Chapter 102 Wanting to monopolize Third Brother's Goddaughter, Aunt Zhao's not-so-frank goddaughter...
After seeing off Mother Xie, Lin Daiyu had just sat down when she heard a maid outside say, "Third Miss has arrived."
Lin Daiyu asked her maid to prepare new tea and snacks, and then led Tan Chun to sit down in the west side room.
This was the first time Tan Chun had come to the main courtyard alone. Since she was alone, she wasn't afraid of being seen by others, and no one could say anything about her, so she naturally looked around carefully.
It's so much better than their place.
Tan Chun's proudest spot was her Qiu Shuang Zhai, where she combined three large rooms into one, making it the most spacious and grand. Now, looking at where Lin Daiyu lives, it's nothing compared to it.
Tan Chun couldn't help but recall what Aunt Zhao had told her a while ago: a woman's marriage is like being reincarnated for the second time.
The second sister was reincarnated into two unfortunate circumstances, but what about her?
The first time it was conceived in the aunt's womb, what about the second time?
When Tan Chun entered, she picked up her teacup but didn't say anything. Lin Daiyu hesitated for a moment, thinking that she was probably about to say something difficult, but the longer she delayed, the more difficult it would be to bring it up.
Lin Daiyu joked, "Are you planning to have dinner here? Are you too shy to ask?"
Tan Chun chuckled and sighed, "Well, it's about Second Sister's wedding. Her wedding date is set for May 13th. I was thinking, we've grown up together since we were little, and everyone knows what kind of family the eldest son is. A dowry is a girl's face, so why don't we help her prepare more for herself?"
After Tan Chun finished speaking, she stared intently at Lin Daiyu. She knew that Lin Daiyu had many good things in her room, especially since two old women had brought her things one after the other on her way here.
Her spending on food, clothing, and daily necessities over the past six months has been terrifying to look at.
Tan Chun felt a little guilty, and when people feel guilty, they tend to talk a lot: "Second Sister's marriage is not as respectable as yours. Yours is in accordance with the three letters and six rites. I heard that the eldest master and second master Lian had two banquets with the Sun family and then it was settled. There was no matchmaker or anything. I only just heard that she was getting married."
Lin Daiyu thought for a moment and then instructed, "Xueyan, bring me the two boxes on my shelf where I keep the silver ingots."
She then said to Tan Chun, "Some things were given to me by the Earl of Zhongyong, and I cannot give them away to others. These silver ingots were given to me by my maternal grandmother as gifts during festivals, and they are all seasonal designs. I can't use them all; I probably still have more than a hundred taels left."
Tan Chun was somewhat disappointed.
She kept telling herself that these were all her things and it was normal for her not to give them away, but at the same time she thought that if her second sister only let a little bit slip through her fingers, she would be more respectable than others.
Leaving aside the Earl of Zhongyong, the old lady hadn't treated her badly before; besides Baoyu, she was the only one. Furthermore, she had a relationship with Sister Feng; how could she possibly be shortchanged on good things?
Realizing her own thoughts, Tan Chun secretly despised herself. Earlier, when Miss Xue wanted to take her things, she was indignant. How could she be imitating Miss Xue now?
As she spoke, a maidservant followed behind Xueyan, each carrying a wooden box.
Both wooden boxes were quite heavy, and they made a loud noise when placed on the table.
Lin Daiyu opened the box: "It's been quite a while. I'll have someone clean it before sending it over. And—"
She thought for a moment and said, "There are still some fabrics and jewelry. I'll have the maid pack them up first, and we'll send them to her together later."
Tan Chun dared not linger; she left the courtyard with a mix of grievance, envy, and a hint of jealousy.
Xueyan led the people to pack their things, and Lin Daiyu sighed silently: After all, they are not blood sisters, so let's put this matter aside.
Third Brother had mentioned the dragon boat race several times and had subtly hinted that she should dress nicely. Lin Daiyu blushed and thought, "When have I ever looked bad?" while looking at all the clothes again.
Since she looks good in everything, why not choose a color that Third Brother likes?
Despite saying that, Lin Daiyu thought about it again and again, and no matter what she wore, her third brother would always say things like "You look really good today" or "No one on the whole street can compare to you."
How are people supposed to choose now?
It's all Third Brother's fault!
Tan Chun came out of the main courtyard, but she was reluctant to go back. She wandered aimlessly around the Grand View Garden. After only two laps, she suddenly saw Aunt Zhao, and she wasn't heading towards her Qiushuangzhai.
What is she doing here?
Tan Chun sneered twice: "If you're not good at serving the master, why are you wandering around the garden?"
Aunt Zhao's eyelids twitched.
Madam Wang's head maid, Caixia, had her period. Coincidentally, she had caught a cold last month and was in so much pain that she couldn't get up. So Madam Wang told her to go home and rest for two days.
Caixia had always been close to Huan'er. With someone like her helping out and news coming in from time to time, Aunt Zhao's life became a little easier.
So today she's going to deliver ginger and brown sugar to Caixia; she has to maintain the relationship, right?
But the truth couldn't be told. Her daughter was closer to her wife, and if word got out, Caixia would be caught in the middle.
Aunt Zhao laughed and said, "Why would your master need me to serve him? Madam has officially taken Yuchuan as her maid and accepted her as a concubine. No matter how good Madam's maid is, even a maid who is just a concubine has her own room. Now your master is being served by her, so Aunt Zhou and I can take a break."
Tan Chun frowned, hesitatingly saying, "Then why doesn't the concubine go and serve Madam properly? The other day, the master was instigated by the concubine, causing Baoyu to be beaten. How could Madam let the concubine off the hook?"
As they talked, Tan Chun's emotions rose, and she thought of the marriage again, so she said, "It'll save me from being implicated. My aunt always says that a woman's marriage is like a second reincarnation. You've offended Madam like this, how can you possibly have any good intentions for me?"
The daughter cared about her, but only to a limited extent.
It's unclear whether she genuinely thought this way or was simply forced to say it due to circumstances.
Aunt Zhao picked out what she could say to her and said, "Your master is getting old. When men are young, they can have one or two concubines and still put in the effort to get along with them. Look at Aunt Zhou and me, that's how it is. But once they get older, they don't have the time to care what young girls think. So they just have her serve them."
These words made Tan Chun blush with embarrassment. She retorted sharply, "How dare you say such things to me, a young lady?"
“You’re not young anymore.” Aunt Zhao still had that same chuckled expression, as if she didn’t take anything seriously. “Since you asked me, I’ll tell you. In the end, when you get married, when you’re young, you can find a good-looking concubine for your husband from outside. When you’re older, you can find a couple from your own sons. Think about me and Aunt Zhou more, and you’ll understand.”
Tan Chun listened a little, then suddenly asked, "Does Aunt know about Second Sister's engagement?"
Aunt Zhao chuckled twice. Many people in the manor knew about this news, so they could tell her the details: "They received a dowry of ten thousand taels of silver over there."
Tan Chun gasped, "Ten thousand taels? How much dowry would that be?"
"It would be good if we could get a thousand taels. I heard that the First Madam was preparing things for two hundred taels, just to put pressure on the Old Madam and see if she could afford to lose face. Maybe she could even add some more."
Tan Chun frowned, hesitated for a moment, and said, "I just went to find Sister Lin to ask if she had anything to help Second Sister."
Aunt Zhao glanced at her subconsciously and asked, "Did you go alone?"
Tan Chun nodded.
"Thank goodness." Aunt Zhao breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't let me and your brother lose face in front of Miss Lin."
Tan Chun glared at her: "Can't you speak properly, Auntie?"
Thankfully, she wasn't too foolish. Aunt Zhao sighed, "If you bring a few people with you, you're forcing her. Tell me, what did you give as a betrothal gift when Miss Lin was engaged?"
“Two sets of needles and thread, and two rings.” Tan Chun was getting a little impatient as she said this. “It’s the same gift as always. She doesn’t need anything.”
Aunt Zhao curled her lip: "Everyone in the manor says that Baoyu knows nothing about officialdom or economics, but I think the one who knows the least is Madam. Look at what she's raised you to be. Other people have money, that's their money. Did the Old Madam give you anything? Would Madam leave you any of her money? Second Mistress Lian has so many novel things, why don't you ask for them?"
Tan Chun was rebuked and her face darkened. She muttered a few words and said, "It's getting late. Although you don't need to serve the master, you should go back early so that he won't be unable to find you."
Seeing Tan Chun turn and leave angrily, Aunt Zhao waited a few more moments before feeling relieved. She went to the servants' quarters, as the Grand View Garden was the closest route. She continued westward.
However, Tan Chun's next two sentences drew her thoughts back to Yu Chuan'er.
In fact, Aunt Zhao guessed that Jin Chuan'er and Yu Chuan'er were the two gifts that Madam had prepared for Master.
If it wasn't obvious at first, the fact that Yu Chuan received two taels of monthly allowance after Jin Chuan'er's death—two taels being the allowance for a concubine in the Jia family—always hinted at something.
However, none of that is the main point. The main point is that the wife doesn't treat Yuchuan'er like a human being.
She drove the older sister to her death, and then made the younger sister serve the master.
If Yu Chuan'er gains power in the future, Aunt Zhao might not be able to benefit, but the Madam will definitely not fare well.
Aunt Zhao smiled again and went to Caixia's house.
On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the carriage from the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion arrived early in the morning to take Lin Daiyu to the West Garden.
Today's itinerary starts with a small sacrificial ceremony, followed by dragon boat racing. After the dragon boat race, we'll stroll around a bit, and then it will be time for the banquet. After eating and chatting, it'll be about time to head back.
Lin Daiyu got off the carriage, and a eunuch whom Mu Chuan had instructed in advance came to guide her.
"Lord Zhongyong is over at the shipyard. Would you like to go see him first, or wait there for the sacrificial ceremony?"
As the eunuch asked, he glanced back at Lin Daiyu and said, "No one can compare to you in this outfit today, Miss."
Lin Daiyu immediately felt a little embarrassed: "Let's go see the Marquis of Zhongyong first."
Mu Chuan was waiting at the dock when many people came to greet him. Today was the day of the dragon boat race, and he was dressed a little thinly, with only his arms exposed. Some people even took pictures of him under the pretense of cheering him on.
It's clear he hasn't disassembled the door in a long time.
"Third Brother."
Hearing the familiar and clear voice, Mu Chuan turned around: "You're here?" He looked Lin Daiyu up and down, "You look really good today, but of course you look even better."
She wore a light peach-pink top and a floral skirt with colorful, three-dimensional embroidery. The high waistline made her look even slimmer and taller.
"Is it... based on the five-color scheme of the Dragon Boat Festival?"
Lin Daiyu didn't dare to look up. As she expected, her third brother said the same thing again today. She dared to think it, but she dared not look at him for long.
Third Brother was dressed in shorts today, and the clothes were rather thin. Through the thin fabric, she could see the scars on his arms.
He was wearing a short jacket.
"Third Brother," Lin Daiyu nodded, then asked, "Did you apply the medicine I gave you? Was it effective?"
Why are you so shy?
Mu Chuan found it amusing, and his voice carried a hint of laughter: "How long have you been applying it? But it might be somewhat effective, I think the color is a bit faded, do you want to take a look?"
Lin Daiyu quickly took a step back, and Mu Chuan laughed out loud.
"What's there to be afraid of looking at? I dare to wear it, what are you afraid of looking at?" Mu Chuan said deliberately, "Look up, everyone around you is looking at you."
How could this be—Lin Daiyu suddenly realized that this wasn't someone looking at her, but someone looking at her third brother.
Lin Daiyu looked up and glanced around. Sure enough, she met many eyes, and some even smiled at her. She glared angrily at Mu Chuan. The possessive thoughts that had arisen when someone threw him a handkerchief last time and when someone wanted to introduce his sister to him had grown stronger again.
But this thought is truly frightening.
"Third Brother," Lin Daiyu called out again.
"What?" Mu Chuan asked, "I'm definitely number one; none of them can outrow my fleet."
"That's not what I was asking," Lin Daiyu chuckled, but the desire to possess something exclusively made her flustered. "The other day, the second daughter of the Jia family was getting married, and the third daughter came to me, saying that I had some money to spare and wanted me to help with the dowry. Third brother, I'm not too willing. Will you think I'm stingy?"
This was just an excuse; Lin Daiyu didn't take it to heart. Perhaps she would have in the past, but not now.
She didn't even mention that when she got engaged, the gifts the second and third daughters gave her were nothing special, just the same as the ones they gave to everyone else.
She just wanted to hear her third brother comfort her. He had said that she could blame everything on him and that he would always be there for her. She wanted to hear it again.
"How can this be considered stingy?"
Lin Daiyu noticed that his tone was no different from usual, so it wasn't a big deal for him.
"You don't even call her 'Mom,' so why are you coming to her with things that her parents should be handling? She's worried about things, she's not giving anything out of her own pocket, why is she asking you to give something out of hers?"
Lin Daiyu chuckled: "Third Brother, your words are too crude."
"As long as the reasoning isn't too bad, that's fine. Do you want to hear something even worse?"
Lin Daiyu covered her ears: "I won't listen."
"It's too late," Mu Chuan laughed. "The betrothal gifts are about to be sent. Once you're married into the family, you'll have to listen to everything I say."
Lin Daiyu smiled, revealing two small dimples. Still covering her ears, she looked up at Mu Chuan frankly and said, "Third Brother, what did you say? I can't hear you."
"I said Miss Lin is beautiful, the most beautiful woman in the world."
"I also think that Fourth Aunt is the most beautiful."
Li Chengwu, who had come out to look for Mu Chuan, happened to hear this and then added a sentence.
Although Lin Daiyu covered her ears, she still heard everything clearly, and her face flushed instantly.
As Mu Chuan pushed Li Chengwu inside, he added fuel to the fire, saying, "You're moving with lightning speed!"
Lin Daiyu was completely bewildered, but when she came to her senses, she laughed until her face ached: "Who uses idioms like that?"
"Isn't that right?" Mu Chuan teased the girl with a straight face. "Swift as lightning means you cover your ears quickly, while covering your ears while stealing a bell means you deceive yourself. How is that wrong? Put them together and you're missing two words."
Lin Daiyu's lips curled up and never came down: "I'm ignoring you." She turned and walked away, but after taking only a few steps, she turned back and said, "Third Brother, row well and get first place. I have something for you."
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