The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 390: Xue Shazi's evil words hurt people's hearts, and the virtuous Baochai sees the source of the trouble

In the backyard of the Xue family, Aunt Xue and Baochai and her daughter were discussing going to Mount Qixia to worship Buddha on the Double Ninth Festival tomorrow, when Xue Pan walked in listlessly and sat aside in a daze.

Aunt Xue and Baochai were both upset when they saw this. Aunt Xue sighed secretly and asked softly, "Pan'er is not going out today?"

Xue Pan shook his head and said in a low voice: "Why go out? Let those guys laugh at me for being a eunuch? If mother hadn't forced me yesterday, I wouldn't have bothered to go to the celebration party for my third son's success in the imperial examination."

Aunt Xue was choked and speechless, but when she thought of her son's inhumanity, she could not help but feel grief and indignation. How could she say a word of reproach? She softened her tone and said, "Forget it. You can do whatever you want in the future. I don't care about you anymore. If you want to go out and play, go out and play. If you want to stay at home, stay at home."

Xue Pan was immediately delighted and asked, "Are you really not going to care about me?"

Xue Baochai hurriedly gave a warning: "Brother, live a peaceful life in the future and don't cause trouble outside. How can mother interfere with you?"

Xue Pan shook his head and muttered, "See, I knew you would still take care of me. Not only do you take care of me, but you also specially asked Huan Lao San to take care of me. Don't think I don't know what you are up to. Now I am also a loser, so why don't you just recruit Huan Lao San as a live-in son-in-law, so that there will be someone to carry on the family line and inherit the family business in the future. I know what my sister is thinking, she likes Huan Lao San very much, and Huan Lao San is indeed a capable man, much better than a loser like me, and will definitely bring glory to the Xue family in the future."

As soon as these words came out, Aunt Xue and Baochai's faces changed drastically. The latter's face turned pale and she cried sadly: "Mother, look at what nonsense brother said. If I had such thoughts, I would definitely go to the eighteen levels of hell and never be reborn."

Xue Pan muttered, "You said this yourself, sister. I didn't force you. Don't flirt with that Third Brother Huan anymore."

Upon hearing this, Xue Baochai felt ashamed and angry, and was heartbroken. She felt that all her hard work and efforts over the years were so ridiculous. She couldn't help but cry until her heart was broken, and she was almost dying.

Aunt Xue was shocked and angry. She grabbed a feather duster and hit Xue Pan hard, saying in a trembling voice, "You rebellious son, you are a wicked creature who has lost his mind. How much yellow soup did you drink in the middle of the day? You are spraying maggots all over the place. Over the years, Bao Yatou has been busy running around for this family, working hard, while you have been spending your days in debauchery and causing trouble. When you got into trouble, Bao Yatou had to run around and beg for help for you. How much injustice have you suffered? Now you actually say such heartless words to hurt her. You are worse than a beast.

Why did Bao Yatou go to Beijing to be selected as a concubine? Your family is well off, with fine clothes and delicious food, why would you do such a menial job as a waiter? You bastard, if you have any conscience, apologize to your sister right now, otherwise don't recognize me as your mother anymore, and I don't want you as my son anymore."

Xue Pan shrank his neck with an embarrassed look on his face. Seeing his mother was really angry and his sister was crying as if she was about to pass out, he could not help but panic. He cursed Wang Ren for his bad idea and slapped himself in the face, saying, "I was wrong. I was talking nonsense and spewing shit. My dear sister, please don't be angry and forgive me for this time."

Xue Baochai's eyes were red and swollen from crying, and she sobbed, "You don't have to apologize. I know you have spoken your mind today. Well, tomorrow I will shave my head and go to a nunnery to become a nun. Brother won't have to worry about mother finding a son-in-law to take away your family property, and I will have one less worry. From now on, our family will be peaceful and happy."

Aunt Xue was so angry that she hit Xue Pan twice with a feather duster, and hugged Baochai and cried, "My son, what nonsense are you talking about? Your brother is disabled and he was in a bad mood, so he said something he didn't want to say. Don't take it seriously. If you want to become a nun, I will follow you. I won't stay in this house anymore."

The mother and daughter hugged each other and cried bitterly. Ying'er and other maids were filled with righteous indignation and glared at Xue Pan.

Xue Pan fell to his knees, slapping himself repeatedly to admit his fault and apologize. Xue Baochai finally softened her heart and gradually stopped crying. Aunt Xue took the opportunity to say, "My child, your brother really knows he was wrong. Please forgive him this time. Even if you don't think about the relationship between brother and sister, please think about your dead father."

Xue Baochai burst into tears when she heard this, and she sobbed, "Mother, please stop talking. I am not angry with my brother, I am only angry with myself. From now on, I will only do needlework and will no longer be involved in the family business."

Aunt Xue smiled bitterly and said, "You are still angry with your brother. Besides, if you don't take care of it, who will? If your brother takes care of it, it may be squandered in a year or two."

Xue Baochai shook her head and said, "Brother should have taken charge a long time ago. Now it's time to calm down and concentrate on running the family business. Sooner or later, you will have to shoulder this burden. It's better to let go and adapt as soon as possible. With the help of the housekeeper and the shopkeeper, it shouldn't be a problem.

Don't worry, mother. Children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. If they have enough, they will have food and clothes. If they really lose everything, it is fate. This is how the world has always been. No one is happy forever, and no flower is red forever. Dynasties will change. Which family dares to guarantee eternal prosperity?"

Aunt Xue was speechless when she heard this. Alas, it seems that Bao Yatou's heart has been broken this time, so she might as well just let it go. Xue Pan lowered his head and said nothing, with a face full of shame and regret.

"You evil creature, why don't you get up? Get out of here and stop being an eyesore!" Aunt Xue looked at the listless Xue Pan and couldn't help getting angry again.

Xue Pan stood up with an embarrassed look on his face: "Mother and sister, calm down first, I will come back to apologize later."

"Leave here, your sister won't be angry." Aunt Xue snorted coldly. Xue Pan turned around embarrassedly, and suddenly remembered something. He took out a list from his arms and handed it to Aunt Xue, who said unhappily, "What is this?"

"The Wang family wants to repair their ancestral tomb and asked us to help purchase stones. This is the list that Master Ren made."

Aunt Xue's face flashed with an unnatural look. She took the list, glanced at it, and blurted out, "So many?"

Xue Pan nodded and said, "There's more to come. Master Ren said that our family has a wide range of business channels and can get cheap and good materials, so he asked us to purchase them. Anyway, our family purchases wood and stone materials for the palace every year, so we can just give him some of them."

Aunt Xue frowned and said, "Nonsense, the things used in the palace are also randomly distributed, and it is not appropriate for the Wang family to use it to repair the ancestral tomb."

Xue Pan said disapprovingly: "It doesn't matter. Every year, we have some surplus materials purchased for the palace, such as tea leaves, palace flowers, silk fabrics, etc. The surplus is either used by ourselves or given to relatives as favors."

Xue Baochai wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, took the list from Aunt Xue and glanced at it, her eyebrows slightly wrinkled, and she said softly: "The materials used for tomb repair are not the same as other materials. They are all customized. The stones that the Wang family wants seem to be out of order. We can't give them to them. If we give them, there will be problems."

Aunt Xue was surprised and asked, "Really?"

Xue Baochai nodded and said, "The Ministry of Rites has detailed regulations for everything from the size to the materials and decorations involved in the construction of tombs. Officials of different ranks should use the specifications of officials of different ranks, and they cannot go beyond the regulations at will. If you build a tomb against the regulations, you will be convicted. This matter can be serious or minor."

Aunt Xue hurriedly returned the list to Xue Pan and said, "Return it to Ren Ge'er quickly and ask him to change the specifications. Otherwise, our family can't buy for him. If anything goes wrong, we will be responsible."

Xue Pan said with a bitter face: "What can I say? This is my uncle's order. If I don't follow it, he will be unhappy."

Xue Baochai said, "Just tell Master Ren directly that it's not that we don't want to help, but violating the rules is no joke. How about this? You give Master Ren three thousand taels of silver and ask him to find someone else to buy the goods. As a daughter of the Wang family, it's reasonable for mother to contribute to the repair of her family's ancestral tomb."

Upon hearing this, Xue Pan took the list and left cheerfully. With the three thousand taels of silver and his face saved, Wang Ren should not bother him any more.

Xue Pan was actually not stupid, and he knew a little about the ways of the world. Wang Ren went to the Xue family to buy stones simply because he wanted the Xue family to pay some money. Otherwise, there were places to buy stones, so why did he have to go through the Xue family?
After sending Xue Pan away, Aunt Xue saw that her daughter's eyes were still red and swollen, and she couldn't help but hug her and said distressedly: "Precious girl, I'm sorry for you. Don't be angry with your brother. He is just in a bad mood and has wild thoughts."

Xue Baochai's eyes turned red again when she heard this. She lowered her head and remained silent. Just at this moment, a maid came in and said, "Housekeeper Lin from the Jia Mansion just sent someone to report that Master Lin is critically ill and Master Huan has already rushed to Yangzhou."

Aunt Xue and Baochai were both shocked and it took them a while to come back to their senses.

"Amitabha, why is it so sudden? I hope Lord Lin can turn the danger into safety." Aunt Xue said with her hands clasped together.

Xue Baochai sighed inwardly. She knew more than Aunt Xue. Lin Ruhai had been poisoned by Aconitum at the beginning. Although he was temporarily rescued, the damage to his body was irreparable. His sudden critical illness was actually expected.

"I'm afraid Lord Lin won't survive this time. Mom, please make some preparations and go to Yangzhou to pay your respects. This will be considered as a gesture of family love." Xue Baochai said lightly.

"Poor girl Yu, she lost her mother a few years ago, and now if Lord Lin is gone too, she will become an orphan without anyone to rely on."

Xue Baochai sighed, "Everything is determined by fate. It is beyond our control. This is all destiny. Although Brother Huan has left, he is still a man. There is no one to help with the Lin family's backyard. Unfortunately, the Lin family is small, so I am afraid that I will not be able to find anyone to help. Mother is at least Miss Lin's elder, so it would be good if she could go and help a little."

Aunt Xue nodded and said, "You are the one who thinks things through, Bao-ya-tou. I will prepare everything here, and if there is a funeral over there, we can leave immediately."

(End of this chapter)