Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 708: Meeting Baochai in Lixiang Garden
Rongguo Mansion,
The eldest wife, Li Wan, gathered her sleeves, stood up and left, leading Suyun, hurried out of Lin Daiyu's courtyard and headed straight for the Pear Fragrance Garden.

Following the path, he arrived at the front yard. In order to avoid people, he deliberately made a detour, followed the path along the corner of the wall, turned to the east side of Feng Yatou's yard, and went straight in.

At this time, the Lixiang Garden was quite lively.

Many servants were still cleaning the yard under the command of the steward. There were also people who ventilated and cleaned the room where grain was stored every day. Even the martial arts field, which had not been abandoned in the past, was renovated. The soil was turned over, fertilizer was applied, and fruits and vegetables were planted. It was green and full of vitality.

Many flowers and plants were planted in other flower beds, which made the yard look much more beautiful.

In the main house,
With all the windows open and ventilation allowed, the room was naturally cool. As the breeze blew, the aroma of food wafted out.

Xue Baochai and Aunt Xue were having dinner in the main hall. What a coincidence, when they looked at the seat at the east end, they saw that Xue Pan was able to stay at home for dinner. He was a rare guest. After all, these days, when the Xue mother and daughter had dinner together, Xue Pan was basically nowhere to be seen.

I don't know if it's because the food doesn't suit my taste or I'm just used to eating out.
Xue Pan, on the other hand, had an impatient look on his face. He sat there, took two mouthfuls of rice, swallowed them, and put down his bowl and chopsticks without eating a few more bites. He twisted his body and said restlessly,
"Mom, sister, you guys eat first. I'm thinking about something. I'd better go to the school first. I heard that the special examination will be held the day after tomorrow. Many people are looking for the opportunity to guess the questions of the provincial examination. It will also help them learn more in the future. If they guess right, it will be a happy thing."

Without waiting for Aunt Xue or Xue Baochai to speak, she stood up and ran out of the room. Her agile figure made the mother and daughter who were left behind look at each other in bewilderment, and stare at the empty seat in astonishment.

"Oh, you killer, where are you going to cause trouble again? These are all your favorite dishes, why are they not to your taste?"

Before Aunt Xue could react, Xue Pan had already run out of the hall. Aunt Xue was so angry that she cursed him behind his back. Now, can't he even stay here for a moment of leisure?
Seeing this, Xue Baochai quickly put down her bowl and chopsticks, stretched out her hand to stop them, and consoled them;

"Mom, calm down. This is not the first time that my brother has done this. Let's eat first. In my opinion, going to school is better than going out to do other things. My brother is just taking the children of the Jia family to eat and drink. It's not a big deal. As long as they don't cause trouble, it saves the family a lot."

The reason why Xue Baochai stopped him was that her brother Xue Pan had not asked the family for money these days. After asking around, she found out that Xue Pan had been hanging out in the Rongguo Mansion's clan school all day long. Several teachers had left, but Jia Dairu came back and took Jia Rui to teach there together. However, due to his old age, he could only talk there for half an hour and then go back to rest. The rest of the time, his brother took care of them and they went to some taverns to drink, which didn't cost much money and they didn't run around to cause trouble. It was a peaceful period of time.

In this way,
Aunt Xue felt much better. It was true. As long as she didn't go to the brothel to make trouble, it would be fine. Every time she got into trouble, it was either in places where there were many seductresses, causing trouble, or in the alleys outside because of jealousy and fighting.
otherwise,
Is it time to arrange a marriage for Xue Pan? Last time, Jia Baoyu from Rongguo Mansion was so young, but now there are people coming to propose marriage. Xue Pan is not young anymore, so it’s the same if you calculate it.

"What do you mean by strong? He always makes trouble when he goes to the academy. I also heard that the children in the clan followed his example and made trouble. They said they wanted to guess the test questions, but they have to take the special examination. As for guessing the test questions, they are just dreaming."

He became angry as he spoke, and had some complaints about the Rongguo Mansion in his heart. In such a huge Duke's Mansion, why couldn't they arrange for more young men from the family to take part in the special examination? It would have saved some trouble. He didn't expect that in such a huge Duke's Mansion, only Jia Baoyu went to take the examination, and he was not afraid of being laughed at by outsiders. It must be that his sister contributed a lot to it. Why didn't he see it before.

The things in this

Xue Baochai had heard a little about it, but she couldn't interfere in the affairs of Rongguo Mansion. After all, there was a difference between inside and outside. I think there must be a reason. However, it's not a bad idea to give it a try for her brother's affairs.
"Mom, isn't my brother still registered at the White Deer Academy? A few days ago, I sent someone back to get my brother's ID card and asked Steward Xue to get him a red exam permit. But I kept it a secret and I don't know how to tell my brother."

Xue Baochai hesitated for a moment, then took out a test paper and a two-ounce ingot of silver from her waist pouch and gently placed them on the table.

Aunt Xue's eyes widened in disbelief. This was the evidence Xue Pan Enke had used for reference. When did her daughter get it? She asked anxiously.
"My dear daughter, where did you get these? Don't think I don't know. To get these, you need a letter of recommendation from an official. Where did you get them from?"

Although the students of the academy can also hold red visas, the Bailu Academy is affiliated with the old capital of Jinling. How can they come to the capital for the imperial examination? They need a letter of recommendation from an official. The question is, which official will give the face?

"Mom, don't worry. Manager Xue said that when he was in Jinling, he went to Su Jinkai and all these things were done by Su Jinkai. As for the recommendation letter, it was from Jia Yucun, the prefect of Jinling, and he also brought a message, asking us to take care of Miss Lin if it is convenient for us."

Speaking of Jia Yucun, there is also Su Jinkai, and the Xue family mother and daughter are no strangers. One is the prefect of Jinling, and the other is the largest salt merchant in Jinling. They are also related to the Marquis' Mansion. In this way, isn't it?

"You, this matter will not happen again. After all, we haven't really entered the palace yet. We must not do this, or the others in the mansion will look down on us. As for Miss Lin, she is indeed Zhong Xiu's person. She will have people to help her wherever she goes. Just find a chance to thank her!"

When Aunt Xue left, she asked around and found out that Luo Yunhou had left many businesses and people in Jiangnan. Su Jinkai was one of them. She didn't know if Jia Yucun was one of them. The Jinling prefect's surname was Jia, so this made sense.

"Mom, what you said is nothing more than some casual matters. Miss Lin is easy to talk to. I will find a chance to tell her about it and let it go. But my brother is not familiar with the writing skills and will definitely not want to go. How can we persuade him? The exam will start the day after tomorrow. It will be too late if we don't talk now."

Xue Baochai felt a headache. If she had known this would happen, she would rather not have taken these things. Her brother used to go to school frequently, and she thought he had become smart, so he was busy with all these things. But she didn't know that within a few days, he was beaten in Yanchun Tower, and he was with the Jia family's children in the clan school. He had learned bad things.

"Don't worry. Talk to him tonight. Let's prepare some dry food and the four treasures of the study for him. It just so happens that the purple robe he has been wearing hasn't been washed yet, so let him wear it too. That way, he will have enough. Oh, and there are also the eight-treasure pickles that Sister Liu sent from Rongguo Mansion. You can pack them up and take them with you. Then we will have everything. We both know what he can do in the exam, so it would be good for him to go and see for himself."

Aunt Xue was just thinking, forget it,
Went to the examination room.

What should he do if trouble arises again? But on second thought, the chief examiner of Hanyuan Hall is Marquis Luo Yun after all. With him around, he can always keep things under control. Not to mention, when reviewing the papers, if, for the sake of Xue Baochai, he lets Xue Pan pass, that would be a great thing.

Of course I just hope this happens. After all, everything is anonymous, so I can’t see it even if I want to help.

"In that case, mother, I will go and prepare for my brother, so that he won't be in a rush when the time comes. I can go to Hanyuan Hall with my brother and Jia Baoyu the morning of the day after tomorrow."

When Xue Baochai saw her mother's consent, she stopped hesitating and decided to let her brother see what was going on. It would be better than just hanging around at home.
"In that case, after dinner, I will go and prepare something for my brother."

Aunt Xue smiled, as if she had let go of a burden. She picked up the bowl and even ate a few more bites.

The mother and daughter were eating.
Outside the screen,
The maid's voice came.

"Madam, Miss, the eldest grandmother of Rongguo Mansion is here,"

The two who were having dinner looked at each other suspiciously, wondering why she was here. Xue Baochai reacted quickly, put down her bowl and chopsticks immediately, and said;

"Quick, invite the grandmother in, don't be disrespectful."

"Yes, ma'am."

The maid just left.

Xue Baochai thought about it and felt that it was inappropriate, so she immediately got up and followed him out.
Soon, they arrived at the door. As soon as the maid opened it, they saw Li Wan, the eldest wife of Rongguo Mansion, standing outside with a personal maid.
Xue Baochai smiled and told the maidservant beside her,
"Go and bring some refreshments to the grandmother." "Yes, miss."

The maid just left.

Xue Baochai immediately helped the eldest grandmother, Li Wan, in.

"Oh, grandma, how come you have time today to come to my place? Come in quickly."

Li Wan was not shy either. After all, the Xue family was well-known in the Jia family and had received many compliments. She followed Xue Baochai into the flower hall and took a seat.

"Today, I didn't want to disturb Sister Baochai, but I have something I can't solve, and I thought that only you can help me, so I came to your house shamelessly."

Li Wan didn't beat around the bush. She blushed and said she was begging for help. However, Xue Baochai was a little surprised to hear that the always calm and dignified eldest lady looked like this. It seemed that she had encountered difficulties.

"What did Grandma say? We are sisters from the same family. Why do we need to ask for a letter? If my younger sister can do it, she will definitely agree. But what happened?"

Li Wan sat up straight, her face still a little ruddy. Just now in Daiyu's maid's courtyard, she didn't react when she said they were sisters. Now in front of Xue Baochai, she still said the same thing. Thinking of that enemy Luo Yunhou, now, they really are sisters. For a moment, she felt complicated.

But thinking about why he came here, he calmed himself down and said;

"Nothing happened, but it was just for Brother Lang. The day after tomorrow, the special examination will start. Brother Lang also signed up and was assigned to Hanyuan Hall. Considering that it is still too cold at night, I wanted to find a fox fur robe for Brother Lang, but I couldn't find it after searching around. I really have no choice but to come to my sister to borrow one. I will return it after I use it."

Li Wan did not hide the fact that Lang'er was going to take part in the special examination, and said frankly that she came to borrow the robe because of this.

Xue Baochai was a little surprised. Wasn't it said that there were no other young men from Rongguo Mansion attending the event except Jia Baoyu? What was going on? Suddenly, an idea flashed in her mind. Could it be that he was the same as her brother and did not use the quota recommended by Rongguo Mansion? In this case, the eldest lady was wronged, otherwise she would not have let Lang'er find a quota outside.

Thinking in this way, things became clear. As for the fox fur robe, although it was a bit expensive, in Xue Baochai's eyes, it was just a piece of clothing. She really had a few extra pieces.

"What are you talking about, grandma? It's just a piece of clothing. Why would you lend it to me? I never thought that Lang'er would take the special examination. If you don't mind, I have the fox fur coat that my father used when he was alive. I have washed it and put it away. Please take a look at it."

Li Wan was overjoyed when she heard this, thinking she had come to the right place, but she also noticed the surprise in Xue Baochai's words, thinking that she had realized,
"Look at what my sister said. It's good enough that you can borrow it. Why are you complaining? My sister also knows that the weather is not right yet. If you wear thick clothes during the day, you will feel hot, and it will be cold at night. I only have this one. I can spread it out at night and use it as a quilt."

Hearing what the grandmother said, Xue Baochai knew what was going on. It was just a piece of clothing. No one would wear it if she kept it here. Her brother didn't like black, so it would be a waste to keep it. She might as well be a good person and send the Buddha to heaven.
"That's great, Ying'er. Go to the inner room and get the master's black fox fur coat and bring it back to the grandmother."

"Yes, ma'am."

Ying'er, the maidservant who was serving beside him, responded and went to the inner room. The maidservant who had just returned came over with people, served tea and water, and also brought a few plates of cakes and placed them on the table.
"Grandma, you're welcome. This fox fur coat is expensive, but I have quite a few of them. Since Brother Lang has participated in the imperial examination, I will help him get some literary talent. You don't have to return the fur coat after you take it."

As he spoke, he personally poured a bowl of tea for the grandmother and pushed it over.

But Li Wan couldn't accept it. This was not something that could be bought with small amounts of money. A set of fox fur would cost at least several hundred taels of silver. A good one might even cost several thousand taels. She quickly declined.
"I appreciate your kindness, but this dress is too valuable. How can I keep it?"

Seeing Li Wan's refusal, Xue Baochai had obviously expected this. Before the eldest lady could say anything else, Xue Baochai interrupted her.

"Grandma, you are too kind. It's just a piece of clothing. Besides, I want to discuss it with you the day after tomorrow. My brother has also applied for a place with a red ticket. When the time comes, Lang'er and my brother will go to the corner gate of the backyard and take a carriage to the Hanyuan Hall to take the exam. What do you think?"

Xue Baochai just thought about it and decided not to go with Baoyu.

Thus,
He couldn't go through the main gate or the side gate of Rongguo Mansion. After all, the Jia family members were coming and going and would be seen at a glance. He couldn't go through the main gate either. If Master Bao left the mansion, there would definitely be a lot of noise. Coincidentally, Lixiang Garden was an independent courtyard with its own corner gate. In this way, he could leave from here without anyone noticing. No one else would know either. He should be able to keep it a secret for three to five days.

However, Li Wan, who was sitting opposite, suddenly widened her eyes after hearing this. Someone from the Xue family actually participated in the special examination. How could she not have heard of this? Thinking of Lan Ge'er, it was true. If she could keep it a secret from herself, why couldn't she keep it a secret from others? What the Xue family's sister said was not without reason. When the examination started the day after tomorrow, the whole family would definitely send Master Bao off alone. It would be conspicuous for Lan Ge'er to leave the house, not to mention that he would have to carry so many things. If it was really as Xue's sister said, leaving from here might not be a bad idea.

"Sister, you are right. The doors of the mansion will be inconvenient to open the next day. I need to carry so many things with me. It will be a bit eye-catching. It will be much better to go through here. Since sister has asked, how can I refuse as a sister-in-law? However,"

Li Wan paused again, thinking of what Master Zheng said, that more people were needed to escort the examinees, just in case something went wrong on the way, and added,

"Sister, when you send me to the exam, you need to bring more people with you, and pay attention to safety on the road, just in case,"

Although I don’t know what to guard against, it’s better to be careful.

Xue Baochai stared at her sister-in-law for a few more times. She was a strong mother. Her sister-in-law had also put a lot of thought into Lan Ge'er. She hadn't thought of these things. She just didn't know why so many people were needed. Could it be that she needed to bring so many things? She asked;

"Sister-in-law, you are just going to take the exam. You can just go out the back door with a carriage and a driver. There is no need to make such a big scene. Wouldn't it attract attention? Even though you go through the back door, it is still the same road. It is not good to be seen."

I don't know why, but I still feel a little resistant to the things happening in Rongguo Mansion. Let's not talk about the things that happen on the surface. Second Madam seems to be very powerful, but when she doesn't have those jobs outside, the reputation of the Jia family among the clan members is not very good. But ever since Second Madam Wang Xifeng found a job for them, she is the only one who has the final say among them. This is also what I heard from my brother Xue Pan.

It is said that the second grandmother is in power, and the eldest grandmother is the only one left, living a widow's life, which is very hard for her.

Li Wan was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly. It seemed that the younger sister of the Xue family had misunderstood. It made sense. She didn't know what happened during the imperial examination last year, so she replied;

"Sister, I don't have this idea. I don't know that during the imperial examination last year, a candidate was robbed on the road, which delayed the imperial examination. So today, bring more people with you, just in case. Only when you enter the examination room can you feel at ease."

Xue Baochai looked a little embarrassed. So that was the case. But she had to be more careful. Fortunately, she had brought so many servants with her. She was not afraid and nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry, sister-in-law. There are many servants and boys in the mansion. We can just send them out through the back door that day. Just ask brother to be careful."

(End of this chapter)