Last time on Grafting Life: Wang Xi Feng has a birthday.
This chapter has been brought to you by me, and Smash10101.
Chapter 46 – Red Chamber (46)
“Have you tested them?” Lin Yu Tong pointed at the jars and bottles on the table and asked cautiously. These things would be used on people, it was better to be careful. It would be best to note if some people could not use them. If there were any side effects, it would not be good. It was better to ask about such things first.
“No need to test.” Lin Dai Yu smiled. “The medicines are very gentle, do not worry.”
Lin Yu Tong nodded, and suppressed her ecstasy. She reached out and opened them. Just from the scent, Lin Yu Tong gave a thumbs up. The smell was faint, a fragrance that most people would be able to accept. She wiped it on the back of her hand. It was very smooth and fine. Lin Yu Tong was reassured. Such a thing would be useful.
She would not cheat Sister Lin of her recipe. She said directly, “Sister, I have something to discuss with you, just listen.”
Lin Dai Yu saw her so solemn and nodded. “Sister, just speak.”
Lin Yu Tong said, “I know Sister’s thoughts. Us women, even as physicians, will have many inconveniences. I was thinking of finding a good piece of land around the capital and building an estate. We will build courtyards around the estate. Then sister can use the estate as a clinic. We will say first that we only treat women, and we will not go to the homes of patients. If they seek help, we will receive them in the clinic. The courtyards around the estate will be for the patients and their families to live in. We will have medicine for all the patients, but we have demands of the patients. Those with money will pay, those without will work. If those with money pay, we will engrave their names onto stone tablets. We can have the family of the patients work or wait for her to get better before she works. It is all up to them. Maybe they are willing to give food or chop some wood. It all works! We do not care about status, only that they care.”
“Of course, we will separate the courtyards. Rich and noble families will live in the better courtyards, but they will have to pay rent. Also, we will make many small rooms for poor families to live in. Then, even if we provide simple meals each day, it will not cost much. It is not that I want to divide people up, but that there are always times when people become greedy when you give them something.” Lin Yu Tong looked at Lin Dai Yu and said, “This is just a general idea, do you feel it plausible?”
“Sister’s idea…… it is very good. But if there are many people, just the medicine is not a small sum. I fear it is not affordable.” Lin Dai Yu was not completely ignorant of mortal matters. She knew how great the expenses would be.
“This is what I want to talk to you about,” Lin Yu Tong said. “Sister, if you have recipes for these medicines, just give them to me. You do not have to worry about the money you need at all. I will provide it for you.” She knew Lin Dai Yu’s thoughts. The Lin Family had money, but in her mind, the properties would be left to Lin Yu Yang. There was no reason for an unmarried daughter to use up the family money. Even if Lin Yu Yang was willing, when Lin Yu Yang had a wife and children, it was unknown if they would be willing. How could she not have such worries?
Lin Dai Yu smiled and looked at Lin Yu Tong. She said, “I do not know what Sister wants the recipes for. But if Sister needs them, then take them. Other people’s recipes may be better than ours. You cannot get a lot of silver with this. Since Sister says this, I will believe you. I will come find Sister to get silver when I need it. In the future, if there are any recipes, I will bring them to Sister.”
That would be great.
Sending Lin Dai Yu away, Lin Yu Tong started to seriously consider building an estate for her. First was to choose a site. Lin Yu Tong leaned towards the area around Grandmother Liu. First, the Jinghai Count’s estate was over there, and in the future, she would be able to take care of it. Second, Wang Xi Feng’s land was all over there. In the future, it would be Wang Xi Feng’s territory. With such a capable person like Wang Xi Feng there, she would feel at ease.
The more she thought, the more plausible she felt it was.
Thinking of Xi Chun who wanted to become a nun, Lin Yu Tong thought, maybe in the future, Lin Dai Yu would have people to keep her company. Lin Dai Yu’s clinic would be cleaner than some nunnery.
The next day, she sent Lin Ping to ask and see if there was a suitable place. In the future, she would separate it from the Lin Family properties to avoid any conflicts.
Lin Ru Hai learned of Lin Yu Tong’s plans and felt that this was appropriate. He was touched at Lin Yu Tong’s care for Lin Dai Yu and planned to make her coming of age a good one.
Lin Yu Tong did not have the attention for her coming of age. Right now, she held Lin Dai Yu’s recipes like treasure. In this world, she had made a lot of silver, but not a lot landed in her hand. It would be a lie to say she was not depressed. Now, with these recipes, she truly felt that she had wealth belonging to her.
She managed to make it to night, when the servant girls were all asleep before entering her space.
She rarely came to this space. Each day, she would use the spring water inside, and when she was cooking, she would exchange the vegetables. But only for such uses. In the Lin Family, she would experience all she could. Occasionally coming in, she looked at the modern things and felt they were unfamiliar. Each time, she only entered here for half a night in fear that she would forget her life in the modern world.
Compared to her large and open room, the little house in this space was pitiful. It was not as large as her bathroom.
In the past, she had felt that this little house was good. While small, it had everything. An open floor bedroom, with a living room, a kitchen, a washroom. If she graduated from university with such a home, it was something to be content with.
But right now, she was so unsatisfied.
She did not want people to know Lin Dai Yu’s writing. So the first thing was to go to the desk and copy down the recipes. Honestly speaking, she was more used to writing with a brush than a pen. However, she could write the traditional characters, but holding the pen, she forgot the strokes for the simplified. She finally managed to copy the recipes and sent them back. It probably would take a few days to get news back. She was not in a hurry.
She could see through the space at a glance. There was nothing to clean. The vegetables and fruits had no place to be stored even if they were harvested. She filled the only storage room full of silver. Right now, she started to regret it. If there was a chance, she would switch the silver for gold. Gold saved space. Otherwise, she would suffer a big loss.
She looked around. The plants grew well without any space between them. She did not know if this space could level up. It seemed that she had to find her higher ups and ask after she returned.
Returning back to her bed, it was late. There was the sound of rain coming down outside the window. Lin Yu Tong thought before sleeping that Lin Dai Yu would no longer write poems about rain now. She probably was memorizing medicine books by the lantern light right now. She had no time to spare to be emotional.
Lin Ping quickly came back with information. After two days, he found a suitable place. The farmland there had been sold already, but there was a moderately sized mountain and the lake at the base that was not owned. Since they were not going to farm, the mountain was even better. Build the courtyards at the base of the mountain, and build an estate for Lin Dai Yu on the entire mountain. It would be very safe. The tallest mountains around the capital were just two hundred meters, and there were no large animals. This place was very suitable.
She sent Lin Ping to buy it at any price, and then the construction could start. She was not an expert at all in construction. She could not visit the site or design. She pushed it all to her brother, and did not pay attention.
Lin Ru Hai went in person after learning about it, and bought the mountain next to that one. He sighed to Lin Yu Yang, “When this father retires, I will open a school on the other mountain.” Lin Yu Yang knew that his father was worried about his sister and wanted to keep her company in the future, one day at the time. He felt an impulse to cry. He said with a smile, “We will treat it as our family school. For our descendants, when they are six, they will be sent there to study.”
Lin Ru Hai was very happy with such words. If the Lin Family had a family school, it meant there were many descendants.
Lin Yu Tong did not know of all this. Her attention was all on another thing, the auction. The auction was finally ready after the storekeeper was busy for a long time.
Pity that she could not attend.
After two rainstorms, it was deep into autumn. The known families in the capital all received a note edged in gold and jade to attend the Chrysanthemum Admiring Auction.
Chrysanthemum Admiring Auction. Was it to admire the chrysanthemums or the auction? The former was an elegant thing, the latter was hard to say.
Auctions were not novel things. In bidding, the one with the highest price got it. When the demand was higher than supply, it would occur frequently. However, no one set up an auction to manage it as a business.
Lin Yu Tong felt that her family’s storekeeper was very bad. He sent notes to Jia She, Jia Zheng, Jia Zhen, Jia Lian and even Xue Pan who was living in the Jia Family. She was very amused by this.
The Lin Family was low key in the capital, and only a few people knew that this was the Lin Family’s property. However, Lin Ru Hai did not keep this a secret from the emperor. He also told the emperor the state of his youngest’s health and said directly the other likely would not marry in the future. Of course, when he spoke of his sadness, he cried. The emperor could not help but sigh when learning of why the Lin Family did this. Pity the hearts of the parents of the world. They were all like this. He even sent his personal eunuch to attend as well and buy something in order to give Lin Ru Hai face.
Wen Tian Fang was the Lin Family’s son-in-law and of course he attended.
Families like the Jia Family heard that respectable families were attending. Then, their families having received such a note was a very respectable thing so they would come.
In this world, there was no money easier to make than from a wastrel.
Lin Yu Tong thought of Jia She’s preferences, and had the storekeeper get some ancient fans. She wanted to see if this would save that man.
Jia She did buy the fan. Adding on that Wen Tian Fang ordered people to prop up the price, the winning bid ended up being two thousand. Jia Zheng was even better. He wanted one of the three paintings Jia Family had pawned. The winning price was three thousand and five hundred silver.
The storekeeper was behind the stage and almost laughed to death. He wanted to see how the Jia Family would pay.
After the auction finished, people would get the item when they came with the silver in hand. It was fine if they had no money. They just had to come with the funds in three days. If they did not want it during this, then, sorry, you have to pay two-tenths as a fine. This had been said beforehand. In other words, Jia She and Jia Zheng had to pay five thousand and five hundred. If they could not pay, they would be fined a thousand and a hundred.
The two brothers spent easily and agreed. Jia Lian twitched seeing this. He decided to not return to the residence, and hide somewhere for half a month or so. His wife was pregnant now, and not in a stable condition, bedridden. Even Ping’er was resting. If the eldest master could not find him, he would not make trouble for his women. He would watch and see how they would pay, he did not dare.
He still had a hundred or so silver on him. He could live well for a few days.
Thinking about how Wang Xi Feng had sent people with funeral money for Bao Er, he felt a bit of pain. Bao Er’s wife was a good thing. Pity that she hung herself. But the money was left to Bao Er. Such a waste.
After the auction, Wen Tian Fang and Lin Yu Yang were the last to leave. They watched Jia Lian run away while Jia She did not pay attention and was talking to someone else.
Wen Tian Fang truly had a new view on Lin Yu Tong. Such a business was full of profit.
Take the Jia Family. If they wanted to gather the silver, they likely had to pawn more things secretly. After switching around, it was their family’s possessions, just moving around while others made money.
Jia She returned home and ordered people to get silver to obtain the fan from the auction. Everyone else paid silver immediately, and only he had been unable to pay.
Soon, a reply came that there was not two hundred silver on the accounts right now. How could Jia She believe this? He sent someone again to see Second Master. Jia Zheng needed to pay three thousand and five hundred. If Jia Zheng could pay, and they could not pay the two thousand for him, then the accounts would have to be calculated.
Jia Zheng returned and went directly to Madam Wang’s room.
Husband and wife sat facing each other. Madam Wang served herself a cup of tea and asked, “Today, the masters all left the home, is there something important going on?”
Jia Zheng nodded. “We just got a note from an auction house. I thought originally that it was just a business and it would be fine to not go, but a personal attendant of the emperor went in person, and the Jinghai Count also went. Brother-in-law Lin did not go, but Yang-ge’er went. Then the prince establishments also sent people. I think there must be a background here we do not know of, and we have to attend. I brought an ancient painting, the price is appropriate, just three thousand and five hundred silver. You send someone with the silver, and bring it back.”
Madam Wang felt her heart jump. Three thousand and five hundred, so easy to speak of. Right now, the family did not have even five hundred in cash flow. She would have to use her own money.
Jia Zheng read Madam Wang’s expression and his expression turned dark. “This is a eunuch close to the emperor, if you do not curry favor now, then when? Visit and get a connection to the eunuch. It will be of benefit to the consort in the palace. That Xia Shou Zhong is just a eunuch in the inner palace, can he be compared to the emperor? You give him a lot of silver each month, but how much does the consort benefit? It will not be as effective as a person close to the emperor. You do not understand such things, you are so confused.”
Wang-shi paused. The words made sense. Her voice softened and she said, “I am just a woman, how can I understand such things? I will listen to Master. A few days ago, I just got three thousand from the Xue Family. I have to add to this, that’s all.” Aunt Xue gave five thousand for her to speak for Xue Pan. Right now, only three thousand was left, and it would be used.
Jia Zheng was satisfied with this. He nodded and said, “Have someone serve me to wash up.”
This meant that he would stay the night. Madam Wang was very content with Jia Zheng’s words.
While Jia Zheng was washing up, Madam Wang got the silver and told Zhou Rui’s wife to run the errand.
When Zhou Rui’s wife left the gate, Jia She got the news. How could he not be angry?
Who was truly in charge of the household? What did they mean by this was the second mistress’ savings? Without embezzling, how could she have any savings? But he could not say such things openly. However, Madam Xing was not one to read people’s expressions, and came with a food box, becoming a target of his anger.
“Other people’s wives have gold and silver savings for their masters to use. Say, what do you have?” When Jia She looked at Madam Xing, he was very irritated.
Madam Xing finally understood why this was. Could she not be hurt by this? She said, “Master, would that be the second mistress’ savings, you do not know, it is all ill-gotten gains.”
Jia She changed expression, “She embezzles, of course it is ill-gotten gains. But you have to be able to be a thief. If you are unable, you can only watch the thief eat meat.”
Madam Xing said, “It is not just embezzlement, she is even more capable now, scheming about the old mistress’ things. Do you know where the money is coming from?”
Jia She stilled. He did not know this so he asked, “The old mistress is biased. Everyone has a share of her things. Why does she only give to her second son?”
“The old mistress likely does not know. Otherwise, I would not say it is ill-gotten gains,” Madam Xing sneered. “That Yuan Yang is a thief the second mistress placed with the old mistress.”
Jia She thought and a clever and pretty girl appeared in his mind. He looked at Madam Xing and then thought of the women in the room. They were all very clever and capable. If he got this Yuan Yang, then it would be best. He could not avoid asking, “Why does Yuan Yang listen to Second Mistress?”
How could Madam Xing know the reasons and just said, “Because she likes Bao Yu too.”
Jia She frowned and said, “Bao Yu is just a child, not able to care for people. Since she wants to advance, this master will properly take her in. It will be better than Bao Yu. While girls like good-looking people, she should know that finding someone who can care for her is better than anything else. If she is willing, she can be the second wife. You just go tell her.”
Madam Xing’s heart jumped. She did not dare to say in person, but she did not dare to disobey Jia She. She tossed and turned all night, and could not think of a solution.
The next morning, she went to Wang Xi Feng, wanting to seek an idea.
Wang Xi Feng heard Madam Xing’s intention and sneered inside. Right now, she did not want to say a thing and said, “How did Master suddenly have such thoughts?”
Madam Xing told her about buying a fan. Wang Xi Feng listened but on the surface, she appeared to nap. After Madam Xing finished, she saw that Wang Xi Feng’s eyes were closed and she was nodding off. Clearly, she was playing the zither to a cow. No matter how stupid Madam Xing was, she knew that Wang Xi Feng did not want to participate in this matter. Her face turned angry, she snorted coldly and then left, flinging the curtain behind her.
Wang Xi Feng seemed to be startled awake, and shouted in confusion, “Eldest Mistress, how come you are leaving? Quick, see her off. My health is worse and worse.”
Madam Xing paused, snorted coldly and then left like the wind.
Xiao Hong lifted the curtain to see. The other had left the courtyard already, and she said, “Sister Yuan Yang is going to suffer again.”
“Yuan Yang is a smart person and a proper person.” Wang Xi Feng sighed. When she thought of Yuan Yang, she could not avoid thinking of Ping’er. She ordered Xiao Hong, “Go see how Ping’er is. This girl is a foolish one. Tell her to rest well, and say that as long as I have something to eat, I will not have her starve.”
Xiao Hong acknowledged and then left.
On the other side, after Madam Xing went out, she wanted to find Yuan Yang directly. But she feared the old mistress, and wanted to find an intermediary. She had Wang Shan Bao’s wife inquire and learned that Yuan Yang’s brother and sister-in-law had been sent to the old residence in Jinling a while ago for some reason, and there was no one to carry the word.
Of course Yuan Yang had done this. Since her brother and sister-in-law were a weakness, then it was better to send them far away. This would protect them.
Madam Xing had no other solution than to find Yuan Yang herself.
Yuan Yang saw the eldest mistress and knew this was another person scheming for the old mistress’ things. She did not think the other’s methods were so despicable. Compared to the second mistress, one was despicable on the surface, and the other was despicable in the dark.
She heard Madam Xing say, “I came to congratulate Miss. Miss, you know that my courtyard is full of those things which are not respectable. There is no one as respectable as you. Right now, Eldest Master says you are a good one, and told me to ask for you from the old mistress. Good girl, your good days have come.”
Yuan Yang immediately froze. So this side was planning to get both the money and the people. She felt blood surge into her head. She did not care about the difference in status, and pulled Madam Xing to Mother Jia’s rooms.
In the room, Madam Wang, Aunt Xue, Xue Bao Chai, Shi Xiang Yun, Li Wan, the three Springs, Bao Yu and the wives of some stewards were talking with the old mistress and entertaining her. Suddenly seeing Yuan Yang pull Madam Xing in, they were all puzzled.
Yuan Yang knelt in front of Mother Jia, and spoke of Madam Xing’s goals. Then she said, “Old Mistress, for each day you are here, I will serve you. If you are gone, I will go become a nun, it cannot be dubious like this……”
Mother Jia knew the reasons for this. The eldest branch must have learned that Yuan Yang had taken her savings, and was making a fuss. Thinking about the source of the matter, it was Wang-shi. So she said to Wang-shi, “I only have such a good person with me now. You still scheme about her. I do not know who the words of filial piety in the past were trying to fool? You plot about her, you plot about this old woman. Do not think that others do not know your despicable thoughts.”
Madam Wang hurriedly stood up, not daring to answer.
Li Wan was going to take the three Springs and leave. Tan Chun thought inside, it appeared that the old mistress may have thought that the mistress told Yuan Yang to take the savings. But due to face, she did not say anything. Now, the old mistress was using this as an excuse to scold as she wanted.
The old mistress was not muddle headed. She would not blame a sister-in-law for her brother-in-law wanting to take a little wife. There was a reason that she was just scolding the mistress.
But what about the face of the mistress? She could not help but turn back and said, “Old Mistress, do not be angry. You should ask the Eldest Mistress. How did Mistress learn of this?”
If people really leaked the reason, then no one in the family would have face.
Mother Jia stopped and glanced at Tan Chun. She smiled. This matter could not be pursued seriously. She said, “I am old and muddle headed. I wronged her.” She said to Aunt Xue. “Aunt is still here, and I have gotten confused. Your sister has been very good in the past.” Then she said to Madam Xing who was pretending to be a quail on the side. “You only ever fear your master, and have no ideas of your own at all. Now, your master is so old, he does not think of maintaining his health, just to play with concubines. You do not advise him, but indulge him. You do not have to insincerely be here with me, just serve your master. If you are a good one, your master will not be like this.”
Madam Xing felt her face burn. Her mother-in-law was accusing her of not being filial to her mother-in-law. Because she was not a good person, her husband wanted a concubine. Was this not saying that she, the wife, was not virtuous? In front of the relatives and the servants, Madam Xing felt like the old mistress tore her face off and was unable to stand.
But if the old mistress did not permit her, Madam Xing did not dare to move on her own. The people in the room circled around the old mistress and talked and played cards. Yuan Yang sat next to the old mistress, and only Madam Xing stood far away, not daring to come forward. The servants and the grannies did not dare to talk to her, and pretended she did not exist.
After this day passed, Madam Xing said that she was ill. She had no face to meet others.
Mother Jia knew why her eldest son was making trouble and just turned a blind eye to him. Seeing Yuan Yang take out a few more items, she felt more at ease.
Yuan Yang found Ping’er. Ping’er was familiar with where to exchange them for silver.
“Now, I know your advice back then was all good things.” Ping’er was still pale, lying on the bed. Thinking of how Yuan Yang had once urged her to find an honest person, it truly was valuable advice. Now, she was full of regret.
“Do not get stuck. Now that you have taken that step, just keep on going. Your missus appears to have some feelings for you. If you follow her, you will have good days,” Yuan Yang put down the items and urged.
“I know this. But I just think that I have failed her,” Ping’er cried. “I failed her.”
“Just serve her well. That’s all. Men cannot be relied on.” Yuan Yang saw Xi Ren and Ping’er, and did not have any intention of being a concubine.
Ping’er looked at Yuan Yang and said, “I also know what happened. Be careful in the future. Eldest Master likely will not rest.”
Yuan Yang sneered. “At worst, I will just cut my neck. Who is afraid of him?”
“Bah!” Ping’er spat and said, “Do not have such foolish thoughts. I am someone who has died once and know that living is most important.”
The two muttered and talked closely for a long time. After Yuan Yang left, Ping’er struggled up, and had a young servant girl call for people to deliver the things to the pawnshop.
When Aunt Xue returned to her own courtyard, she was worried. The Jia Family’s troubles were all because of silver. Clearly, they were living through pawning things. She hesitated now. She did not know how the consort was in the palace. If the consort was well, the marriage was good. Also, her daughter was growing old. How could she keep on being delayed?
Translator Ramblings: It’s pretty sad if you are an old lady and all people want is your wealth either before or after you die.
- Grafting Life Chapter 45 – Red Chamber (45)
- Grafting Life Chapter 47 – Red Chamber (47)
- Grafting Life Chapter 48 – Red Chamber (48)
Tell me something