Last time on Grafting Life: Shi Xiang Yun’s paternal aunts come to chastise Mother Jia.
This chapter has been brought to you by me, and Smash10101.
Chapter 49 – Red Chamber (49)
Shi Nai’s wife sneered and said, “This engagement is really timely. There are such families who do not want face and give their daughters to your family for back up. Second Mistress, you do not raise your son well, and now you think of a way to trap others. Do not think this is the end, do not put your hopes on the consort in the palace. We can have our masters go to the Gold Bell Hall and argue about the right and wrong.”
This was a threat. The Shi brothers were better than the Jia Family males. The emperor remembered to transfer them. No matter the positions, it proved that the emperor still had them on his mind.
Wang-shi changed expression. If the matter continued, the consort would also be affected. She looked at Mother Jia, hoping that the old mistress could persuade her paternal family. Jia, Shi, Wang, Xue. They had always been one. They prospered together, and declined together. Consort was not just the consort of the Jia Family.
Mother Jia had always thought the same. But she could not say such a thing. The consort was in the palace, but no one had benefited from having the consort there. No one had been promoted, no one had been ennobled. They did not benefit at all, and even put in a lot of money. Back during the construction of the garden, all the families had contributed money. But after doing that, they would seek repayment. The other families did not see any benefit, and they could not help but feel grudges. Now, her family had hard days, and those families likely were not any better off. They may be discontent with the Jia Family. Right now, it was even harder to speak.
Also, she was dissatisfied with Yun-yatou but disliked the Xue girl even more. She was very annoyed that Wang-shi looked down on the Shi Family like this.
But she thought of Bao Yu. She did not want him to have his life decided like this. Thinking about it, she first scolded Madam Wang, “You dare to say anything. The matter of the two jades was something that me and Min’er decided in secret. Son-in-law Lin has not yet accepted it. How can you casually speak of it? If Son-in-law Lin wants to blame me, I will not bear it.” Then she said to the wives of Shi Nai and Shi Ding. “You just said that my granddaughter does not come back to visit. It is not because of distance. How can flesh of the same source be distant? It is because there is a verbal engagement with the Lin Family from many years ago. I cannot have the child stay at home. When children grow up, they get embarrassed. Before it is finalized, they cannot meet. After it is decided, they cannot meet. Because of Bao Yu’s engagement, I cannot casually make any other engagement. Let us think more about Yun-yatou‘s marriage. I remember that the Wang Family has a suitable son. I can be a bit shameless and ask.”
Madam Wang stilled and stopped speaking. The old mistress’s words, if true, were better than a marriage with the Xue family. The Xue Family had promised a hundred thousand silver as dowry. She had been tempted. But the Lin Family could give much more. Just from the coming of age ceremony for the eldest Miss Lin, the cost was high. The dowry of the di-daughter of the Lin Family would be ten miles long, not just a hundred thousand, maybe even two hundred thousand. Also, with Lin Ru Hai’s aid, Bao Yu may be able to become an official and get her a title. A marriage of Yun-yatou to a son of her family was plausible. The children were not very accomplished, but they would be a match for a girl who had her engagement broken.
So, she did not say anything like the engagement she spoke of before was the one with the Lin Family. She thought, the old are wise. The old mistress found a good excuse.
Shi Nai’s wife laughed scornfully, “Old Mistress, your ability to lie is even better now. Just from looking at the young master of the Lin Family, you know what kind of requirements Master Lin has towards his son-in-law. You are able to mention Bao Yu. People are always biased. Everyone would feel that their children are good, but you cannot be so blind. If Bao Yu did not ruin Yun-yatou‘s reputation, we would not want him. Just ask around, what’s the reputation of the Wei son, and that of your Bao Yu? Even we do not want him, and you hope that the Lin Family will want him? Who are you trying to fool? Us, or yourself? You dare to mention the sons of the Wang Family. Which of them do not go dining, wining, whoring, and gambling? How can they compare to the son of the Wei Family? In terms of background, the Wei Family is not any less than the Wang Family. In terms of appearance, he is better than your Bao Yu. In terms of character, no one says anything bad about him. If you can find someone better than the Wei Family, then we will do this. If not, Old Mistress, we will continue.”
Shi Ding’s wife took over, “Also, your family ruined Yun-yatou‘s reputation, and now, you do not even spare the Lin Family miss. We are your paternal family, you do not care about your own grand niece. Do you even not care about your own granddaughter? You do not want to just ruin Yun-yatou, you also want to drag down your granddaughter. You dare to mention your own daughter. If she knew that you ruined her daughter using her as an excuse, Old Mistress, do you feel that someone who is dead cannot come back to fight you?”
Mother Jia immediately felt a pain in her heart. Her daughter had passed away early. If not needed, she would not always mention her.
Madam Wang saw Mother Jia’s expression and said, “Old Mistress, are you all right?”
Shi Nai and Shi Ding’s wives just thought that Mother Jia was pretending to be ill, sitting there and not saying a word, watching the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
The noise in Mother Jia’s courtyard could not be kept a secret from those who wanted to know.
Jia Bao Yu had been keeping Shi Xiang Yun company. Seeing that she had cried and was very pitiful, he comforted, “Most people in the world are stupid. They do not know the good of Sister. I will find this Wei Ruo Lan……”
Before Shi Xiang Yun spoke, Xi Ren immediately stopped him and said, “My little forebearer, do not cause trouble. Because Miss Yun frequently comes to our courtyard, people say it is because of Second Master you, so…… If you go to praise Miss Yun now, you will substantiate such accusations, and you will not be able to explain when the time comes.”
Cui Lu had a direct personality. Hearing Xi Ren’s words, she was unhappy and said, “How come you say such things? What do you mean it is because our miss frequently goes to your courtyard? Does my miss not have a home to return to, that she must live with the Jia Family? Isn’t it because Second Master who does not know the taboos, and keeps on coming to our miss.”
“Close your mouth.” Shi Xiang Yun lectured, “Me and Second Brother are siblings. Other people say such things, and now even you do so.”
Cui Lu stomped her foot. “Miss, you do not care. But the Wei Family has broken the engagement. What about the rest of Miss’ life?” She glanced at Bao Yu and said, “Second Master, what is the use in comforting our miss here? If you really wish our miss well, go beg the old mistress and mistress in order to be together for a long time. There is nothing here.”
Shi Xiang Yun did not lecture her this time. She buried her head in her pillow and cried.
Jia Bao Yu sweated anxiously, wanting to agree. But then the figure of Dai Yu would appear in his mind, and he could not give his promise.
Suddenly, She Yue rushed into the River Bamboo Building, pulling Xi Ren and saying, “The mistress and Mistress Xue have discussed, and will engage Bao Yu with Miss Bao. She will be our second missus.”
She did not hide from others. Both Shi Xiang Yun and Jia Bao Yu heard this. Shi Xiang Yun stopped crying, turned around and looked dazedly at Bao Yu
Jia Bao Yu suddenly stomped his foot. “Who permitted this engagement, it must be false. The perfect match of gold and jade is a lie.” Then, his face turned pale, and he seemed a bit dazed.
Shi Xiang Yun seemed to see a chance. So Bao Yu did not want Sister Bao. She cried and called out, ” Second Brother……”
Jia Bao Yu seemed to have lost his soul, his heart empty. He did not know what to do.
Xi Ren and She Yue did not know what to do, very scared. Then, Qing Wen ran in and said, “What happened?” She pulled Jia Bao Yu and walked outside, saying, “Just now, the old mistress said that she and the mistress decided long ago that the engagement is with Miss Lin. If Second Master keeps on staying here, it will not be good if other people learn of this.”
Jia Bao Yu’s soul came back. He asked, “What did you say? Who is the other person?”
“It is naturally Miss Lin.” Qing Wen knew Jia Bao Yu’s thoughts and said, “Right now, they are talking about it, saying that this was decided back when the aunt was still alive.”
Jia Bao Yu instantly smiled and said, “This is right. Otherwise, why would the old mistress bring Sister to the home.” Then he hurriedly left with Qing Wen. His mind was full of Sister Lin being able to keep him company forever and never separating.
Shi Xiang Yun gazed at Bao Yu’s back and looked at the swaying curtain. She closed her eyes hard. “I was wrong. If I was like Sister Lin and had a good elder sister, today, I would not have ended up like this.”
Cui Lu’s tears came down. “Miss, let’s go home, we will not stay here to be slighted.”
Shi Xiang Yun smiled sadly and said, “Okay, you pack up.”
Right now, just like Shi Xiang Yun, the Xue mother and daughter changed expressions. When Aunt Xue heard that the Wei Family had broken the engagement, she thought that the Shi Family would come to press for marriage. With her understanding of her sister, of course she knew that she would not marry her son to a girl who had her engagement broken. In the short term, who could she find to match to Bao Yu? So when she heard the two Shi marchionesses come to the residence, she hurriedly found Madam Wang. The only thing that her family could rival others in was silver. A hundred thousand silver. It was almost half of the Xue Family’s total. As expected, her sister was tempted, and barely managed to agree.
But she did not expect that the old mistress had such a trick up her sleeve. Now, this engagement would not succeed.
Xue Bao Chai could not say what she was feeling. She said, “What old mistress says is not true at all. Maybe she will even anger the Lin Family. We have to guard against the old mistress being biased to her paternal family. Also, the Jia Family is not blameless in the matter of Yun-yatou. The two marquises have positions. If the matter continues, I fear……”
Before she finished, she heard a servant girl report. “Not good, Miss Yun hung herself……”
Translator Ramblings: I had hoped to get this up but for some reason, this whole entire week has been various things occurring one after another, none of it good news.
- Grafting Life Chapter 48 – Red Chamber (48)
- Grafting Life Chapter 50 – Red Chamber (50)
- Grafting Life Chapter 51 – Red Chamber (51)
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