheeks, Shui Rong had some guesses in his mind, but he remained calm and asked, "What's your name?"

"Your servant Yuanyang will serve the old lady."

When Yuanyang saw the prince asking, she was surprised but still told the truth.

Shui Rong understood what was going on. He had guessed the maid's identity when he saw her appearance before. She was indeed Jin Yuanyang, one of the four fierce maids.

"Your Highness, you don't know the way. How about this servant lead the way for you?"

In Yuanyang's opinion, the prince must not know the way and came to the inner courtyard by accident, so she thought of leading the prince.

Shui Rong took a few glances at Yuan Yang. She was wearing a water-red silk jacket, a green satin vest, and a white crepe handkerchief. It was a maid's attire, a bit plain.

She does have a slim waist and narrow shoulders, and the few freckles on both sides of her cheeks, combined with her pretty face, make her look a bit playful.

To be honest, Yuanyang has a good appearance, but she does not stand out among the daughters she has seen. It’s just that Shui Rong knows her temper, so her fierce rebellion is even more striking.

How should I put it? Maybe this is the so-called "celebrity effect", which adds a lot to the sensory experience and is somewhat eye-catching.

However, Shui Rong only looked at her for a few seconds, and then said in a clear voice: "Which courtyard is your eldest daughter in? Take me there."

This time, Shui Rong entered the inner courtyard to look for Yuanchun.

Yuanyang saw the prince looking at her, and she didn't know if she had offended the prince and made him unhappy, so she felt quite uneasy. When she heard Shui Rong's words, she was stunned. Her small cherry lips slightly opened, and she looked at Shui Rong with a little surprise. Why did the prince look for the eldest lady on the first day?

And there was no time to think about it. Since the prince had given the order, she, a maid, could not refuse, so she responded, "Please follow me, Your Majesty."

Shui Rong nodded slightly and followed the mandarin duck.

We followed her all the way, passed through a gate with hanging flowers, and entered a small courtyard. Outside the courtyard, there were a lot of maids and old women standing on both sides of the corridor.

"Your Highness, the place in front is where the eldest lady lives. I still have to serve the old lady, so I will take my leave first."

Yuanyang led Shui Rong to the gate of the courtyard, then bowed and took her leave. After all, she was indeed going to serve Lady Jia, but because she happened to meet Shui Rong, she put aside her "business" and led the way for Shui Rong.

As for worrying about Shui Rong doing something out of line, that was totally unnecessary. After all, there were quite a few people in the yard, and Yuanyang also needed to report the matter to Lady Jia.

Shui Rong waved his hand upon hearing this, and without saying much, he walked towards the yard.

Rongqing Hall.

Grandmother Jia was leaning on a soft couch on the high platform, accompanied by Aunt Xue. The girls from the mansion were sitting in the hall, including Baochai.

Aunt Xue glanced at Lady Jia and said with a smile, "Madam, it's really lively outside. I see that Rong Xi Tang is crowded with people. The Second Madam can't take care of it. Fortunately, we have Feng to help. Otherwise, I'm afraid we would have made a fool of ourselves."

Those who came to congratulate today included not only male guests but also female relatives, most of whom were ladies of noble birth. As the mother-in-law, Mrs. Wang naturally received them in Rong Xi Tang.

It's not easy to take care of so many people. If you do anything wrong, you will be criticized.

Hearing this, Jia's mother smiled and said, "This is all based on established rules. It won't cause any joke."

At this time, Grandmother Jia was also happy. She had seen such a lively scene before. When the old Duke was alive, it was no worse than today. But ever since the old Duke passed away, the Duke's Mansion has been getting worse day by day. The current situation made Grandmother Jia regain her previous feeling, and it seemed that the Jia family was on the verge of revival.

Aunt Xue smiled and nodded, feeling mixed emotions. Although she knew that her daughter was extremely outstanding, it was difficult for her to become a princess due to her status. Generally speaking, her software and other equipment were top-notch, but unfortunately her hardware was far inferior.

But seeing such a beautiful scene, he couldn't help but fantasize that if the situation were reversed and his daughter had the same experience, the Xue family would surely prosper.

Just thinking about this, Aunt Xue started to worry again. She didn't know whether the Prince of Beijing had different ideas about his daughter. It was really unpredictable to have any confirmation.

At this time, Baoyu lifted the curtain and came in. Seeing this, Jia's mother hurriedly asked him to sit down beside her. Looking at her own adorable grandson, Jia's mother smiled and said, "It's very lively outside. Why don't you go out and play? Why do you come back?"

Baoyu pursed his lips and said, "It's too noisy outside. I came to the old ancestor's place to get some peace and quiet."