Chapter 53 As expected of the "Third Brother" surnamed Wang, you know the torment of two...
Lin Daiyu hurriedly put on her vest and cloak, and just as she came out of Xiaoxiang Pavilion, she saw Yingchun calling out from afar, "Wait a moment, I see that Third Sister and Fourth Sister have also come out."
The group went together to Grandmother Jia's room.
Jia Baoyu was lying on the soft couch by the window, with a blanket draped over his body.
One corner of his mouth was cut, and the other side of his face was swollen. He had taken off his long coat, rolled up the sleeves of his inner garment, and there was a large bruise on his arm.
Seeing the girls come in, Madam Wang quickly pulled the blanket over him.
Grandmother Jia sat to one side, tears streaming down her face: "Who the hell could be so cruel as to do such a thing?"
Madam Xing comforted her, saying, "They're just superficial injuries, nothing serious. They'll be fine after some rest."
"Stop talking nonsense! It's not your grandson who's being hurt!" Grandmother Jia scolded angrily.
Madam Xing wasn't afraid at all. In the past, at least half of her complaints were silent, but now she didn't care. Grandmother Jia was just a toothless and clawless old tiger; she would say whatever she wanted.
"I need to have grandchildren too."
These words also targeted Wang Xifeng, who frowned and subconsciously glanced at Madam Xing.
Madam Xing sneered, "Lian'er is already thirty."
"Say less!" Grandmother Jia snapped. But Madam Xing reminded her, and she pointed at Wang Xifeng's nose and scolded, "Is this what you meant by telling Lian'er to take care of him!"
Wang Xifeng also felt wronged. She defended herself, saying, "Yesterday, Baoyu said he was going to Feng Ziying's banquet. Second Master Lian told me when he came back, and Xue Pan will be going too. What about Mingyan? How did he take care of Baoyu?!"
While calling for help, Grandmother Jia gently patted Jia Baoyu, saying, "Does it hurt? I'll skin them alive!"
Jia Baoyu said, "Grandmother, don't worry, it won't hurt." Then he looked at the girls and smiled, "Don't—ouch."
Madam Wang immediately turned around and glared at her: "You'd better shut up!"
Lin Daiyu and the others then seized the opportunity to step forward and take a look.
To be honest, the injury wasn't very serious. Lin Daiyu still remembered the last time her third brother showed her the scars on his arm. Although he only rolled up his sleeve to show her a tiny bit, the scars were raised.
Third Brother must have been in so much pain. Did anyone care about him then? Did he have hot water to drink? Did he have any medicine to apply to his wounds?
Seeing her like this, Jia Baoyu couldn't help but recall the last time he was beaten, when she cried until her eyes were swollen.
He went to see her on New Year's Eve, and thinking about it now still feels like a dream. Although he didn't know it was because he drank too much calming soup, seeing that Lin Daiyu was perfectly fine, he thought... maybe it really was a dream.
Jia Baoyu was a little annoyed. Why had he avoided her for several days because of a dream?
"Sister Lin, I'm fine."
"You're no good at anything!" Lady Wang scolded again.
Lin Daiyu simply stopped talking.
Mingyan waited outside, while Xue Pan waited outside the second gate. The old woman also called Jia Lian over.
Upon hearing the old woman's reply, Tan Chun hurriedly pulled everyone into the inner room, and even Xue Baoqin followed her in.
Tan Chun was still a little confused: "Isn't that your cousin?"
"I saw you all get up, so I didn't think much of it—" Xue Baoqin said innocently. Only family members know the shameful things that happen to their own family. Xue Pan... just looking at him makes her feel dirty, and being looked at by him makes her feel uncomfortable for three days.
Moreover, once you're inside, it's not good to go out again, otherwise it would be too conspicuous.
The girls sat together and heard the old lady scold Mingyan first: "Is this how you take care of your Second Master Bao! You only ever let him fool around, you're useless! He's been beaten up like this, and you're still perfectly fine!"
Mingyan knelt down with a thud, kowtowing as she said, "Those people came on strong. Li Gui, Wang Rong, and Chuyao were all beaten. I originally wanted to rush up too, but Li Gui kicked me and told me to hide first, otherwise... if something happened, no one would report it."
Both Li Gui and Wang Rong, who have names and surnames, are older servants, especially Li Gui, who is also Jia Baoyu's wet nurse.
When Lin Daiyu heard this name, she knew that her maternal grandmother would not scold her. The wet nurses of Rongguo Mansion were always respected. Although Li Mama served a junior, this junior was Jia Baoyu.
Sure enough, Grandmother Jia frowned and asked Jia Lian, "Is this how you take care of Baoyu?"
Jia Lian looked even more innocent: "Grandma, he wanted to go out on his own. He said he was going to find Feng Ziying for a drink. I haven't even stepped out the door these past two days."
"He doesn't socialize with people, so where would he have enemies? He's beaten up like this, I wonder what deep-seated grudge he has. Did you offend someone outside?"
A huge scapegoat was thrown at her. Wang Xifeng knew that Jia Lian was clumsy with words and only knew how to act tough, but the old lady was clearly venting her anger, and she couldn't argue with her, so she shifted the blame to another person.
"Brother Xue, what exactly happened? One of them is a servant, and the other is entertaining guests. Baoyu is injured and can't speak. You've traveled all over the country and have seen a lot. Who hit Baoyu?"
Xue Pan said, "I don't know who it was. The two of them came over and only said 'What are you looking at?' before kicking me. Later, I even rushed over to try to stop them—look at my neck, it's bruised from being choked."
Aunt Xue was so angry when she saw him pulling at his collar that she kicked him.
"Two? Just two?" Wang Xifeng grasped the key point.
“There were only two, a young master and a servant,” Xue Pan continued. “The one who hit him was the young master, and it hurt terribly.”
It hurt even more than when his brother Liu hit him last time.
Madam Wang's brow remained furrowed. She said in a sinister tone, "Two people beating up so many of you, those two must be extraordinary."
“There was only one,” Madam Xing added. “There were six or seven people in total, and they were all beaten up by one person.”
Madam Wang closed her eyes and took a deep breath to suppress her displeasure: "I was thinking... could there be someone in the capital with such good skills?"
She wanted to shift the suspicion to the Earl of Zhongyong, who had a grudge against the Rongguo Mansion and might seek revenge on Baoyu.
Before she could continue speaking, the voice of her sickly sister-in-law's daughter, whom she disliked, came from inside.
“The Earl of Zhongyong is at the Prince of Zhongshun’s residence today,” Lin Daiyu called out, her heart pounding faster than ever before. A smile crept onto her lips. “Yesterday he was at the Marquis of Dingnan’s residence, and tomorrow the Earl of Zhongyong’s residence will host a banquet.”
Madam Wang immediately wanted to ask her: Do you even know how to write the words "integrity" and "shame"?
The girl inside looked at Lin Daiyu with admiration, while Xue Baochai and Aunt Xue exchanged a glance outside, and Jia Baoyu began to feel sad again.
When did Lin Daiyu become so close to Zhongyong Earl? When he went out to meet guests, Lin Daiyu never asked him a single question.
Ever since that loyal and brave Earl found Lin Daiyu many frivolous and decadent things, Lin Daiyu stopped getting close to him.
After a moment of silence, Wang Xifeng said, "Why don't we have someone carry Brother Bao back first? We should also have someone send some medicine to the others who went out with him, and send someone to find out who beat him up."
Grandmother Jia nodded in agreement: "Why make things unpleasant during the New Year!" She glared at everyone in the room, "When did the Rongguo Mansion become so easy to bully!"
Everyone present looked away. Wang Xifeng was the first to get up. She asked the old woman to help Jia Baoyu up and then moved him to a sedan chair to be carried back.
At first, Jia Baoyu was worried that Lin Daiyu would be sad, but now he felt that she wasn't sad enough. Every little movement caused her to cry out, which frightened Lady Wang and Grandmother Jia so much that their eyes welled up with tears.
Madam Xing then deliberately comforted him, saying, "Baoyu has had more serious injuries before, and his master had to do it himself. This is nothing, he didn't bleed much. Don't worry too much."
"Yes, Lian'er's leg was also broken by the master." After Madam Wang finished speaking, she saw that Madam Xing was calm and even had a smile on her face. Madam Wang was so angry that she turned her head and left.
She doesn't have a single biological son; she's just here to watch the show!
Wang Xifeng escorted Jia Baoyu all the way to Yihong Courtyard before returning. Upon entering, she saw Jia Lian lying on the bed with his hands behind his head, looking vexed.
"I toil for the Rongguo Mansion day and night, how can someone blame me for something like the phoenix egg being smashed? Am I supposed to help them raise such a big child?"
Wang Xifeng snorted coldly, and instead of comforting him, she called over Wang Xin's wife and carefully instructed her, "Last time Baoyu was beaten, I heard people say that it was Xue the Fool who leaked the news. This time, it might be related to him too. What kind of person is Baoyu? He never even goes out; how could he offend anyone?"
Why didn't Wang Xin's family understand what their grandmother meant?
She laughed and said, "That makes perfect sense. That Master Xue is no good either. I heard last time he was beaten up for harassing Master Liu. Maybe he got into some jealousy outside and dragged our Second Master Bao into it."
Wang Xifeng added, "Just keep this to yourself, don't go around talking about it, and don't let anyone know that it was spread by our branch of the family."
Wang Xin's wife hurriedly agreed and then went out.
Jia Lian smiled, got out of bed, and went over to massage Wang Xifeng's shoulders.
Wang Xifeng glanced at him disdainfully: "All you do when you come back is lie around. If I were like you, I would have been eaten alive long ago!"
In the Grand View Garden, Lin Daiyu and several young ladies emerged from the Yihong Courtyard.
Xue Baochai sighed, "That Xiren is truly thoughtful and cares deeply about Brother Bao. I saw her serving Brother Bao while shedding tears, yet she didn't make a single mistake."
At this point, just nod along. The group sighed a few times at the entrance of the brothel, then came out together and headed north.
Xue Baochai gradually moved closer to Lin Daiyu.
Lin Daiyu immediately became wary. What was she trying to say about me? Did she think I shouldn't have mentioned the Earl of Zhongyong?
Just as she was thinking of how to come up with a sharp and concise rebuttal, Xue Baochai asked, "Since you have recognized the Earl of Zhongyong as your brother, I haven't seen you send any New Year's gifts. Relatives should still keep in touch more often."
The Xue family has sent countless invitations to the Earl of Zhongyong, but has received no response whatsoever.
It's already the Lunar New Year, and even the simplest invitation card hasn't been received from the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence.
When Xue Baochai heard Lin Daiyu mention the whereabouts of the Marquis of Zhongyong, she was immediately intrigued and wanted to inquire about it. In her desperation, she decided to try anything. Who in the Xue family wasn't anxious?
Xue Baochai's question stumped Lin Daiyu. This approach wasn't quite right, and she couldn't say what she had just prepared.
But Lin Daiyu didn't relax at all; who knows if this was the prelude?
“What you just said is about how to get along with relatives. I already call him Third Brother. If we really do it the way you said, wouldn’t that be deliberately estranged? Don’t give people random advice. We’ve known each other for several years. If you really count, you’ve visited relatives just as many times as I have. I even have one more Third Brother than you.”
Xue Baochai was also stunned. In all honesty, she had come to ask the question seriously and hadn't said a single unnecessary word.
She smiled awkwardly: "I'm just asking, where did you get all this random stuff from?"
Lin Daiyu snorted: "Since you know I'm talkative, why bother provoking me? I thought you enjoyed listening to me talk."
"She's really gone mad." Xue Baochai didn't dare to ask any more questions. She said to Shi Xiangyun, "You go back first. I'll go check on my brother. He's a bit careless. If we ask him carefully, we might be able to find out something."
Watching Xue Baochai's departing figure, Lin Daiyu suddenly laughed: "Look, how fast she walks when she's not with us? It's us who have held her back."
Tan Chun smiled politely. Shi Xiangyun wanted to retort, but Ying Chun also said, "I didn't realize that she's not as tall as me, but her legs are longer than mine."
Shi Xiangyun was unhappy and shut up. There were too many people on the other side, so it was not good to refute them.
On her way back, Xue Baochai happened to see Aunt Xue instructing, "Since the old lady says it's Lian Er's fault, then he must have offended someone outside. Your young master is diligently learning how to do business and revitalize the family business, how can he have time to meddle in these trivial matters?"
“Madam is right,” the old woman replied. “Our young master just returned from outside and hasn’t even checked on his own shop yet. Besides, Master Liu’s whereabouts are unknown. Our young master is a man of great loyalty and affection. He’ll take people out to look for Master Liu whenever he has free time. How could he possibly offend anyone?”
Hearing the noise, Aunt Xue saw that it was her daughter coming in and said with a smile, "You are more thorough than me. Is there anything else you need me to tell you?"
Xue Baochai smiled and said, "Mother's instructions are very good, that's how it should be said. Let me add one more thing: the news that Second Master Bao is going to have a drink with Feng Ziying came from yesterday's banquet, so it must have been leaked by the Rongguo Mansion."
The old woman obeyed and left. Xue Baochai asked, "Where is my brother? Who hit Baoyu?"
He said he didn't know, had never seen him before, and seemed like a spoiled brat. I didn't ask any more questions and told Xiangling to apply the medicine to him.
As the mother and daughter were talking, an old woman rushed in from outside, sweat beading on her forehead despite the cold winter: "The government has come and arrested Zhou Rui's wife!"
"Ah—!" Aunt Xue exclaimed in surprise, and got up to go find Madam Wang, but Xue Baochai grabbed her hand.
Aunt Xue looked at her, and Xue Baochai shook her head: "Let's avoid it for a while. Today, Lin'er knows all about Zhongyong's whereabouts. We also plan to do business with Zhongyong. Auntie hates Zhongyong very much. Let's wait until she calms down a bit before we go."
Aunt Xue sighed, "It's really not easy for us to live under someone else's roof. We have to please everyone, but we can't please anyone."
The news of Zhou Rui's wife being arrested quickly spread throughout the entire Rongguo Mansion.
"It's not surprising. Zhou Rui is spending the New Year in prison. It's good that she can keep him company. There are still a few days left, aren't there?"
Who will take over the job after she leaves?
"I advise you not to go looking for her yet; the second wife is probably in a bad mood right now."
"At least wait until after the fifteenth, until Madam knows that this job can't be left unattended before we can talk to her."
Lin Daiyu also expressed her dissatisfaction: "I haven't even said I'd let her go yet, how come she ran away?"
Was she running? Xueyan chuckled a few times but didn't say anything.
When Jia Baoyu was beaten, Grandmother Jia ordered an investigation into who did it. Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng conspired and sent out all the male servants who were not on duty.
By the afternoon, the Ningguo Mansion had also noticed, and Jia Zhen asked, "What's going on next door?"
After the steward explained everything, Jia Zhen remembered that he had sent a maid to the Rongguo Mansion to deliver a message.
"I've been drinking for a few days now, so let's call off tonight's filming and get some rest. I'm getting old, and I really can't keep going like this. I'll go and call Jin'er over; I have some questions for her."
Jin'er went to the Rongguo Mansion for three consecutive days, from New Year's Eve to the second day of the Lunar New Year. When she heard the master calling her, she hurried over to reply.
"Judging from the Rongguo Mansion's tone, it seems that everyone knows. All the old women are saying that the Second Madam instructed that no one should spread rumors. They can only say that the Earl of Zhongyong is Miss Lin's brother and that he has come to repay a debt of gratitude."
Jia Zhen found it amusing: "Repay a debt of gratitude? Have they ever heard the saying: 'A life-saving debt should be repaid with one's body'?"
Seeing that Jia Zhen was in a good mood, Jin'er boldly laughed and said, "I also asked about this. The old woman said that the Marquis of Zhongyong would definitely be willing, but the Second Madam is stopping him, saying that the Marquis of Zhongyong is too old."
Jia Zhen snorted coldly: "Old? People with titles don't say they're old. Who else?"
Jin'er then took her to several places, told her what she said to whom, and told Jia Zhen the most important things.
After hearing this, Jia Zhen's good mood vanished completely.
Looking back now, it seems the Rongguo Mansion really is a case of "a leopard can't change its spots."
Especially the second wife, she couldn't stand seeing Miss Lin doing well, so she tried to stop her from getting married.
The old lady doesn't know if she can't control her, doesn't want to, or something else. She used to say she loved and doted on her, but she won't even find her a good husband. If this drags on any longer, it will become a joke.
But Jia Zhen was annoyed by her feigned ignorance: "I'll talk to them after the New Year. I can't let them ruin my good fortune during the New Year."
On the fifth day of the month, the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion held a banquet, and Li Chengwu came to help early in the morning.
When Mu Chuan saw him arrive, he said, "You and Miao Zhenchuan will greet the guests at the gate. Some of the people in charge at the gate might not recognize me. It's good that you're here."
Li Chengwu agreed, then said hesitantly, "Fourth Uncle, I did beat up that Jia Baoyu you asked me to beat up."
"So what if we fought?" Mu Chuan asked, puzzled. "Why are you so ashamed?"
Li Chengwu looked troubled, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "He is indeed quite delicate."
ah? !
Just as Mu Chuan was about to ask another question, Li Chengwu strode out of the hall, "Chengwu!"
Li Chengwu's servant came forward, bowed, and explained meekly, "Fourth Master, this matter is really... Young Master hit the wrong person."
Li Chengwu felt embarrassed, but the servant wasn't; he was even suppressing a laugh.
"Young Master used General Feng Tang's banquet as a pretext to trick Jia Baoyu into coming out. Around noon on the fourth day, the two of us were waiting at the entrance of Rongguo Mansion. It must be Jia Baoyu who came out at this time."
Mu Chuan nodded, and the servant chuckled again: "Two people came out, each accompanied by five servants. One of them was short and stocky, and the servants called him 'Master.' Another one was dressed like... an actor, very festive and fair-skinned, and the servants called him 'Second Master.' Fourth Master, who do you think should be hit?"
Mu Chuan laughed along: "An old man and a second old man, if it were me, I would definitely hit the old man. As for the second old man, according to you, he must be a 'book boy'."
"I told you it wasn't my fault!" Li Chengwu rushed in again.
Mu Chuan laughed and said, "Then how did you hit the wrong person? Did you hit the old man? You didn't beat up Jia Baoyu?"
Li Chengwu sighed, his tone becoming ethereal: "Fourth Uncle, you've never been a young master, you don't know. People like us, if we don't do well in our studies, our elders will beat us for being 'study-accompanying'; if we don't do well in martial arts, we'll be beaten for being 'study-accompanying' too."
"So even in a fight, you have to beat up the pageboy?"
Li Chengwu nodded: "I punched that short, spoiled brat twice, then went to teach his page a lesson. And then—alas! Almost finished, the servants started calling him 'Second Master Bao' and 'Master Xue'!"
Mu Chuan burst into laughter: "You, Li Chengwu! I originally wanted you to beat up Jia Baoyu, isn't this perfect?"
“You don’t understand, Fourth Uncle.” Li Chengwu was even more distressed: “This matter won’t be so easily resolved. If people find out, even if I die, my cronies will come to my funeral and, after drinking too much, they’ll still use this incident to mock me.”
Mu Chuan laughed until his face ached: "I can't possibly tell anyone, and you won't tell either, so—"
Li Chengwu stared intently at his servant, who shrank back in fright.
"I'm taking you to the military camp; I'll keep a close eye on you!"
The servant said with a wry smile, "Our young master is a good person. He didn't ask me to join the fight. He said that we had beaten someone with a name and a reputation. He is a third-rank commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and he got away with it without any trouble, but I, the servant, am going to be the scapegoat."
Mu Chuan chuckled and patted him on the shoulder: "I'm here for you. I won't make you take the blame."
Starting from the seventh day of the first lunar month, all government offices began to resume operations, but not all staff were present yet. They would not be fully staffed until after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
On the morning of the ninth day, Mu Chuan took the letter Lin Daiyu had written to him and read it again.
"My Daiyu is so caring. Then we won't go to the Ministry of Rites' banquet today." Although it wasn't necessary for everyone to go anyway.
The Ministry of War wanted to send him because he held the title of Vice Minister of War. The Ministry of War also gave him a simple New Year's gift, which was not lavish but was purchased with the Ministry of War's funds.
The braised pork hock from the time-honored brand in Beijing is quite delicious, but it's impossible to send it to Pingnan Town; it would definitely spoil on the way. However, they could send a chef to make it fresh.
The official from the Ministry of Personnel is also going. He has a good relationship with Minister Li of the Ministry of Personnel, and they are currently cooperating. Moreover, Minister Li is about to join the cabinet.
The Ministry of Revenue? Just for the sake of that gate, he had to go and take a look.
As for the remaining Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Works, there was little to no connection between them.
By the way, the Chongwenmen Tax Bureau, with whom we had a good relationship last time, sent me an invitation to attend the "Year of the Snake Spring Festival Internal Purchase Event." Of course, at this time it wasn't called an internal purchase, but a charity sale.
The smuggled goods sold were seized from the nine gates of the capital. The proceeds, in addition to being used by the Chongwen Gate tax office, would also be donated to charitable organizations in the capital.
"Prepare the carriage; we'll be going to Rongguo Mansion today."
"Young lady, Lord Zhongyong has arrived."
Upon hearing this news, Lin Daiyu jumped up from her chair with incredible speed, but immediately sat back down.
Well...
If Mu Chuan came on the first or second day of the Lunar New Year, he would probably get a Lin Daiyu who was excited but couldn't keep her mouth shut, and who would question him with tears in her eyes. After she finished asking her questions, he would be able to win the heart of the beauty.
If he comes on the fourth or fifth day of the lunar new year, he will be a Lin Daiyu who is trying to test him, but will be quite direct and will let him see through her. If he keeps asking her questions, she will not be able to help but tell him everything. He will still be able to win the heart of the beauty.
But today is already the ninth day of the lunar month, and Lin Daiyu has already experienced a series of activities that reveal her inner thoughts, such as having nightmares, having beautiful dreams, having annoying dreams, and having memorable dreams.
Not only that, she also took stock of everything Mu Chuan had given her, and recalled every little detail of the time they had known each other since they met.
In short, Lin Daiyu now has her own plans to carry out, her own grievances to express, and her own drama to perform.
Most importantly, she had her third brother to test.
And there was another idea she hadn't quite figured out, but which was already taking shape in her subconscious: I have to teach him what torment is.
Mu Chuan waited in the front hall for a while, and then saw Lin Daiyu slowly walk over. She seemed... a little different?
"Let's try the food at Yue Lai Restaurant today. They officially opened after the Lunar New Year, and they're currently having a tasting session. Their char siu bao and custard buns should be to your liking. I've also heard their brown sugar steamed buns are quite good. The dishes are light, which is perfect for cleansing your stomach."
"Third Brother..."
"What's wrong?" Mu Chuan walked up to her and asked with concern.
"It's nothing..." Lin Daiyu said softly, "Actually... Grandmother went to the palace for the New Year, and Zhou Mama was arrested again after only two days. Baoyu was beaten. The Rongguo Mansion was in a lot of chaos. The best meal we had was the osmanthus porridge that Shen Mama brought."
This can't be considered a lie.
What I said earlier is true, and although the kitchen staff took good care of her and served Jiangnan cuisine every day, she just preferred the dishes at the Wuyue Restaurant.
That bowl of osmanthus porridge tasted even better than the ones she ate at home.
Although she could just speak directly, she wanted to see a different expression on her third brother's face.
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