Last time on Grafting Life: Lin Yu Tong’s auction causes issues in the Jia Family.
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Chapter 47 – Red Chamber (47)
When Lin Yu Tong was about to forget her own birthday, her fifteenth birthday came suddenly like this.
When Sister-in-law Ping and some of the other servant wives carried in boxes of clothes and said that she had to pick suitable ceremonial robes, Lin Yu Tong was a bit stunned.
“How come there is so much?” Lin Yu Tong looked at the glittering clothing and jewelry. She was at a loss. She had never thought that the coming of age would be so serious.
“Miss, do not worry. Master had people prepare a long time ago,” Sister-in-law Ping said with a smile.
Then, the granny that Lin Ru Hai had requested from the empress arrived. She came to teach Lin Yu Tong the rules and ceremonies of the coming of age. What to wear, what kind of bow to give, what words to say. This was much involved in this. Just as she learned to an acceptable level, and the day was about to arrive, she had to refrain from meeting guests for three days.
At this time, she did not know how grand her ceremony was.
The main guest was the grand princess. The officiant was an elder of the Zhang family with a virtuous reputation. The aid was Lin Dai Yu.
The hairpins used had been bestowed down by the empress.
Seeing all this, Lin Yu Tong’s eyes turned wet. This was an honor that Lin Ru Hai had sought out at all costs.
The people who came to watch were all the important aristocrats in the capital.
First, she wore colored robes. Then, after the hair pins were placed in, she changed into plain clothing. More hair pins were added. She wore a girdled dress and a deep colored robe. Then a wide sleeved robe, a crown, and matching adornments.
Each time these were added, she knelt once.
It was very dignified and solemn. Lin Yu Tong did not have any thoughts of being irritated by the rituals.
Especially when she took off the five colored clothing she wore, putting on the white plain clothing, then the bright robes, and then the dignified and grand ceremonial robes, it was like seeing a woman walk through her entire life.
From the color of childhood, to the innocence of a young girl, to the brightness of a girl in her best time, and then the dignity of a woman when she married.
This contained a lot of a parent’s blessings and reluctance.
Lin Ru Hai looked at his eldest daughter kneeling in front of him. He was supposed to lecture her, but he choked up.
Lin Yu Tong felt her tears start to come down.
The eldest miss of the Lin Family had a hard life. Seeing the feelings between father and daughter, the audience all sighed.
But the Jia Family members did not look well. At the start, Mother Jia was waiting for Lin Ru Hai to invite her to be the main guest. She was the maternal grandmother, and a duchess above all ranks. She was important enough. But the other did not say a thing and went to invite the grand princess. What did this mean? Refuting her identity, and also her conduct? Otherwise, the position of officiant should be left to her. How come the Zhang Family was involved? She was very happy to help the grand princess, but the Lin Family acted like she did not exist. It was so vexing.
That was not all. He made the coming of age for a shu-daughter so grand. What did he treat Min’er as?
Also, among the misses of the Jia Family, Ying Chun had come of age, but no one had mentioned this. No one had celebrated her birthday for her. It was like they had forgotten it. Speaking of it, she could not even compare to Xue Bao Chai.
Of course, Xue Bao Chai’s fifteenth birthday did not count as any coming of age ceremony. It would be a slap in the face to say such a thing. Mother Jia gave her ten taels of silver for her party and felt that it was respectful. Look at this ceremony. Just from the attire, it would take twenty thousand. While the empress had bestowed down the hair pins, the value was still there.
Mother Jia did not say a word at the banquet, feeling very embarrassed. When the banquet finished, she left with the women of the Jia Family, returning to the residence and saying that she was ill, not meeting others for a long time. When she had time, she would sigh, “Too extravagant, they do not fear harming the good fortune of the young girl. The Lin Family cannot live like this, without an elder to look over them.”
Wang Xi Feng heard this and snorted coldly. Not all families just spoke of caring for their daughters but did not give them anything in reality. However, using this opportunity, she mentioned Ying Chun’s marriage once again. Mother Jia refused again. “It is a pity. Being a wife is not so easy. Have her stay longer in the home while she is still a girl. You, her sister-in-law, dislike her?”
Wang Xi Feng choked. She could not say a thing. She knew that the words of loving her granddaughter were false. She just did not know what the old mistress was planning.
Did Mother Jia not know that Ying Chun was getting older? About what to do now? As long as Yuan Chun in the palace did not get pregnant, the family had to keep a backup at home. If after two more years, the consort was still not pregnant, Ying Chun would have to go into the palace. It was not rare for a shu-daughter to marry along with the di-daughter. Even if the consort needed to use someone else’s belly to have a child, if the child did not have the Jia Family’s blood, they could not get close.
Just like Lin Yu Tong and Lin Yu Yang. In law, they were the Jia Family’s grandchildren, but they could feel it when interacting, they were not any kind of relatives, but more like debtors.
So, Second yatou could not marry now. She would have to wait until Third yatou grew up and could replace her. Also, even if Third yatou grew up, she was very strong in personality and the consort may fear not being able to control her. Ying Chun was good in that sense.
Madam Wang knew Mother Jia’s plans. While she hoped for her daughter to have favor and birth an imperial son early, it did not stop her from making backup plans. Yuan Chun could waste her youth in the palace for the family. Were the other misses of the family more noble than her?
The family rose and fell together. If they wanted to extend the prosperity, who would not be a bit slighted?
Wang Xi Feng slowly got a sense. Since the old mistress and the mistress had such plans, then no matter what she said, the family would not agree. Adding on that her belly had grown, she temporarily did not have such thoughts.
When the weather cooled, Si Qi once again could not find Ying Chun’s fur coat and complained, “Miss, you sit like a bodhisattva, you do not care for anything. Miss, you do not mind these common things, are you not concerned about your marriage?”
Ying Chun blushed. “Why are you shouting, if people hear, wouldn’t it be embarrassing?”
“Embarrassing is not important. Miss, look at the eldest miss of the Lin Family, and do not act like this. Did the eldest Lin miss come from the belly of the wife? She is like Miss. She also has a brother from a different mother. But, Miss, look, she lives with more respect than anyone. Miss, you should learn from her. The attitude of Eldest Miss Lin to the master of the Lin Family, Miss should know. Is Miss going to visit Second Missus, your sister-in-law, a crime? Miss, if you want, do some needlework for the young master in Missus’ belly.” Then she got close to Ying Chun and said, “I asked around for Miss. Only Second Missus still remembers Miss’ marriage, talking to the old mistress with her belly so big. This is the missus’ goodwill to Miss. If you occasionally visit and talk to Second Missus, she will think of you. Miss, just think about it. Eldest Master and Eldest Mistress do not decide anything. Second Master Lian does not care about the home. You only have the second missus to get close to. Miss, do not be foolish for this matter.”
“I know this, but Third Sister and Fourth Sister never visit. If I am different, the servants will gossip, thinking that I am trying to curry favor. Why have people talk about me like that?” Ying Chun said this and then became silent.
The words were very foolish. Si Qi was very angry. “When did relying on your own brother and sister-in-law become trying to curry favor? It must be that old woman……”
“Do not say such things. Why cause more trouble?” Ying Chun looked at the weiqi game record, glanced at Si Qi and did not say anything else.
After Lin Yu Tong’s coming of age, her marriage was soon to occur. It could be seen from how Lin Yu Yang went out again and again. This was to prepare the dowry. They did not plan to distribute the original Lin Family properties. It was better to buy a few more shops now.
Lin Ru Hai was being kept by the emperor in the palace everyday. Only Lin Yu Yang could run for these matters outside, occasionally pulling Wen Tian Fang to look and make it convenient to put the properties together in one place to manage easily.
Today, the two left to see a restaurant. Supposedly, because it was not managed well, the owners wanted to sell it. Lin Yu Yang inquired and learned that the owner of the restaurant was from an aristocratic family, but last year, the family committed crimes and had been demoted out of the capital. So the business of the restaurant suddenly grew difficult. The people who did not dare to use credit now came to eat for free and did not pay. However, the restaurant could not afford to offend these people now. When a lot of credit was given, could they keep on operating?
The location was good, and the place was large. It was a three level tower at the front, with a large face. In the back, there was a courtyard, and even some corridors and fake mountains. It was pretty fine. Lin Yu Yang was satisfied. It would be up to the steward to bargain. He and Wen Tian Fang just went into a private room to drink tea and wait.
They could hear some young masters drinking and talking together. But because they mentioned someone he knew, Lin Yu Yang could not help but listen.
“…… This is an idiot. Liu Xiang Lian is not someone he can think about. This time, we taught him a lesson. Next time, he will not drool at people when he sees them. I keep on wanting to beat him up,” a young master suddenly said.
“Other people can talk, but Brother, you cannot talk about that Idiot Xue.” Another person laughed. “Brother, do you not know that you have marital relations with that Xue Pan.”
“Nonsense, our family does not have such shameful relatives,” that person said.
The other person laughed. “Your Wei Family does not, but does the Shi Family not? You are going to marry the miss of the Shi Family, will you not recognize their relatives?”
Then laughter came.
Lin Yu Yang’s eyebrows rose. He explained to Wen Tian Fang, “The speaker must be Wei Ruo Lan. He is engaged to the eldest miss of the Shi Family.”
Wen Tian Fang naturally knew, and he also knew that this miss Shi and his fiancée were at odds.
Wei Ruo Lan smiled and said, “Relatives cannot be counted like this. Based on your words, aren’t we closer in relation to the Director-general of the two rivers, Official Lin? We are also relatives with the Jinghai Count. But do they know who we are?”
At the words, more laughter came.
That person said with a laugh, “The Xue and Jia families are naturally close. The Lin Family is not willing to be close to the Jia Family. So you are not able to gain favor with these relatives of yours.”
The world was like this. Everyone laughed.
Someone else asked, “You say the Lin and Jia families are true relatives. But why do they look so distant?”
“You do not know.” The other person gossiped, “You know the second master Bao of the Jia Family. The reason is him. Just think about it. Right now, in the Grand View Garden of the Jia Family right now, it is the Bao Yu living with a group of misses. They sit and sleep together, not caring. The Lin Family is strict. Living in the Jia Family, they even opened the other door, and never interacted with the Jia Family. Later, didn’t the consort of the Jia Family tell the Lin misses to live in the Grand View Garden? The result? The emperor immediately sent an edict of marriage, and called Eldest Miss Lin to go home to prepare for the marriage. It can be seen that the Lin Family dislikes the Jia Family. But that Jia Bao Yu is truly a calamity. There are not many relatives of the Jia Family who are like the Lin Family. There are misses from several families living in that garden right now.”
Lin Yu Yang sighed in relief. It could be seen that everyone had keen eyes.
He heard Wei Ruo Lan say, “Is this true?” From the tone, he was full of anger, but he was controlling it.
That person laughed. “Of course, you just pay a few coins, and learn from the Jia Family servants. Those people have no locks on their mouths.”
Another person made a sound, seeming to want to stop the other from talking. “When you get drunk, you say anything. Stop now.”
“I am not speaking nonsense,” that person said, annoyed.
Wei Ruo Lan said, “If not for Brother, I would not know this story. I have to thank Brother. If you did not say this, this brother may end up a cuckold.”
The room quieted. That person said after a moment, “It is my fault, I did not know of such a matter as this……”
Lin Yu Yang looked at Wen Tian Fang and said, “Brother-in-law, let’s go.” It seemed that the Jia Family’s reputation was as bad as it could get. He was very worried about the fact that they had lived in the Jia Family. Lucky that his sister had been cautious. Otherwise, his sisters would also be the subject of other people’s gossip.
Wen Tian Fang understood Lin Yu Yang’s lingering fear and patted his shoulder in comfort.
Lin Yu Yang returned to the residence and hurriedly told Lin Yu Tong, saying, “I fear that the Shi Brothers will be very angry.” If the engagement was broken, the other daughters of the Shi Family would depreciate in value as well. How could they not be angry?
Also, Shi Xiang Yun would not be able to return to the Shi Family in her lifetime. All the people would desire for the family to have never had such a miss. Why would she return? For the Shi Family to torment her?
Shi Xiang Yun had many inappropriate aspects, but Mother Jia was even more hateful.
What did she intend to do keeping an engaged Shi Xiang Yun in the Jia Family? With Lin Yu Tong’s smarts, she could not understand this. Both to the Shi Family and Shi Xiang Yun, her staying with the Shi Family to form relationships was the most important. A married woman had to rely on her paternal family for many things after the marriage. Would the Jia Family stand up for Shi Xiang Yun? If Mother Jia truly cared for Shi Xiang Yun, she could just give some more dowry when she was married, or some property. This was care. So, people could not understand Mother Jia’s moves.
Now, one just had themselves to blame. The Shi Family would push the mistake to the Jia Family. It would be lively.
Lin Yu Tong did not feel any joy at the misfortune. She said, “If I was Shi Xiang Yun, I would quickly return to the Shi Family and have them help her make an engagement with Jia Bao Yu. The Wei Family wants to break the engagement because Jia Bao Yu ruined her reputation. Since he did that, then he must recognize it. Have the engagement made first. It is better than anything else. Otherwise, for a girl who lost her engagement because of this, what kind of future will she have?”
Lin Yu Yang shook his head. The Jia Family would not accept this. Even Mother Jia would likely not be willing.
As expected, in two days, the news the Wei Family broke the engagement with the Shi Family spread. There were all kinds of unpleasant things said.
Mother Jia looked at the two nieces-in-law, all who were sitting with angry expressions and panicked……
Translator Ramblings: The foreshadowing in the original story was that Shi Xiang Yun would marry Wei Ruo Lan. However, Shi Xiang Yun would be widowed young.
Some Redologists argue that alternatively, Shi Xiang Yun is the one hinted to marry Jia Bao Yu, and not Xue Bao Chai.
- Grafting Life Chapter 46 – Red Chamber (46)
- Grafting Life Chapter 48 – Red Chamber (48)
- Grafting Life Chapter 49 – Red Chamber (49)
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