Last time on Grafting Life: Another death, and another woman for Jia Lian.
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Chapter 55 – Red Chamber (55)
Jia Rong could see Second Sister You’s face was flushed, her eyes watery. She clearly was tempted. There was no need to worry about Mother You. Father was not as good to Second Aunt as in the past. Mother You had to get rich while Second Aunt was at a good age and find someone willing to take her. This old woman was the worst.
It was not that he thought badly of her for remarriage, but people could not think about the things she did. If she really was a good one, she would not have taken her two young daughters and remarried right after her husband died. She did not just marry into an aristocratic family, the family’s background was a bit better than her previous family. From this, one would know that she was someone capable and had beauty. She even had some property. People cared greatly about the reputations of women, especially those who were willing to stay a widow. They were even called virtuous women. If she really wanted the best for her two daughters, she would not have remarried. Take the family property, raise her two daughters, and find them good families to marry. Was that not good? But she did not do that. She took her daughters and remarried. Not even that. When clearly knowing that Jia Zhen and his son had intentions towards her two daughters, she still moved into the Jia Family.
Mother You was one of the women that Lin Yu Tong disliked the most in the Dream of the Red Chamber.
People said that mothers are strong. She watched her two children, and even led and pushed her two children into the fire. With such a mother, it was not strange that Second Sister You and Third Sister You had problems with their characters. Mother You was not a good role model. With such family conduct, she did not teach her children to love themselves. They were like Jia Rong. They never had a good example in childhood and were taught badly.
So, they were as bad as Jia Rong and Jia Zhen. The second and third You sisters were like their mother, who did not care about reputations.
Mother You talked with Third Sister You, “Rong-ge’er‘s words make some sense. You are in the residence and just live with an unclear status. It is better to have a proper status. The residence over there is a bit more proper. Your sister is too soft. If she encounters a strong one, I have to think more about it. Rather be free outside for a lifetime than go into the residence to be tormented. I asked around today. They say that Second Missus Lian is a virtuous person. Two years ago, she was very domineering, but now, her servant girl has climbed on top of her. Thinking about it now, she is not a very clever person. That concubine Ping is still an old person even if she is very capable. There are many conflicts with Second Master Lian. He may not truly like her. After your sister goes, in a few days, she will get his heart. No matter how capable that concubine is, when the man’s heart is not on her, her capabilities are useless. After the mourning period is finished, she will enter the residence. If she can give birth to a son or two, she will count as a missus. What else is there to want? She is no longer a virgin, she is not a girl. This kind of respect is enough.”
Third Sister You cursed, “What kind of bastards are these? The men treat us like prostitutes. Now, they say that they will bring us into the residence, but who knows if they will throw us away after a few days and the novelty passes. Who can we ask for justice then?”
“Then what do you think we should do?” Mother You asked, “But if you press them too much, the chicken and the egg may both be lost.”
“Other than the Jia Family, have all the men in the world disappeared?” Third Sister You sneered. “Without him, there are others.”
“But there are no other people like this who we know.” Mother You looked at Second Sister You and said, “You speak about your own matter. Do not forget the matter of Zhang Hua. Your terrible father had made such a match for you. The Zhang Family had declined, but they originally were heads of the imperial farm. Which family do not have any friends, they are not people we can fight? You think about how the Jia Family compare to the Zhang Family.”
Third Sister You finally stopped talking. Second Sister You blushed and nodded. “I will listen to Mother.” She accepted.
The next day, Jia Rong got the news and hurriedly told Jia Lian. Jia Lian was overjoyed and hurriedly had people find a good house in Little Flower Alley, buying furniture and servant girls. Because the Little Flower Alley was not far from Ningrong Street, just two miles, on this day, he coincidentally encountered Bao Er. After Bao Er’s wife died, Wang Xi Feng gave him silver for the funeral, and he married Miss Duo. Miss Duo’s husband, Duo Hun Zhong, had died from drink. The two got together to live. Jia Lian saw that Bao Er was soft, and did not mention the fact his wife had died and told the couple to serve in the residence outside.
Bao Er wanted silver. Last time, Wang Xi Feng had rewarded him greatly. He wanted to use the information to get to another reward.
When Second Sister You entered with Mother You and Third Sister You, this Bao Er found a chance to tell the news to Jia Yun. Jia Yun’s mother and Wang Xi Feng were in close contact. This was not a secret. However, they did not know that Jia Yun was helping Wang Xi Feng manage her properties. However, because it was not convenient for them to meet, he had his mother go to the residence or would use the excuse of sending things to Xiao Hong to pass on messages.
Jia Yun heard Bao Er’s words and immediately gave him twenty silver. “I will think of a way to report this. I won’t take any of the reward. Do not worry.”
Jia Yun did not lack for silver right now. Everyone outside knew that Jia Yun had a job outside now, and everyone gave him some face. Right now, the reputation of Jia Yun was good in Ningrong Street. Bao Er believed in what he said.
The third day after Second Sister You moved into the Little Flower Alley, Wang Xi Feng got the message that Jia Yun passed on. Jia Yun did not just pass on the news, he also asked about the matters of the You Family.
Wang Xi Feng looked at the son in her arms, and at her daughter playing at the side. She did not speak for a long time. Her son was not yet three months old. She felt unspeakably sad.
“As expected, a dog cannot stop eating its excrement,” Wang Xi Feng sneered.
“I do not know what Eldest Miss Zhen is thinking, daring to bring her sister and have her do shameful things like this,” Xiao Hong spat.
“Child, You-shi does not have a good heart, but she may not be able to decide,” Wang Xi Feng whispered. “That Mother You is truly shameless. To be able to get a match with the son of the head of the imperial farm, they must have some property in the family. She did not stay a widow, took her two daughters, and managed to grab onto the You Family which is a better match. The You Family had been very good in the early years. Otherwise, You-shi would not have been able to marry Eldest Master Zhen. However, it may be karma for Mother You. The master of the You Family died. Luckily, You-shi entered the Jia Family. With such a marriage, who will not hold on and not let go? She is not You-shi‘s birth mother, and not Eldest Master Zhen’s true mother-in-law. Who will pay attention to her? However, she is able to risk it all. She used her two daughters as gifts for others. Eldest Master Zhen got tired of Second Sister You. Otherwise, it would not be our second master’s turn. He takes someone’s trash and treats it like treasure. People truly look down on him.”
As they were speaking, Ping’er lifted the curtain and walked in. “Missus, is what you say true?”
Wang Xi Feng frowned and said, “When did you learn to eaves-drop?”
“Missus, just tell me if this is true.” Ping’er looked at the child in Wang Xi Feng’s arms and said. She felt tears rise. “Missus just finished giving birth. Second Master like this is too chilling to the heart.”
“You are a good girl in love. It was my mistake to have you follow such a bastard. If you did not hear this today, I would not have told you.” Wang Xi Feng patted her child and said, “I pretend to not know, you pretend to not know. We will guard the children and live our own days. In the future, keep an eye on the silver, do not let your second master fool you and use them to support the new missus.”
Ping’er paled. In these days, she had taken a share of the pawn silver and given it to Jia Lian. “Second Master had said that he is buying some property to leave to our Gui-ge’er.”
“He is lying to you, foolish girl,” Wang Xi Feng smiled and said, “So many years, and you still do not understand. If not for the silver you gave, how would he have the silver to buy a courtyard and servants? Over there, they call her the ‘new missus’. I have birthed a son and a daughter for him, but right now, I am the ‘old missus’. You served him so diligently, but right now, you are just the concubine.”
Ping’er sat down next to Wang Xi Feng, depressed. “Missus, what should we do now?”
“Let him go.” Wang Xi Feng hugged her son and touched her daughter’s face. “I will no longer care for him. He can do as he pleases. When the old mistress and the mistress return, I will ask for several people for Second Master, put them by the eldest branch, and open another courtyard for them to live. As long as they do not appear in front of me, it is good. I do not want to see them in my lifetime.”
Ping’er nodded. “I will follow Missus and live well.”
Wang Xi Feng smiled and did not say more. But inside, she was full of hate and anger. She did not care about Jia Lian, but he dared to treat her like this. The You Sisters dared to climb on top of her. If she did not fight back, she was not Wang Xi Feng. Right now, she was a woman with children. She had to consider them, and make plans for the long run.
After tossing and turning for a night, Wang Xi Feng wrote a few characters, badly written, and gave them to Xiao Hong to deliver to the Lin Family. She did not know how to read. She had learned these characters when Qiao-jie’er was learning to read. Just these three words filled the entire page.
Lin Yu Tong unfolded the paper and barely managed to recognize the characters — sterilization.
Editor’s ramblings: Happy Lunar New Year!
Translator Ramblings: Remaining a “widow” rather than marry was something considered good during certain time periods. Of course, in other time periods, widows were encouraged to remarry in order to boost the population.
- Grafting Life Chapter 54 – Red Chamber (54)
- Grafting Life Chapter 56 – Red Chamber (56)
- Grafting Life Chapter 57 – Red Chamber (57)
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