Chapter 20 Grandmother Jia's Thoughts

Grandmother Jia waved for them to leave, and Yuanyang helped her to sit down in the courtyard. Watching the little girls playing in the courtyard, Grandmother Jia suddenly felt a sense of frustration.

She was well aware that the Rongguo Mansion had been on a downward spiral.

Grandmother Jia had been plotting to bring the Rongguo Mansion back to its former glory, but things didn't go as planned, and every step she took was not very successful.

When Grandmother Jia married Jia Min to Lin Ruhai, it was the first step in her plan for the family. She never expected that Min'er would leave so soon.

Another step was to be sent to the palace by Yuan Chun, but unexpectedly, they have not taken another step forward to this day.

The earliest step was taken by Jia Zhu. If Jia Zhu had come of age, with his talent, he might have been able to turn back the tide of the Rongguo Mansion's decline.

As a result... Jia Zhu died young.

In this generation, there is no one capable of turning the tide and supporting the entire family.

In recent years, Grandmother Jia has decided to stay out of these matters. While she is still alive, there will be no major changes in the Rongguo Mansion. After she dies, she will know nothing and will not be able to care about anything.

However, Lin Daiyu's arrival seemed to bring her a glimmer of hope.

Especially in the last two days, I have learned more about Yuan Hongqu from the people around me and from Lin Ruhai's letters.

My three daughters are quite good-looking. If they could also be more talented, I would like to make a good plan while I am still alive and marry them off to wealthy families.

Relying on family marriage alliances, it's unlikely that in-laws wouldn't help if their own family were in trouble.

These three girls are from respectable families, but I raised them without much education, treating them like little toys. I would play with them when I was happy and leave them aside when I was unhappy. This is not how you raise girls. It seems I really need to teach them properly in the future, so that they can behave like Min'er. That's how girls from the Duke's mansion should behave!

It would be a real shame not to make use of Yuan Hongqu, the teacher currently in the manor.

Grandmother Jia had heard that Yuan Hongqu was a very famous teacher at a girls' academy when she was in Yangzhou.

Many noblewomen in Yangzhou were students of Yuan Hongqu. These students must have been invaluable connections, right?

Grandmother Jia realized this: if these connections could be used by their family, the Jia family should be able to weather the crisis smoothly even without marriage alliances.

So how do you turn these connections into your own?

Unless Yuan Hongqu is one of their own!

Grandmother Jia's eyes lit up.

Given Yuan Hongqu's background and age, giving her a position in Jia Zheng's second wife's household would be enough to satisfy her.

Doesn't this turn Yuan Hongqu into someone from the Rongguo Mansion?

Then the connections she has can be used by her family.

The more Grandmother Jia thought about it, the more she felt that this approach was feasible.

But who should be asked to bring it up?

Her gaze fell on Wang Xifeng, who was in the courtyard with Sanchun, learning to practice the Eight Pieces of Brocade.

It seems that Feng Yatou has no choice but to step in on this matter.

Feng Yatou and Yuan Hongqu hit it off immediately, and it's said that they're as close as sisters. Feng Yatou must be happy about that.

Grandmother Jia asked someone to call Wang Xifeng over.

Wang Xifeng had just done the Eight Pieces of Brocade once. Her movements were gentle and slow, and she didn't sweat. However, her face was slightly flushed, as if she had applied a thin layer of rouge.

"Grandma, are you going back now?" Wang Xifeng thought that Grandma Jia was a little tired after visiting and wanted to go back to rest for a while.

"Alright, let's go, we'll talk about it when we get back." Grandmother Jia originally wanted to tell Wang Xifeng about this right away, but then she thought that this was Rongyue Courtyard, and most of the people in this courtyard were brought by the Lin family. It was hard to guarantee that they wouldn't tell Yuan Hongqu what she had said.

If these words were passed around, who knows what kind of rumors would spread!

Let's not reveal it until it's confirmed!

Grandmother Jia carefully considered her words throughout the journey, and upon returning, she dismissed all her attendants.

"Feng'er, why hasn't Yuan Hongqu married? She seems to be a bit older than you."

"Grandma, I don't know the details. There must be some inside story. Perhaps I'll ask her another day." Wang Xifeng really didn't understand why Yuan Hongqu was still unmarried at such an advanced age in the world of Dream of the Red Chamber.

"There's no need to ask too many questions. There's something you should ask her about."

Grandmother Jia said that she knew in her heart that even though Yuan Hongqu had been married before, she was now single, so it would not affect her plans!

Wang Xifeng asked curiously:

"That's quite rare. The old lady has Yuanyang, but she doesn't have enough to do, so she asked me to specifically ask about something?"

If it's a real matter, and Yuanyang can't handle it, then it's only right that I do it myself. But now it's just a question, and it would be enough for Yuanyang to go. Why do I need to make the trip myself?

"You little monkey, can't I even order you around anymore?" Grandmother Jia's face darkened.

Even if Yuanyang is a good matchmaker, she's still just a maid, which isn't serious enough for this kind of matchmaking.

Only if Wang Xifeng goes can it be shown that we take this matter seriously enough.

"Of course, the old lady can be ordered around. If you have any instructions, Feng'er will go through fire and water for you without hesitation." Wang Xifeng imitated the tone of a theatrical singer, adding a few literary phrases.

Grandmother Jia laughed at her words.

After a while, he said:

“You have a good relationship with Yuan Hongqu, go and ask her if she would be willing to become the second master’s concubine.”

"What?!" Wang Xifeng was so shocked that her jaw almost dropped, and she even blurted out in her dialect.

Grandmother Jia frowned and glanced at her.

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting? How old are you? Can't you be a little more mature?"

Wang Xifeng tucked her chin in, composed herself, and then spoke again:

"Grandma, this definitely won't do."

Grandmother Jia was displeased:

"Are you trying to shirk your responsibilities again? You're saying it's definitely not going to work before you've even asked."

Wang Xifeng sighed, "Grandma, think about it. Yuan Hongqu was Miss Lin's teacher. She's only been in our household for two days, and she's already become the Second Master's concubine. What will people think? Those who know will say that Yuan Hongqu sent Miss Lin to the capital, but those who don't will think that the Lin family sent a woman to the Second Master! How will Uncle Lin face this?"

"These are all minor matters. I'm just asking you to sound out the news. If it really comes to fruition, the procedures are quite complicated! It might take a month to prepare everything. After all, marrying a second wife is not the same as taking a concubine. Although it can't compare to the first wife, it's still a proper wedding with a grand banquet for guests."

Grandmother Jia thought that when the time came, she would invite all the students and their families who had been taught by Yuan Hongqu. Without Yuan Hongqu saying anything, these people would know that their teacher was now a member of the Rongguo Mansion.

"Grandma, I know without even asking that Sister Yuan won't agree."

Wang Xifeng said in a deep voice:

“Grandma, just from the monthly allowance and subsidies, my sister alone earns this much each month.”

She held up two fingers, and seeing Grandmother Jia's disdainful expression, Wang Xifeng said:

“Old lady, it’s not twenty taels, it’s two hundred taels a month. Besides that, there are also seasonal allowances for clothes for all four seasons and for each solar term... The second master’s second wife only gets ten taels a month.”

"Tell me, why did she agree to become the second master's concubine? Was it for money or for affection? Not to mention her status, a concubine isn't the first wife, how could she have a higher status than her now?"

“She was originally supposed to be Miss Lin’s governess, but now it seems our family doesn’t have to pay a single penny for anything, so she’s naturally very assertive. Right now, she’s just polite and respectful to us, but if she becomes the second master’s concubine, she’ll be half a servant. With Yuan Hongqu’s proud spirit, do you think she would ever agree to that, Madam?”

Wang Xifeng's tone became somewhat unpleasant as she spoke.

She couldn't guess why the old lady would do this, but who was her original sister?

As for Jia Zheng, he's so pedantic and old-fashioned. How dare he even dream of Sister Yuan? Bah!

Grandmother Jia felt a chill in her heart and immediately sobered up.

Yes, what is the original red lotus painting about?

Our family is no longer what it once was, and even back then, it was really beneath someone as talented as Yuan Hongqu to be a second wife of Jia Zheng.

Grandmother Jia felt a pang of regret. How could she have been so desperate and tried to scheme against Yuan Hongqu?

I'm afraid I really can't outsmart someone like that.

Has he been bewitched?