Dreams of Jianghu

Last time on Grafting Life: Members of the Jia residence go to visit the Lin Family. Bao Yu is refused.

This chapter has been brought to you by me and Smash10101.

Chapter 24 – Red Chamber (24)

Lin Yu Yang left early to study with the Zhang Family and came back late. At the start, Lin Yu Tong was not used to it. After seeing him off, she just waited for him to come back, living each day in a daze.

During this time, she heard that Jia Bao Yu had moved back to his own rooms and other trivial matters, but ignored them.

On this day, when Dai Yu came back from Mother Jia’s, she said they were going to the Ning Ducal Establishment to admire plums. “I was thinking, Sister can also go to relax, it is better than you missing Brother like this everyday.”

Lin Yu Tong nodded, not caring. But after agreeing, she reacted, this was not right!

The timeline was not right.

Shouldn’t going to the Ning Ducal Establishment to admire the plums be during the time Jia Bao Yu wandered the dream world?¹ At this time, Qin Ke Qing was not dead yet.

But Qin Ke Qing’s death was during the time Dai Yu returned to Yangzhou.

In other words, the appearance of her and her brother caused Lin Ru Hai to bring Dai Yu back early.

Was this the case?

Whether or not it was, it could only be like this. In any case, Qin Ke Qing was not dead yet.

“Sister, are you going or not?” Lin Dai Yu saw Lin Yu Tong was still in a daze and asked again. She was worried inside, her sister could not continue like this.

“I will!” Lin Yu Tong agreed. “You are right. I can’t live in a daze like this.”

The next day, Lin Yu Tong and Lin Dai Yu first went to meet up with the women of the Jia Family and went to the Ning Ducal Establishment together.

The plum flowers in the Fragrant Assembly Park were very good. It was rare for Lin Yu Tong to come out for fresh air and she was at ease. You-shi was not an old woman, and she was quite beautiful. She was full of smiles and was very considerate. Lin Yu Tong felt that such a person married to Jia Zhen was truly a pity.

She also met the legendary Qin Ke Qing.

The other was stunningly beautiful, a very eye-catching beauty. She had a full bosom, and a thin waist. Even in a dress, one could see that she had long legs. This was the only woman that Lin Yu Tong met during this era who could be called seductive.

The original work had it that this person had the beauty of both Lin and Xue. The words were correct. She was well developed where needed and thin where needed. Such beauty was rare.

However, Lin Yu Tong did not know if she had the best traits of the two families in terms of personality.

Thinking of the indecent relationship between her and Jia Zhen, Lin Yu Tong could not help but sigh.

Jia Zhen was in his thirties right now, and Jia Rong was in his teens. A man in his thirties was at a stage when they were mature and charismatic. A youth in his teens, rather than call him a man, he was rather a child. Rather than think that Qin Ke Qing was forced, Lin Yu Tong rather thought that she was willing.

In her own words, “in such a family, the father-in-law and mother-in-law treat me like their daughter.” If Jia Zhen had forced her, she would not have said such a thing. If there were no feelings at all, after her death, Jia Zhen would not cry like he lost his father. The two must have a willing relationship.

Maybe at the start, she was half-willing, but sometimes, after crossing that boundary, it was not very uncomfortable after that.

Thinking like this, Lin Yu Tong stared at Qin Ke Qing for a long time.

“Aunt Lin, is something wrong with this niece-in-law?” Qin Ke Qing first inspected herself and then asked.

Aunt Lin! Niece-in-law!

A generation apart! Lin Yu Tong was stunned. She said with a smile, “I see that you are a rare beauty and really like you.”

Qin Ke Qing blushed red. “Lucky that Eldest Aunt is a woman. If you had been born a man, just with that mouth of yours, you would fool all the women of the world.”

The table laughed.

Mother Jia said to Lin Yu Tong, “The entire family likes this child.”

Lin Yu Tong nodded in agreement and thought inside of the words of Jiao Da’s curse.²

It was Qin Ke Qing and Jia Zhen for the former.

Then who was the one supporting their young brother-in-law? Wang Xi Feng?

In Lin Yu Tong’s view, Wang Xi Feng was not a person like that. Also, who was Wang Xi Feng’s younger brother-in-law? Jia Cong was an actual brother-in-law. Jia Bao Yu and Jia Huan were younger cousins in-law. Jia Zhen was an older brother-in-law, not a younger one. Jia Rong and Jia Qiang were Wang Xi Feng’s nephews-in-law, a generation behind. The only one that was likely was Jia Bao Yu. Disregarding the fact that with Jia Bao Yu’s age, he could not have relations with his sister-in-law, Wang Xi Feng was good to Jia Bao Yu because other than being in-laws, the two were also cousins on the maternal side. Even more importantly, Wang Xi Feng would like anyone who the old mistress liked.

Lin Yu Tong felt that it was wrong to accuse Wang Xi Feng of having a relationship with her brother-in-law.

Jiao Da may have been alluding to the relationship between Qin Ke Qing and Jia Qiang. The pair were in-laws as well.

The story went that the conduct of the Ning Ducal Establishment was not proper so they declined. And the improper conduct likely referred to Qin Ke Qing’s disgraceful actions. The book never said that such a thing occurred in the Rong Ducal Establishment.

Maybe there was such a matter, maybe it had come out when cursing. No one knew. If Qin Ke Qing had any of Lin Dai Yu’s good traits, like her faithfulness, maybe such words were nonsense and she had feelings for Jia Zhen.

Lin Yu Tong was dreaming by herself, twisting and eating dried fruit, keeping her face down so no one would sense this.

On the side, Jia Bao Yu was shouting about wanting to sleep and Qin Ke Qing took him away.

Lin Yu Tong rolled her eyes. How old was he? Still a three year old? Did he have to go to sleep when he wanted to, unable to delay for even a moment? Even if he had to go back immediately, how much effort would it take?

As she was wondering if she should ruin the good matter between Jia Bao Yu and Xi Ren, her gaze flicked over Dai Yu. She felt there was a need for Sister Lin to see the true essence of Jia Bao Yu. If she knew and could accept without any problem, then…… She would think of other ways. Maybe this was related to her upbringing. Maybe she felt that a servant girl was nothing.

“Sister, do you feel it is boring, I will accompany you back,” Lin Dai Yu came over and whispered.

“No need, it will be impolite,” Lin Yu Tong whispered back.

“This courtyard is not as good as our plum park,” Lin Dai Yu whispered, her tone disappointed.

Lin Yu Tong smiled and said, “The plum flowers of rich families are all the same, not very different. This building is too rich, you like more elegant ones. Of course you like the park that Father designed himself. You are like Father in this.” They were both people who liked to be elegant and lofty.

Lin Dai Yu stilled. She was clearly shocked. Then she smiled with joy. “Sister knows me.”

Translator Ramblings: The Jia Family has too many people… and a lot of them are no good.

Here’s a family tree from the Dream of the Red Chamber wiki here if you want to follow the actually family relationships (Smash tracked down who were cousins once/twice/thrice removed). But the tldr is Qin Ke Qing was said to be committing adultery with her father in law.

Table of Contents

• Grafting Life Chapter 23 – Red Chamber (23)
• Grafting Life Chapter 25 – Red Chamber (25)
• Grafting Life Chapter 26 – Red Chamber (26)

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