Three Wives and Four Concubines in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Page 140

"Now that the Gu family is in decline, Yu'er, you must be careful. You can only trust the information in this booklet; you can't trust a single word from anyone else!"

“At the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet in a few days, Prefect Xu will definitely invite many famous talents from Yangzhou. You must make a name for yourself then and give those who want to side with the Gu family some confidence.”

Lin Ruhai was very confident in Gu Yu's poetic talent. Back then, he was still able to amaze everyone when he was drunk at the Qinian Poetry Gathering, where many top scholars gathered. Now that he has grown up, wouldn't it be a piece of cake for him?

"Uh…"

In a daze, Gu Yu felt as if a familiar voice was calling out in her ear:

"I, Gu Yu, would rather starve to death, die outside, or jump off this cliff than gain fame by copying poems! — Ah, it smells so good~"

Slowly tucking the booklet into his sleeve, Gu Yu nodded in agreement and took the opportunity to pour out all his doubts. The uncle and nephew stood in the dimly lit corner, talking for an unknown amount of time until the candlelight went out, before finally closing the door and leaving.

……

"Meet the ancestors!"

"Good, good, good! Get up, get up! This child is so handsome!"

Inside Rongqing Hall, Grandmother Jia smiled, her face full of wrinkles, as she held the young girl in her arms and watched her intently.

Wang Xifeng, standing at the lower end, smiled and said:

"It seems that the old ancestor has found a treasure. Since he likes Baoqin so much, why not adopt her as a granddaughter? That way, I won't have to be jealous for no reason."

As she spoke, she put on a hurt expression and sighed. Baoqin had never seen Fengjie act like this before, and seeing this, she was quite embarrassed and tried to get up, but was hugged even tighter by Grandmother Jia with a smile.

"Don't mind this woman's antics! She always says silly things like that. If you took it seriously, she'd laugh at you for being silly! -- Tell me, what are you jealous about?"

Wang Xifeng, with the expression of a wronged young wife, pointed to herself, then looked around at Daiyu and the others who had come to see the guests, as if asking them to join in the judgment.

"In the past, I couldn't compete with the old lady in doting on these granddaughters, which made sense. But now that Baoqin has come, the old lady is spoiling me like this—could it be that she thinks I'm ugly?!"

Seeing that Sister Feng suddenly seemed to have realized something, everyone present finally couldn't help but burst into laughter. Lady Wang, sitting next to Aunt Xue, secretly glanced at the dignified Baochai and Baoqin nestled in Grandmother Jia's arms, and said with a chuckle:

"In that case, how about I adopt a goddaughter? That way you won't be jealous."

Without further ado, he began to acknowledge the relatives. Baoyu looked at the sisters and cousins ​​on the scene, feeling dazzled, and for a moment, he was so overwhelmed with emotion that he exclaimed:

"I used to think my sisters were all stunningly beautiful, but now that another older sister has arrived, I'm speechless. Heavens! How much grace have you bestowed upon the daughters of this world?"

Tan Chun happened to be sitting next to him. When she heard Bao Yu sigh, her joy faded a little.

Although it was only the first time that Sister Baoqin and Sister-in-law Zhu's two cousins, as well as the First Madam's niece and others had met, it was clear that they were all beautiful and intelligent women. But when would Brother Bao get rid of his bad habit of judging people by their appearance?

After Baoqin kowtowed and stood up, Grandmother Jia embraced her again and turned to Madam Xing, saying:

"Your niece doesn't need to go home. She can stay in the garden and explore the place first."

After saying this, Grandmother Jia asked Li Wan's widowed aunt and her family to stay. Although Aunt Li was very reluctant, she had to agree after being persuaded to stay several times.

"As for Baoqin, she can sleep with me for a few days, hahaha~"

……

Chapter 5 Methods for Distinguishing Twins

After dinner, the girls went back to the garden together. Xue Baoqin also came over with a smile to join in the fun. They were related by marriage, and they chatted and laughed all the way, quickly becoming acquainted.

After watching Baoyu return to Yihong Courtyard, Xue Baoqin sensed the atmosphere in the group relax slightly. She blinked in confusion and couldn't help but look at her cousin, Baochai.

Although Baoyu's age was indeed a bit inappropriate, she could see his innocent and bright heart that afternoon. In addition, knowing how much Grandmother Jia valued this precious grandson, she dared not look down on him.

Why do the Jia sisters, Lin Daiyu, and even his own cousin, who seem closer to him, all seem to be subtly ignoring him? They couldn't possibly be unaware of Grandmother Jia's deep affection for Baoyu, could they?

Noticing Baoqin's gaze, Baochai merely smiled slightly and didn't reply. Instead, she nudged Daiyu's arm, who was hurrying along with her head down, and chuckled softly to herself:

"You silly girl, what's wrong? You've relapsed into your old ways again? You can't stand seeing other people's relatives come over. When Brother Yu gets back, I'll have to tell him to teach you a lesson, hehe~"

“Ouch~!”

Daiyu, startled by her words, blushed and looked up as if to hit her, but before her sisters could turn around, she quickly composed herself, coughed lightly, covered her mouth, and then glared at Baochai, saying:

"I'm not afraid of what you say. At worst, I'll sue you—so what if it's true or false? Once someone is in the right, what does it matter?"

Recalling someone's unforgiving attitude, Baochai couldn't help but blush. For a moment, the two of them were reminded of that person far away in Jiangnan, and fell silent.

Fortunately, the group included the lively Xiangyun and Tanchun, whose banter masked the awkward atmosphere in this corner. After passing Qinfang Pavilion, the girls stopped to admire the Daguan Tower across the river.

Tan Chun smiled and turned around to call out to her sister, "Sister Voiceprint," then looked at the Li Wen and Li Qi sisters standing side by side. She hesitated for a moment, then could only smile and say:

"The two sisters are standing together, my goodness, who can recognize them?"

The two sisters were born at the same time, only half an hour apart. They looked exactly alike from a young age, and they still do now that they've grown up. They even wear the same clothes. The sisters chuckle and look at each other, but they still can't tell them apart.

Daiyu looked at it for a long time, then suddenly clapped her hands and laughed:

"I know how to divide them. You just need to look at Second Sister and Third Sister."

"Ok?"

Seeing Yingchun looking down at her with a blank expression, Daiyu chuckled:

"Are all sisters in the world like this? The second and third sisters outside are the same; the older ones are gentle and tender, while the younger ones are more lively—look at Baochai and Qinchai, aren't they like this too?"

The women followed her finger and, after careful observation, finally discovered a clue. Just as Daiyu had said, although the two women looked exactly alike, upon closer inspection, Li Wen had gentle, reserved eyes and a more lively demeanor, while Li Qi's eyes were more lively. Indeed, they were quite similar to the other sisters.

"Lin Daiyu is indeed clever!"

Li Qi was impressed that the girls had figured out how to distinguish the sisters so quickly. However, he quickly turned his eyes and secretly exchanged a glance with Coco Lee, a sly glint in his eyes.

"But you can't be sure, why don't you guess again?"

The next moment, the two women's descriptions seemed to be reversed. Coco Lee, who had been gentle just now, became quirky and mischievous, while Li Qi lowered her head shyly, as if she was embarrassed because she had only been teasing them.

"this…"

Even Baochai couldn't help but open her mouth, leaning forward with a surprised expression, trying to find some flaw. But no matter how she looked at it, it seemed as if the two had switched positions at some point, and she couldn't find any trace of it.

Daiyu hesitated and covered her mouth, her pretty face full of confusion. When had she ever seen someone change their expression so smoothly and without leaving a trace? Especially since neither of them gave anything away.

Seeing that she had finally intimidated the women, Li Qi smiled smugly and finally revealed her true colors. The women quickly surrounded her and showered her with praise.

"You two older sisters are amazing!"

"Does your aunt usually distinguish between the two of you?"

Li Qi smiled, a hint of smugness flashing across her pretty face, and said:

“When my mother was little, she could tell my sister and me apart. But now that we’re older, if we do it on purpose, she’ll mistake me for her sister.”

Xichun secretly observed for a long time, then couldn't help but look up and ask:

Is there really no way to tell them apart?

"Of course there are..."

Li Qi blushed and lowered her voice a few decibels. Seeing the girls blinking and waiting for her to continue, she shyly revealed some of her sisters' secrets, hoping to build a good relationship with them:

"My sister and I each have a small mole on our waists; my sister's is on the left, and mine is on the right."

Baoqin couldn't help but laugh out loud. Surrounded by girls of similar age, she had no qualms and winked, saying with a smile:

"What's the difference between saying this and not saying it at all? Do you expect that after you two get married, you'll need to look at that spot to figure it out?"

“Ouch~!”

These words were so blunt that not only did Coco Lee and Li Qi blush, but Daiyu and the others couldn't help but give Baoqin a shy and reproachful look.

Baoqin had traveled to various states with her father and brothers since she was a child. She was naturally lively and cheerful. In a moment of excitement, she went too far. When she came to her senses, she regretted her rashness. However, seeing that the young ladies in the family did not seem to react too strongly, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

To her surprise, her previously well-behaved and law-abiding cousin did not reprimand her for speaking frivolously, which truly astonished her.

After this little incident, the girls felt embarrassed to stay any longer, so they set off again. When they arrived at Daiyu's Xiaoxiang Pavilion, they could hear someone reciting poetry inside the courtyard before they even entered.

"Which sister is inside?"

Baoqin and the others looked at each other, about to go in to pay their respects, when the person inside seemed to hear the noise and called out with a smile, "Miss Lin is back!" as they ran over to open the door.

A young girl emerged from inside, dressed in fine silk and brocade, but strangely dressed as a maid in a short blouse.

Her delicate, fair face was rosy and flawless, with a charming and clever air about her. She had a slender waist, narrow shoulders, and a curvaceous figure that was quite beautiful.

"Zijuan and the others are so lazy! Why did they make you come and open the door?"

Daiyu smiled and struck up a conversation. Qingwen only realized how many people had come when she stepped outside, including many unfamiliar faces. She quickly toned down her enthusiasm and greeted them in with grace and poise.

"Now we're having trouble teaching Xiangling, Miss. Everyone says that little devils are hard to deal with, so we have to curry favor with Zijuan, don't we?"

Footsteps soon echoed from inside, and the curtain was lifted a moment later, followed by Zijuan's embarrassed and annoyed voice:

"I was just trying to make things easier for you, and you actually complained about me. Don't come begging me to help you next time—ah! Greetings, ladies!"

Even Xing Xiuyan, who had always been relatively unknown, couldn't help but widen her eyes in surprise as she looked through the doorway. Inside, there were four young girls dressed as maids, each one a beauty. Were they really maids?

Chapter Six: Qingqing Takes the Initiative to Wear the Hat

As they entered, the recitation of poetry ceased. Xiangling stood up and greeted the young ladies with a slightly shy demeanor.

The girl in front of him had delicate features and a curvaceous figure, and her demeanor was not at all like that of a maid. However, her short shirt was hard to deny.

The new girls couldn't help but secretly gasp. They had heard countless compliments since childhood, and while they weren't arrogant because of it, they were at least aware of their own beauty.

Now that they've arrived in the capital, even the Jia family has several maids who are just as good as them. How can this not stir something in their hearts?

Even Xing Qiuyan, with her indifferent nature, couldn't help but take a few more glances, marveling at the power of this wealthy family. However, she quickly regained her composure.

Seeing the atmosphere suddenly become subtle, Daiyu and the others exchanged glances and quickly introduced themselves to everyone with smiles:

"This isn't just any maidservant. Even if it were Sister Bao, she'd have to call her sister-in-law!"

"Girl, stop teasing me..."

Xiangling, being easily embarrassed, couldn't stand such words and immediately blushed and begged for forgiveness. Baochai smiled and pulled her away, teasingly explaining:

"Xiangling and Qingwen are Lin Daiyu's brother's maids. Apart from Lin Daiyu, who would dare to disrespect them?"

Baoqin and the others, unaware of the deeper meaning of these words, skipped over the part. Seeing that Xiangling was still holding a scroll of poems, they all came over with smiles and jokes, quickly enlivening the atmosphere.

It was getting late, and the women had just finished dinner before entering the garden. They hadn't sat for long before hurrying on to continue. Just as they were about to say goodbye, an old woman suddenly came in carrying a booklet. She handed it to Zijuan beside her without looking at her and then quietly withdrew.

This respectful and solemn demeanor was quite different from the smiling, gossipy maids in the Jia household, easily attracting the attention of the newly arrived ladies in the room. Baoqin tilted her head and looked at them, finally unable to resist asking:

"What's been delivered? This old woman seems a bit different..."

Seeing that Daiyu did not refuse, Zijuan took the initiative to hand over the book she was holding, half explaining and half showing off:

"It's just this ten-day menu. The kitchen changes the menu every ten days to include forty-eight new dishes. Some of the main dishes need to be prepared one or two days in advance, so we specially sent this booklet."

“Every day, the young lady should try to select the main dishes so that there is enough time for the kitchen. Even if she suddenly decides to change her mind, it will only take a little longer than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. As long as the young lady eats fresh food.”

Can you still play like this?

Although Baoqin had broadened her horizons by following her father and brothers, she had never seen such a way of playing. Such extravagant behavior seemed to have only been seen in books. Who would have thought that it would happen in real life?

Baoqin took the booklet and flipped through it curiously. She saw that it was categorized into eight major cuisines, with seven dishes under each category. At the end, a few more dishes were added separately in red, making a total of fifty or sixty dishes.

"These are dishes that the girls like to eat, so I specially ordered them."

Seeing Baoqin look up, Zijuan answered her question with understanding before she could ask, which made Baoqin breathe a sigh of relief.

"Truly...a young lady of great wealth! The Rongguo Mansion is so rich, it's truly an eye-opener."

She was well-informed and could tell the Jia family's extravagance just by looking at the names of the dishes. The perch and water shield on this page were famous products of Jiangnan, while the bighead carp and white mullet on that page were unique to Sichuan. Such a collection of ingredients from all over the country could not be solved simply with money.

Seeing that Baoqin seemed to have misunderstood something, Zijuan was about to explain when Daiyu's embarrassed and annoyed gaze came over, making her realize what was going on and quickly shut her mouth.

If I were to say that this was specially prepared by the master, wouldn't that "stain" the girl's innocence? It's better to play dumb.

"I didn't expect the food in the garden to be so good. It's a pity that the old ancestor left me to live alone, so I can't enjoy these delicacies on a regular basis. Could these eight major cuisines be learned from that Yingkexuan restaurant in the capital? I heard about the reputation of this restaurant when I was in Ping'an Prefecture. It was said to be the best restaurant in the world."

Baoqin chuckled and handed the booklet to Coco Lee and Li Qi, gesturing with her lips:

"Since it's already time today, you can go along with the host and choose your dishes for tomorrow to see if there's anything to your liking?"

Baochai gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, looking at the pleading eyes of Daiyu and the others. She felt a little overwhelmed. Her cousin had always been so carefree and outspoken, and they never got along. She never expected that she would cause such a mess now.

If they wait until they return to the garden and settle down to find out that they have chosen the wrong menu, it would not only make Lin Daiyu lose face, but also cause misunderstandings in her heart. Wouldn't that be even more of a mistake?

To avoid suspicion, Gu Yu naturally couldn't send the item to their courtyard in a grand manner, but only gave it to them briefly at Pear Blossom Spring Rain and Xiaoxiang Pavilion. However, she didn't expect Baoqin's generous gesture to cause an awkward situation.

As Gu Yu's personal maids, Qingwen and Xiangling naturally knew the inside story. Seeing the young ladies in such a predicament, Qingwen frowned and glanced at the women huddled around the menu. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she smiled and quietly said:

"It's alright, I'll go back and tell the old women to send over a few more portions. The girls just need to watch out for the gossips from the old women in the courtyard."