met free Chapter 170 Lin Daiyu's younger brother in Dream of the Red Chamber 3
Chapter 170 Lin Daiyu's younger brother in Dream of the Red Chamber 3
Wang Xifeng sat in a sedan chair and, led by servants from the Lin family, entered through a side gate. Midway through, the sedan chair bearers were changed, and Wang Xifeng knew that they had entered the back courtyard.
After the sedan chair stopped, Wang Xifeng stepped out nimbly without Ping'er helping her.
Lin Daiyu stood at the threshold with her servants. After all, she was a junior, so how could she sit in the inner room and wait? That would just show that the Lin family had no manners.
As soon as Wang Xifeng came out, she looked up and saw a girl dressed in a light blue dress waiting for her there.
Upon closer inspection, the girl was as beautiful as a fairy, with delicate, arched eyebrows that seemed to furrow yet not quite, and eyes that held a mixture of joy and sorrow. A hint of melancholy graced her cheeks, and a frail illness pervaded her delicate frame. Tears glistened in her eyes, and her movements were as lithe as a willow swaying in the breeze. Her heart was more discerning than a thousand others, and her illness surpassed even that of Xi Shi, the legendary beauty.
"Oh my, where did this fairy come from? Look at her stunning beauty!" Wang Xifeng was no shrewd woman; she guessed that this was the young lady from the Lin family and immediately began to praise her.
Wang Xifeng took Lin Daiyu's hand, looked her up and down, and praised her a few times.
Lin Daiyu had never seen anything like this before. Wang Xifeng's personality was different from other girls; she spoke crisply and directly.
"I am your sister-in-law, and you must be Miss Lin. You have no idea how much the old lady has been looking forward to your arrival in the capital."
Daiyu quickly invited Wang Xifeng into the house, and Wang Xifeng chatted with Lin Daiyu about everyday matters.
"The old lady was still talking about you two yesterday. She was worried about you living outside, so she specially sent me to invite you to the Rongguo Mansion today," Wang Xifeng said.
Lin Daiyu had already discussed it with Lin Jiyu. After the Rongguo Mansion people came to visit, they would pack up and move to the Rongguo Mansion.
They don't need to bring too much stuff. If they're not happy staying at the Rongguo Mansion, they can go back to the Lin Mansion. Although it's a bit unsafe, they don't want to be mistreated.
“If Sister-in-law Lian Er personally comes to visit, wouldn’t it be disrespectful to the old lady and her sister-in-law if you refuse again? That would be ungrateful of you, and we’d have to deal with you properly,” Lin Daiyu said slowly.
“Of course, I received orders from the old lady to take you back to Rongguo Mansion. If you don’t go, I dare not go back,” Wang Xifeng said casually.
Lin Daiyu asked her head maid, Bai Qing, to go to the front yard and tell her younger brother that they would go to the Rongguo Mansion together.
In less than an hour, the two siblings were ready. Lin Jiyu rode a horse in front, while Lin Daiyu and Wang Xifeng rode in separate sedan chairs.
Upon arriving at the gate of the Rongguo Mansion, Lin Jiyu dismounted and instructed the servants of the Rongguo Mansion to take the horse away.
He followed the servant to Rongxi Hall to find Jia Zheng, while Daiyu was carried in through the west corner gate.
Lin Daiyu nervously twisted her handkerchief. Her younger brother said that he had already sent a visiting card to their second uncle and that they needed to visit Jia Zheng first, while she would go see Grandmother Jia first.
The sedan chair finally came to a stop. The servants carrying the sedan chair stepped back, and several maids stepped forward and gently lifted the curtain. A richly dressed old woman stepped forward and said, "Have a safe journey, young lady!" She placed her hand in front of the sedan chair.
Lin Daiyu took the hand and walked out lightly.
What a fairy-like beauty! Daiyu didn't say anything, but Wang Xifeng was already waiting in front. Daiyu followed Wang Xifeng through one door after another.
As they entered a beautiful courtyard, several richly dressed maids stepped forward with smiles and said, "The old lady has been eagerly awaiting Miss Lin's arrival."
After Lin Daiyu entered the room, she saw an elderly woman dressed in fine clothes with a full head of silver hair sitting in the main seat, staring at her with her eyes.
Lin Daiyu hurriedly stepped forward to pay her respects. Grandmother Jia, perhaps thinking of Jia Min, quickly had someone pull Lin Daiyu up, embrace her, and cried out "My darling!" while bursting into tears.
Those around her, all shrewd and perceptive, joined in the weeping, causing Lin Daiyu, who had already calmly accepted her mother's departure, to burst into tears once again.
The beauty's eyes were filled with tears, the teardrops like pearls, impossible to scatter; she was truly a fairy.
How could Wang Xifeng let the somber atmosphere linger? She quickly joked, "Grandma, stop crying, or you'll make my fairy-like sister cry away."
When Grandmother Jia heard Wang Xifeng say that, she could hardly maintain the sad expression on her face. She pointed at Wang Xifeng and teased, "This little monkey."
Lin Daiyu sensed the cheerful atmosphere and looked up at Wang Xifeng. Indeed, Sister-in-law Lian was extraordinary.
As Daiyu's sister-in-law, Wang Xifeng naturally took Daiyu to meet people.
He brought Daiyu to the gentle and suspicious Madam Xing and said, "This is your maternal aunt."
Lin Daiyu gently raised her eyes to look at Madam Xing, who was dressed in luxurious clothes and adorned with pearl hairpins. Her eyes held a meaning that Daiyu could not understand.
She bowed respectfully to Madam Xing, and then to the dignified and elegant Madam Wang. Madam Wang wore very few accessories, but had Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist, clearly indicating that she was a Buddhist.
He also greeted Li Wan, the wife of his elder brother Xianzhu, and then greeted Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xichun.
Then everyone started laughing and joking.
When Grandmother Jia saw the servants Lin Daiyu brought—four head maids, Bai Qing, Yueya, Xia Lu, and Qiu Gui—she nodded, thinking that the Lin family had made good arrangements, but she was also worried that she wouldn't be familiar with the place.
Grandmother Jia spoke up: "Although we still have all the maids, the Rongguo Mansion needs someone familiar with the place. I think we should let Yingge serve the young lady!"
"Yingge!"
"Eh!"
A pretty young maidservant, about two or three years older than Lin Daiyu, stepped forward and bowed to the old lady and Lin Daiyu.
"From now on, let's call her Zijuan!"
Lin Daiyu knew etiquette. They were guests from afar, and it was a good thing to have someone familiar with the Rongguo Mansion by her side. Moreover, this was the old lady's way of showing her affection, so of course she would not refuse.
On the other side, Lin Jiyu followed the servant to Jia She's residence to pay his respects. Jia She met with him, and Lin Jiyu presented a gift, earning a good look from Jia She. The two exchanged a few words, and Jia She had someone take him to see Jia Zheng.
He had nothing to say to Jia She, after all, Jia She seemed to be a lecherous man.
Upon arriving at Rongxi Hall, Jia Zheng, who was waiting in his study today due to the court's holiday, saw a young man dressed in blue robes. He was elegant and refined, and because he was still in mourning, he was wearing hemp clothing.
Lin Jiyu stepped forward to pay her respects, and Jia Zheng nodded, first inquiring whether Lin Jiyu had a safe journey.
"Thank you for your concern, Uncle. I am doing well."
Jia Zheng stroked his beard, paused, and then asked, "Have you ever read books?"
At Jia Zheng's prompting, Lin Jiyu sat down on the chair on the left and replied calmly, "My nephew has already read through the Four Books and Five Classics."
Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng's eyes lit up. He had high expectations for Bao Yu, but unfortunately, Bao Yu, who was already eleven years old, still hadn't finished learning the Four Books and Five Classics. Every time he tried to be strict, his mother would spoil Bao Yu, leaving him in a difficult position.
Jia Zheng asked Lin Jiyu some simple questions, and Lin Jiyu answered them logically and correctly.
While asking questions, he nodded. Not bad, as expected of the son of the third-ranked scholar. He was being modest. He had already mastered the Four Books and Five Classics, but was still a bit naive in policy essays. However, Lin Jiyu could not participate in the imperial examinations now, but he would definitely pass the county-level examination in three years.
The voice of a maid came from outside. It turned out that the two were so engrossed in their conversation that half an hour had passed without them realizing it. Grandmother Jia came to inquire about Lin Jiyu.
Jia Zheng then let Lin Jiyu go. Lin Jiyu followed the maid into the backyard. Normally, he wouldn't suddenly go to the backyard, but Grandmother Jia was in Rongqing Hall.
Arriving at an exquisite courtyard, surrounded by maids dressed in red and green, Lin Jiyu's eyes darkened. The Rongguo Mansion's laziness must be a problem with the management.
Jia Min was the legitimate daughter of Grandmother Jia. Grandmother Jia was not required to observe mourning, nor were her peers. However, the younger generation should have observed mourning for a year. Only four months had passed, yet the maids in the mansion were dressed in red and green, showing no grief whatsoever for the passing of their legitimate daughter.
The young maid in front lifted the curtain and called out, "Young Master Lin has arrived!"
As Lin Jiyu stepped across the threshold, the servants all sighed softly.
A young man dressed in blue walked steadily towards them. He was tall and slender, with a graceful and elegant demeanor. He had a more refined air than Jia Baoyu. Jia Baoyu was certainly handsome and dashing, but he lacked maturity and was far inferior to Lin Jiyu.
Out of the corner of her eye, Lin Jiyu saw the old woman sitting on the couch with her sister, exuding elegance and grace. She knew that this was Grandmother Jia.
Lin Jiyu quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Greetings to the old lady."
Grandmother Jia quickly instructed Yuanyang to help Lin Jiyu up. Wang Xifeng then led Lin Jiyu to recognize people, following the same procedure as with Lin Daiyu. Grandmother Jia then pulled him to sit on the right side.
"We were just talking about you, and here you are!" Grandmother Jia said, overjoyed.
"Look at what the old lady is saying, doesn't this just prove that the old lady's wishes have come true?" Wang Xifeng joked.
"Now that the two little ones have arrived, I feel relieved. Have their accommodations been arranged?" Grandmother Jia inquired.
"Don't worry, I would never dare to disobey the old lady's orders. It has already been arranged. It is located in the northwest corner, which is spacious and quiet, and there is also a side gate. It is very suitable for the two siblings to live in."
Grandmother Jia nodded. She knew the location of the northwest gate; it was where Jia Zheng used to live. Later, Jia Zheng moved to Rongxi Hall, and that area was sealed off. (This is the author's hypothesis.)
Madam Wang, who was sitting below, suddenly spoke up: "Feng'er, have the servants and maids been given their monthly wages yet?"
Wang Xifeng immediately understood what Madam Wang was thinking. She thought for a second and quickly replied, "The monthly allowance was paid out yesterday. Yesterday, I took people to the back building to look for satin, but after searching for a long time, we couldn't find the kind that Taitian mentioned. I think Madam must have remembered it wrong."
Lin Jiyu watched the confrontation between the two. Wang Xifeng was saying that she was in charge of the household, but Madam Wang interjected that she was the real person in charge. Lin Jiyu sneered, quickly concealing the coldness in his eyes, and watched the scene with a smile. Whether they were arguing about who was in charge or not, it didn't matter to them, even if it involved siblings. As long as it didn't involve them, he would just watch it as a show.
“Even if there’s nothing urgent, we should still take out four bolts of cloth to make clothes for your younger brother and sister,” Madam Wang said slowly.
"Haha, I've already prepared it. I'll send it over as soon as you've taken a look." Wang Xifeng had just slapped Madam Wang in the face, so now she naturally had to coax Madam Wang back.
Madam Wang nodded and said nothing more.
At this point, Lin Jiyu became unhappy. You can say whatever you want, but why bring up the siblings? It's as if they can't afford four bolts of cloth.
Lin Jiyu gave Lin Daiyu a look; the two had grown up together since childhood and had no tacit understanding whatsoever.
Lin Daiyu said calmly, "Grandma, I understand etiquette. Father instructed my brother and me long ago, Bai Qing!"
Bai Qing stepped forward with a small box. Lin Daiyu opened the box and said calmly, "This is a ten thousand taels of silver notes prepared by our father. It is a small token of our appreciation."
Grandmother Jia's face darkened. She was already a little unhappy when Lady Wang and Wang Xifeng clashed. She quickly said, "Don't say such things. We are relatives. Why be so formal? Put it away."
Lin Jiyu stood up and advised, "As the saying goes, even relatives need to reciprocate. If we just eat and drink here for free, wouldn't that make us seem inconsiderate?"
Grandmother Jia wanted to persuade her further, but Lady Wang's expression was not good either. Wang Xifeng quickly took the box and teased, "If none of you want it, then give it to me!"
Finally, she had the silver notes. Just a few days ago, Wang Xifeng was worried about the monthly wages of the old women and maids. Now that she had received 10,000 taels, she could at least make ends meet for half a year.
Seeing this, Grandmother Jia didn't know what to say, so she teased, "What a fine little girl, Feng."
Seeing that Grandmother Jia looked tired, Wang Xifeng said with a smile, "My younger brother and sister just arrived, and haven't they gone to visit them in the courtyard yet?"
Grandmother Jia nodded. Lin Jiyu had already visited Jia She and Jia Zheng, so Lin Daiyu didn't need to visit them again. Besides, in the original story, Lin Daiyu came to Rongguo Mansion alone, so she should naturally visit her maternal uncles.
Led by Wang Xifeng, the two siblings arrived at the northwest corner.
The plaque above the courtyard read "Changju Courtyard." Lin Jiyu nodded. Indeed, the Lin family members tend to have short lifespans. This name has a very auspicious meaning.
The courtyard was a two-section courtyard, dignified and elegant, completely different from the Lin Mansion. The front courtyard was for Lin Jiyu's residence, and the back courtyard was for Lin Daiyu's residence. (The author is unsure if this is correct; logically, the front courtyard was for entertaining outsiders, while the back courtyard was where the family lived, with the main house for elders and the east and west wing rooms for younger generations.)
After bringing the two men to their destination, Wang Xifeng took her leave, as she was very busy.
The Lin family's servants had already carried the things into the courtyard, but they still needed to arrange them.
Lin Daiyu carefully instructed the servants to pack their luggage and change the decorations that the siblings liked.
At lunchtime, Zijuan, a servant of the Rongguo Mansion, was assigned by Grandmother Jia to receive the monthly allowance of a head maid. However, since Lin Daiyu already had four head maids, she was not given much attention at the moment.
Bai Qing summoned Zijuan and asked, "It's lunchtime now. I wonder what the Rongguo Mansion's arrangements are?"
Zijuan quickly replied, "Sister Baiqing, the Rongguo Mansion has a large kitchen, and dinner is usually eaten with the old lady."
Bai Qing said, "Since it's a large kitchen, where can we pick up lunch?"
Zijuan, of course, wouldn't let Baiqing fetch the meal. She said anxiously, "Then I'll trouble Sister Baiqing to fetch the meal. I'll go instead!"
Bai Qing nodded. This girl is good; she knows how to do practical things, unlike those maids who like to idle around. But she still needs to be observed carefully before she can be introduced to the young lady.