Chapter 28 The Dining Table is a Battlefield "Be careful when you're out and about..."

"Qingwen? Is Qingwen here?"

"Miss Lin has arrived."

Before Qingwen could come out after responding, Jia Baoyu ran out from the inner room first.

It was almost time for dinner. Jia Baoyu had put on his robe but hadn't tied his belt yet. He was all smiles as he excitedly said to Lin Daiyu, "Please wait a moment, sister. I'll be done in a minute."

"Master Bao!" Xiren rushed out with her belt in hand: "What will this look like if outsiders saw this?"

Although Xiren was implying something and deliberately pretended to be anxious by not bowing to Lin Daiyu, Jia Baoyu didn't notice at all. Instead, he retorted, "How can Sister Lin be an outsider?"

Their question-and-answer session helped Lin Daiyu come to her senses. If she went to dinner like this, she would definitely be criticized again, not to mention that she wanted to attend the banquet.

She smiled and said to Jia Baoyu, "I need to borrow one of you to run an errand for me."

Jia Baoyu had eight head maids in his room. He spotted Qiuwen at a glance and said, "Then let Qiuwen go."

Lin Daiyu walked to the side and instructed Qiuwen, "Go find Zijuan and tell her to bring two pairs of socks that we just got today, and a pair of knee pads. Hurry up and go, I'll wait for you at Yihong Courtyard."

Qiuwen went out, but that wasn't enough. Lin Daiyu looked Jia Baoyu up and down. He was standing with his hands outstretched, and Xiren was tying his belt.

"How do I look? Do I look presentable in this outfit?"

Lin Daiyu smiled, tilted her head, and said, "It's too bright, let's change into something else."

Jia Baoyu looked down and suddenly realized, "I knew it! There's too much gold thread, and the old lady's room is too bright. I'll go change. Xiren? Come here quickly."

Xi Ren was so angry that she pretended not to see Lin Daiyu.

After the two went into the inner room, Lin Daiyu looked at Qingwen and handed her the things: "Take a look at this. Could you make me a few patterned garments? Just three sets will do. It will take me some effort to make them."

Besides, after three sets, she should be able to master it.

Qingwen took it and smiled, "You're so skillful. Was it just delivered by the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion today?"

Lin Daiyu nodded, not finding it strange at all. In the Rongguo Mansion, everything that happened was known to everyone in the mansion, let alone her, who was "a penniless outsider living in the Rongguo Mansion, who was pitied by the old lady and dared to sullenly face Bao Erye, and whose food, clothing and daily necessities were even better than those of the young ladies in the mansion."

But who cares? Anyway, now some people already consider her one of their own.

"I need a round-collar long robe, a cross-collar short jacket with a horse-face skirt, and a front-opening wide-sleeved long gown."

“This is easy, it won’t take long,” Qingwen said. “It will be ready after dinner. I’ll take it to Xiaoxiang Pavilion once it’s done.”

Before long, Qiuwen returned with the things, and Jia Baoyu came out wearing a light blue outer robe. Xiren followed behind him, and this time there was no reason for her to pretend not to see him.

She smiled and said, "I haven't seen Miss Lin wearing this dress before. Did the old lady make it for you?"

Lin Daiyu was still wearing that light purple jacket sewn with pearls.

“It was sent by the Marquis of Zhongyong’s mansion. I wore it especially to show my maternal grandmother.”

“My sister looks good in this too,” Jia Baoyu said with a smile.

"Let's go," Lin Daiyu urged, "We'll be late if we don't."

Jia Baoyu naturally took the things from Lin Daiyu's hands: "I'll take them, so my sister won't get tired."

Xiren followed behind and suggested, "Have a maid follow you. Second Master, don't carry it yourself. Be careful you don't not see the road."

It would have been fine if a gentle older sister had given him such advice when he was a child, but Jia Baoyu was already seventeen.

He didn't even turn around, he just raised his hand and waved, and that was it.

Xiren was still unwilling to give up, and escorted Jia Baoyu all the way out of Yihong Courtyard until she could no longer see his back before returning.

She sighed, feeling that Master Bao was gradually becoming distant from her, and that this was mostly due to Miss Lin's instigation.

Back indoors, Xiren forced a smile back onto her face, transforming into the gentle and considerate head maid of the Yihong Courtyard.

"What is this? Let me see."

Qingwen reached out and stopped Xiren, saying, "Don't touch it. These belong to Miss Lin."

Xi Ren's face showed embarrassment and shame, half of which was an act, in order to show how arrogant Qing Wen was, so as to prepare for the future.

Master Bao will be eighteen next year, and Master Er will be coming back too.

According to the rules of the Jia family, before a man gets married, he must have a concubine in his household. This concubine is not a maidservant, but a legitimate concubine with a title and recognized by the Rongguo Mansion.

Among those who could arrange marriages for Bao Erye were the old lady, the wife, and the second master.

The second master is unaware of what happens in the inner quarters, so it must be the old lady and the mistress.

But the problem is that there is only one position. Whether to keep her or keep Qingwen depends on their daily efforts.

"Why can't we touch Miss Lin's things?" Xi Ren argued with red eyes. Although she was pretending, she was more genuine than before, thinking that even if she won against Qing Wen now, Miss Lin would definitely have to get rid of her in the future.

“I also came from an old lady’s house. What good things haven’t I seen? Besides, I’m just looking at it, I’m not going to break it.”

Qingwen snorted coldly, rolled her eyes, and said, "Have you ever seen anything good? Do you even know what this doll is made of?"

"What else could it be?" Xiren said, "This color is probably from cotton, but it must be from better quality cotton to have this color."

Qingwen scoffed, "You don't recognize me."

Seeing that Xiren's face had turned red again, Mushe quickly pulled her away and said, "Master Bao said at noon that his head was a little itchy and he wanted to wash it tonight. It's so cold, we need to prepare things early. Let's put a charcoal brazier in the room to warm it up first."

The two went out to order hot water and a charcoal brazier. Xiren sighed to Mushe, "She is a maid in Master Bao's room. The old lady called her here to do needlework for Master Bao. She can't even handle the work in her own room. As soon as I give her any orders, she gives me a hard time... Sigh, anyway, it was Miss Lin who ordered it, so there's nothing I can do."

Musk Moon offered a few more words of comfort, saying, "It's just a matter of you and me doing more. Don't be angry with her. She's just taking advantage of being sent by the Old Madam. Even Master Bao scolded her; you've seen it before. Last time, Master Bao even snatched my fan and told her to tear it. I've used that fan for years and it's still perfectly fine. The two of them were laughing happily. Now, I'm afraid whenever I see her smile, afraid that she'll have some other ideas. Sigh... Master Bao likes her; there's no way to explain it."

Lin Daiyu had already arrived at Grandmother Jia's room.

Everyone was there except for her and Baoyu. Lin Daiyu was very glad that she had gone to Yihong Courtyard first today, and had pulled Baoyu along with her.

Lin Daiyu smiled and went in excitedly. She twirled around in front of Grandmother Jia and asked, "Grandmother, what do you think of this dress I got today?"

Her maternal grandmother always called her "my darling" and said that her mother was her most beloved child. When she said that, her maternal grandmother could only say "okay".

Sure enough, Grandmother Jia said "good" three times in a row and smiled kindly, "Sit next to me and let me take a good look at you."

Xue Baoqin, who was originally sitting next to Grandmother Jia, stood up. There was nothing she could do; although there were two seats next to Grandmother Jia, the other one was always reserved for Jia Baoyu.

She looked around, but apart from Xue Baochai, no one waved to her. Helpless, Xue Baoqin could only sit down next to her cousin.

She was genuinely afraid of this cousin, especially after she had bumped into the second young lady and caused her to leave. They had gotten along well at home before, except that the cousin was a bit lecturing. How could she have become like this after living in the Rongguo Mansion for several years?

As soon as Xue Baoqin sat down, Xue Baochai smiled and said to her, "Purple is so elegant; only she could pull it off."

Before Xue Baoqin could answer, Shi Xiangyun, sitting on the other side of Xue Baochai, snorted. Xue Baoqin realized that the words were not meant for her.

"These are fine things." Grandmother Jia reached out and touched them, sighing, "The outside is made of the finest tribute satin, and the inside is woven with northern velvet. And these pearls—"

Lin Daiyu continued, "Although they are not large, it is not easy to find so many pearls that are the same color, the same size, and perfectly round without any flaws."

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "You're so clever. Tell them to take good care of you and not to get it dirty. Don't let you wear it when it snows." As she spoke, she sighed, "Your mother used to love wearing light purple too."

Regardless of whether it was sincere or not, since Grandmother Jia said that, everyone could only grieve along with her.

At times like these, it's usually Wang Xifeng who changes the subject, and this time was no exception.

She laughed and said, "Grandmother, what is Bei Rong? I only know Lan Rong. Please tell us about it."

Grandmother Jia explained the origin of the Northern Rong, saying, "This thing is not easy to obtain; it is only available in the palace and is rarely bestowed as a reward. However, the Marquis of Zhongyong is serving as a soldier over there, so this thing is probably nothing to him."

Madam Wang suddenly smiled and said, "Your clothes are nice, but don't forget to eat. The old lady will worry about you."

She wanted to slap herself as soon as she finished speaking. She had just said she would treat her better, how could she forget? It was clear that this mother and daughter were really unpopular, not that she was saying something on purpose.

Lady Wang didn't like Miss Lin very much and always took the opportunity to reprimand her; this had become a consensus throughout the Jia family.

Over the years, even Jia Baoyu developed a conditioned reflex: "I wasted some time; the original clothes weren't quite right."

Madam Wang had just warned herself to treat the Lin family girl better, and now that she realized this, she naturally kept quiet and didn't say anything.

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "It's good that you're here. Let's go eat. The days are short these days, so let's finish eating early to avoid indigestion and not sleeping well at night. Yuanyang, hang up your coat for Miss Lin so she doesn't eat there."

Lin Daiyu breathed a sigh of relief. Although this might make her even more disliked, especially by her second aunt, who would increasingly believe that she had instigated Baoyu, at least she could get away with it on the surface.

She had been in the Rongguo Mansion for more than ten years and had never seen the three sisters of the Spring Festival arrive late. As for Sister Bao, whether she lived in the Grand View Garden before or after, she was always wandering around on the road and naturally never arrived late.

She can be a little careless sometimes... but she didn't live this kind of life before. There weren't such upsetting rules. If she was late even once, she would be nagged for days. Sometimes, even years later, it would be brought up again. Gradually, it became that she did it on purpose and that she was arrogant.

As for Baoyu... his maternal grandmother and second aunt only expressed their heartache when he was late, and never blamed him.

That's fine. As long as there's no outward advice, why should she care what others think?

As for the meal, needless to say, it was the same old place and the same old routine.

The Jia family's wives first served one bite of food to Grandmother Jia, and then Grandmother Jia spoke, and Lady Wang and Lady Xing sat down, with Sister-in-law Zhu and Sister Feng continuing to serve them.

Lin Daiyu glanced at Wang Xifeng with concern. She could smell the medicine and ginseng. Moreover, Sister Feng's face was covered with thick powder and her lips were painted with bright red rouge, just like the last time she had a cold and Yuanyang had helped her with her makeup to see her third brother.

Lin Daiyu looked around. Had they not noticed, or had they simply turned a blind eye?

She suddenly felt a little scared. If she were with Baoyu in the future... would she also have to live such a life?

Lin Daiyu glanced at Jia Baoyu, who noticed and returned the smile, but he didn't understand the meaning behind Lin Daiyu's gesture.

"Sister Feng." Lin Daiyu suddenly called out, then scooped two spoonfuls of steamed clam and egg and placed them aside, smiling, "You like this, I saved it for you."

Wang Xifeng wasn't feeling well, so her reactions were naturally slower. Grandmother Jia looked up and glanced at her, saying, "Hurry up and sit down. We have plenty of maids and servants at home. Why do you have to do these chores?"

Wang Xifeng then spoke up: "This is my filial piety. Please try it and see if it tastes good."

Since Wang Xifeng had sat down, Li Wan naturally followed suit. She smiled at Lin Daiyu first, then served herself two spoonfuls of steamed egg and said with a smile, "Let me try this and see how delicious it is."

The Jia family believed in not speaking while eating or sleeping, at least not while eating with Grandmother Jia. Saying just two sentences at the dinner table was already considered out of line. The rest of the time was quiet, and everyone finished their meal in silence.

Back in Grandmother Jia's room, everyone had a cup of tea in their hands, and they sat down in their pre-arranged seats to begin their daily routine.

Keep Grandmother Jia company and then subtly flatter her.

Taking advantage of the meal, Madam Wang once again recalled her original plan on how to deal with her sister-in-law's daughter.

First of all, you should treat her well, not prevent her from meeting Baoyu, and even encourage them occasionally.

Secondly, when it comes to the Earl of Zhongyong, he must be an elder; she absolutely cannot be allowed to become aware of his feelings. Otherwise, if a woman takes the initiative and shows even the slightest response, the progress will be ten months before she gives birth.

Thinking of this, Madam Wang smiled kindly and said to Yuanyang, "Lin's health is weak, go and get that jacket from earlier and put it on her."

After saying that, she smiled at Lin Daiyu and said, "I know that food should be warmer after eating, but the more it is warmer, the more we need to worry about catching a cold. I see that you are much healthier this winter and you don't get sick much, which shows that your health care is effective."

Lin Daiyu was still thinking that it was probably those hometown delicacies sent by her third brother when she heard Madam Wang speak again: "Baoyu, keep a close eye on your sister Lin. If anything happens to her, I will hold you responsible."

Everyone in the room, even the little maids standing to the side adding charcoal, felt that Madam Wang was probably possessed by a ghost.

Apart from Jia Baoyu, he said with a silly grin, "Don't worry, Madam, with me watching over her, my sister will definitely get better every day."

All eyes then fell on the Xue family members.

The story of the perfect match has been told for so many years; anyone who still can't see through it is truly a fool.

Jia Baoyu didn't look at the Xue family members. He was speaking energetically to Lin Daiyu beside him, saying, "I'll take you back in a bit. I also need to check the windows in your room. If any of them aren't closing properly, we'll replace them as soon as possible. It's already the coldest period of winter; after a snowfall, it will get really cold."

Xue Baochai's face still wore an impeccable smile, and Aunt Xue nodded in agreement with Madam Wang: "Lin'er is a bit weak. Someone should take care of her every day."

While this couldn't be called possession by a ghost, since Aunt Xue always appeared to be very kind to Lin Daiyu, it was still... very strange.

Aunt Xue's mental fortitude was neither as good as her daughter's nor as good as Madam Wang's. Taking advantage of the moment she lowered her head to drink water, she avoided everyone's undisguised gazes and thought again about what Madam Wang had said to her when she returned from the palace a couple of days ago.

...The old lady's hair has turned completely white this year, and I'm so worried I can't sleep at night. Luckily, the old man will be back next year, otherwise I'm afraid he won't make it in time...

...In previous winters, when the weather was nice, the old lady would go out for a stroll, and sometimes she would go to the East Mansion to admire the flowers. The year before last, she even went to the garden to enjoy the snow. But this year, she hasn't gone anywhere. Her health is getting worse year by year...

...Lin is the old lady's darling, I have to treat her well, otherwise the old lady won't feel comfortable leaving her with me...

I understand. The old lady is about to die, and in order to put her at ease in handing over the guardianship of Lin Daiyu to Madam Wang, she needs to treat Lin Daiyu better.

Aunt Xue raised her head and smiled at Lin Daiyu, her eyes full of pity: "I felt sorry for her from the first day I met her."

Lin Daiyu lowered her head shyly at the opportune moment and called out, "Auntie."

It's hard to say about others, but Jia Baoyu always wanted the old lady and his wife to praise his Lin sister. His wife had already praised her, and so had the old lady.

Jia Baoyu first gave Lin Daiyu a wink, then turned his body and hid behind Grandmother Jia.

They were already sitting on either side of Grandmother Jia, and with his gesture, Lin Daiyu also turned her body and leaned over, the two of them talking behind Grandmother Jia.

Madam Wang was furious, but she still watched with a smile, and said to Aunt Xue, "Those two are so naughty."

Jia Baoyu lowered his voice, making a "whispering" gesture, and asked, "Where is the thing you took just now? Perhaps it's for Grandmother?"

Lin Daiyu felt somewhat helpless. This gift was indeed meant for her maternal grandmother, but she didn't intend to give it to her in public.

The atmosphere in the Rongguo Mansion was a bit off. The maternal grandmother's attitude towards the third brother... well, even though it was a good thing, giving it to Grandmother Jia in public seemed a bit deliberate.

But Baoyu pointed it out to them, so they had no choice but to say it.

She sat up straight, picked up a package from the small round table, and said with a smile, "This is for my maternal grandmother."

Inside were two pairs of cashmere socks and a pair of cashmere knee pads.

At this point, we inevitably have to bring up Third Brother. After all, he's Third Brother, and he said to push any problems onto him, so he should keep his word, right?

"They sent knee pads, but how old am I? I don't need them at all!" There was a hint of complaint in her voice. Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "Sigh, if you don't take care of yourself when you're young, it'll be too late when you're old."

While Grandmother Jia was looking at something, Lin Daiyu glared fiercely at Jia Baoyu.

Jia Baoyu was somewhat humble in front of Lin Daiyu, always coaxing her and always the first to apologize when they argued or got angry. Not to mention, if Lin Daiyu even glanced at him, Jia Baoyu would be happy and even a little excited.

Grandmother Jia's chaise lounge was placed on a platform, which was the highest point in the room. Their flirtatious exchange made Lady Wang's anger rise again, but... she could only endure it.

Madam Xing couldn't stand it any longer. She hadn't had time to eat earlier, but now that it was time for a chat, she took the opportunity to beckon to Lin Daiyu: "Come here, let me take a look at your clothes."

Madam Xing came from a humble background; compared to the second wife, the first wife's family had virtually no wealth. She had never seen such fine clothes before.

Lin Daiyu walked to her side, and Madam Xing pulled her to sit down, saying, "This dress... I'm afraid one piece could support a whole family."

Lady Wang scoffed at her, and Wang Xifeng also felt that her mother-in-law was not presentable.

"How could that be?" Madam Wang smiled knowingly. "You'll know once you have these clothes."

Lin Daiyu smiled at Madam Xing. Regardless of whether Madam Xing was vulgar or not, at least her praise was sincere; she genuinely thought the dress was expensive.

"It was given by the Earl of Zhongyong, so it's not easy to return it."

Lin Daiyu spoke softly, and Madam Xing smiled and said, "You really look good in this outfit, outshining them all."

Lin Daiyu had just helped Wang Xifeng, so naturally she wouldn't let those offensive words fall to the ground.

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "The other day when I was cleaning out the storeroom, I found some fine fabric. I'll take advantage of it and make a new outfit for each of our young ladies."

Grandmother Jia laughed, "You little rascal, since you want my things as a favor, why are you being so stingy? It's almost New Year's, and you only give me one piece? You should have two sets. It's almost New Year's, so make something in a festive color."

Wang Xifeng was referring to one outfit, while Grandmother Jia was talking about two. And since it's winter, those two outfits would amount to more than ten pieces, inside and out.

"Hurry up and thank the ancestor."

Everyone in the room stood up, bowed to Grandmother Jia, and said with a smile, "Thank you, Grandmother."

Jia Baoyu then asked in a coquettish tone, "What about mine?"

Grandmother Jia was overjoyed as he grabbed her arm and shook her around, exclaiming, "You've got yours! You've got yours too!"

Xue Baoqin's eyes darted around. Even if she couldn't see the situation clearly, she could tell from her cousin's words that whoever had the most attention must be the most favored in the old lady's room. Jia Baoyu... she was engaged, so he was not suitable. That left only Miss Lin.

Now the opportunity has come!

She rose and curtsied to Lin Daiyu, saying, "Besides Grandmother, I also want to thank Sister Lin. If it weren't for Sister Lin, where would we get new clothes to wear?"

Xue Baoqin's tone was innocent, with a touch of coquettishness. Whether it was an act or not, it was still acceptable as long as one didn't delve too deeply into it.

Xue Baochai was even less polite to her cousin, and she laughed, "Then you should thank Uncle Zhongyong, because those clothes were a gift from him."

Xue Baoqin shook her head: "I don't know the Earl of Zhongyong, I only know Sister Lin."

Everyone laughed at her words, and the three sisters of the Spring Sisters stood up and curtsied to Lin Daiyu, who quickly returned the greeting.

Grandmother Jia then said to Xue Baochai, “It’s almost New Year’s. I know you don’t like these fancy clothes and prefer to wear your old clothes, but it’s almost December. After the Laba Festival, it will be New Year’s. You should wear nice clothes this month so as not to bring bad luck.”

When Grandmother Jia usually spoke of Xue Baochai, she always used ambiguous language, which could be interpreted as hints or as concern. This was one of the few times she expressed herself very directly.

Xue Baochai nodded hurriedly and said, "Of course we should wear bright colors for the New Year. But..." She smiled and then smiled at Lin Daiyu, "We can't steal Daiyu's thunder."

After exchanging greetings, everyone sat down again.

Xue Baochai was a little distracted. How could she not like a luxurious yet casual look? She dressed like that at home too.

However… now that she is staying at the Jia family mansion, it is not appropriate for her to overshadow the Jia family's daughter. Besides, she is plump and much older than Jia Baoyu; if she dresses luxuriously and exudes an air of authority, she will inevitably appear older.

Shi Xiangyun, sitting on the other side of Xue Baochai, looked around.

The three sisters were seated in order, with Yingchun next to her. There was nothing to say, so she said to Xue Baochai, "Actually, that dress is nothing special. I overheard the Princess of Nan'an and the others chatting, saying that pearl-embroidered blouses are quite common."

Xue Baochai was annoyed at the moment, so she said, "Say less, aren't you happy to have new clothes?"

Naturally, she was happy. Shi Xiangyun then asked Yingchun, "Do you think Sister Lin's clothes are pretty?"

Yingchun, who disliked trouble, smiled and said, "If the old lady says it's good, then it must be beautiful."

This is so boring. Shi Xiangyun asked Tan Chun again. Tan Chun had just been reprimanded by Madam Wang, but today... regardless of whether she was possessed by a ghost, Madam Wang actually praised Sister Lin several times.

Tan Chun smiled faintly and praised softly, "It is indeed beautiful."

Xichun was too far away, so Shi Xiangyun didn't ask. Besides, her best friend was a nun, and Xichun was the kind of person who would dare to say no to the old lady if pushed too far. Shi Xiangyun felt it was rather pointless to leave her alone.

As the event was about to end, Lin Daiyu revealed her true purpose.

“Grandmother, I’m going to Zhongyong’s banquet in a couple of days. It’s the third day of the twelfth lunar month. He said he’ll send someone to pick me up early in the morning.”

This matter can only be discussed in public; only by saving face can one reluctantly agree.

The room fell silent.

Lin Daiyu smiled and pretended not to notice. She continued, "The Empress's niece is also going. I heard that there are two girls about my age in the Marquis of Dingnan's family."

Someone in the room was so jealous their eyes were practically bleeding.

Grandmother Jia wanted to refuse, but she couldn't resist when she heard that the Empress had a niece.

—The Empress's niece, about the same age, and still unmarried. Once we get to know each other, we can invite her to visit the Jia family.

How many years has it been since the Jia family had a distinguished guest?

Besides, they are both related to the Empress's family, so they should naturally associate with each other. Her daughter-in-law said when she came back last time that Yuan Chun was very popular with the Empress and often chatted with her.

Grandmother Jia's smile was somewhat unnatural: "You... going out alone isn't very safe—I'm always worried about you."

Wang Xifeng hurriedly said, "If Grandmother is worried, Second Master should have time. Just have him deliver it to the door."

Although Wang Xifeng had a hundred ways to persuade Lin Daiyu to agree to let Jia Lian accompany her, she suddenly became reluctant. She just wanted to find Jia Lian a chance to go to the door; whether or not they could establish a relationship was up to him.

Lian'er is indeed one of the few capable people in the Jia family. Suppressing her displeasure, Grandmother Jia nodded and said, "Be careful when you're out and about, and don't be impolite."