The Good Concubine of the Qing Dynasty [Red Mansion]

Of course, Dachun couldn’t refuse; he smiled and agreed, “I’ll definitely go.”

The reluctance in his tone was evident to the Fourth Prince and Chenyu, but the two of them tacitly pretended not to notice and continued their conversation. Eventually, a servant, observing the time, subtly came to remind them, prompting the Fourth Prince to suggest they leave.

As soon as he mentioned returning, Luoyu also received the message and couldn’t help but sigh, “Sister, let’s catch up next time.”

Yingyu, feeling a bit sad, echoed, “Yes, let’s catch up next time. We’ll write to each other often; I hope you don’t mind if I write too much.”

They were both newlyweds and couldn’t often go out. Without major events in their families or on specific holidays, it wasn’t convenient for them to return. However, once they established their positions in their husbands’ households, things would be much easier.

They could participate together in flower appreciation banquets organized by certain people or go to the temple to offer incense; there would always be opportunities to meet.

Until then, writing letters was a great way to stay in touch.

Yun Shuyao, Yingyu, and Daiyu accompanied Luoyu to the second gate, where the matriarch’s high status likely prevented them from being stopped.

Luoyu’s voice was light and carried a barely audible sob: “You all go back. Next time… I’ll come again.”

Yun Shuyao was reluctant to blink, forcing a smile as she replied, “Mm, alright.”

Yingyu’s eyes had already turned red, as if she could see her future self in a while.

Daiyu’s eyes were also red. “Second sister, please write back often.” In the future, they might have to wait for their father to return or for their grandmother’s birthday celebration to have another chance to meet.

Reluctantly, Luoyu got into the carriage. On the other side, the Fourth Prince had also left. Once he was gone, Dachun’s smile faded, and he looked at Chenyu with a bitter expression. “How can you both talk so passionately about working in the fields? Don’t you find it exhausting?”

Just listening to his younger brother’s experiences made Dachun lose all interest in farming, yet the two of them could keep discussing it endlessly, and in the end, he felt forced to share in their hardships.

Dachun certainly didn’t think the Fourth Prince would lie. When he said there would be a next time, it meant there really would be, which implied he would actually get to experience the hardships of being a farmer next time.

Did they really think it would only be tough then?

To avoid embarrassing himself later, he needed to learn some basic knowledge in advance, which meant he had to start working in the fields early.

Thinking of this made Dachun’s expression even more pained.

Chenyu chuckled. As his brother-in-law, Chenyu genuinely hoped he could have a bright future ahead, as that would enable him to take care of his wife and children. “I really believe that experiencing fieldwork will be beneficial to studying later on.”

He trailed off halfway through his sentence, “And in the future, you’ll be entering officialdom too…” Given the Fourth Prince’s character, a position as a powerful lord in the future was inevitable. Making a good impression now would ensure a smoother path ahead.

This was also an opportunity to show one’s worth. If it were someone else, they might beg for the chance to join the Fourth Prince in the fields, no matter how tough it was.

Indeed, it made sense. Dachun was left speechless.

“Thanks a lot,” he thought sarcastically.

Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince and Luoyu had already boarded the carriage and set off for home. Seeing the hint of redness around Luoyu’s eyes, the Fourth Prince gently touched her face. “You don’t want to leave?”

Luoyu softly responded, “Mm, I don’t know when I’ll be able to visit again.”

After marriage, women visiting their parents’ home frequently was often frowned upon. In some cases, brides married far away and only returned after their parents passed away.

The Fourth Prince smiled, “Is that really worth being this upset over? You’ll have chances to come back.”

Luoyu immediately smiled through her tears. “Thank you, Fourth Prince.” She then changed the subject, “My lord, how was the food at the Lin family’s house?”

The Fourth Prince nodded. “Who was the chef?”

Luoyu proudly lifted her chin, “The chef has been with our family for years. Her skills were honed over time. Some of the recipes were created by my sisters, my aunt, and the chef working together. I truly believe her cooking is just as good as the big restaurants in the capital, with its own unique flavor.”

The Fourth Prince raised his eyebrows with a hint of a smile, “Indeed, each has its own flavor.”

At the Fourth Prince’s residence, the Fourth Consort knew from the time that had passed that the Fourth Prince must have been enjoying himself at the Lin family’s house; otherwise, he would have returned earlier.

After waiting a bit longer, she finally heard that the Fourth Prince and the others had returned, and she quickly ordered the staff to prepare.

Before long, the Fourth Prince and the Lin Side Consort entered.

The Consort observed the relaxed expression on the Fourth Prince’s face, confirming that he had indeed had a good time. However, thinking of her own family, the Ula Nara clan, her heart sank, even as a smile rose to her face. “My lord has returned…”

Originally, Luoyu’s wedding date was set for December, and since the New Year was approaching, preparations needed to be ramped up.

Previously, the two granddaughters had been helping out, and the old lady only needed to oversee things while the other two granddaughters handled everything well. However, that couldn’t continue; even with Daiyu still around, she would only be eight after the New Year and still had much to learn.

There were other people available, like the aides and daughters from other Lin family branches. However, because the two families were too different in status, it was fine to guide them on a few matters, but if they were allowed to take charge and their ambitions grew, the disparity would be too great when it came time for their marriages. What seemed like a good situation could easily turn into a bad one. Therefore, the old lady had never allowed them to get involved in Lin family affairs, and she wouldn’t do so now. She could only work a little harder while still longing to marry a good granddaughter-in-law into the family. That way, her side could be more relaxed, and the granddaughter-in-law would be able to manage the household effectively.

Generally, it isn’t easy for a newly married woman to take charge of the household; each person has their own gains. However, the choice of granddaughter-in-law has not yet been decided.

The old lady had received quite a few invitations, either to go flower-viewing or to watch plays. However, she had been too busy with the important matters concerning her granddaughters to accept any of them, so she had turned them all down. Now, with a chance to catch her breath and the New Year approaching, she had to get busy again.

With the New Year coming, there were many more gifts to prepare, including sending New Year gifts to well-connected families, receiving New Year gifts, and managing various social interactions with officials. All these tasks were quite exhausting.

Fortunately, Yingyu was still staying nearby, able to assist her during this time.

Dachun had also seen a lot; his wife looked delicate but handled matters with great organization, busy yet unflustered. This opened his eyes, and he praised Yingyu until her face turned red.

Seeing his reaction, Chenyu secretly said to Yun Shuyao, “The big brother-in-law’s temperament is quite innocent. I thought he would be worried about the elder sister returning and competing with his own sister-in-law for power, putting him in a difficult position. He never even considered that aspect.”

If it were someone with a strong desire for power and a knack for managing affairs, such situations could very well occur.

Although the eldest sister-in-law had the rightful claim to manage the household, it was also common to share some responsibilities with the sisters-in-law, especially given the size of the household.

Yun Shuyao asked, “Isn’t being innocent a good thing?”

Chenyu thought for a moment and said, “It’s still a good thing.”

Yun Shuyao also found herself pressed into service. She had no desire to work; Aunt Mei would feel envious, thinking she had some power in her hands. However, as long as her status remained unchanged and the old lady was still around, she was essentially a volunteer worker, akin to working for free, as no matter how much she did, she wouldn’t get promoted.

If she wanted a promotion, she would need external support.

With the house so busy now, even if she wanted to escape, she couldn’t. She had to put aside her cultivation and roll up her sleeves to work. During times like this, Yun Shuyao missed Lin Ruohai particularly.

When would the tasks be completed?

Even if Kangxi was stingy, he wouldn’t overlook her contributions, right?

Far away in Yangzhou, Lin Ruohai was buried in documents every evening, hoping to return to the capital next year. He sneezed suddenly. Who was thinking of him?

—

In terms of sending festive gifts, as long as the Lin family and the Jia family maintained their connection, these social exchanges were unavoidable.

The Lin family’s gifts to the Jia family remained the same as before: thin, superficial gifts that looked good but were essentially useless. However, this year, the gifts sent back from the Jia family were noticeably better than in previous years.

Previously, both parties had roughly the same value, but when it came time to return the New Year gifts, Wang Xifeng initially planned to follow the customary rules. However, Grandmother Jia called her over and instructed her to add more.

She was surprised and asked, “Grandmother Jia, are we changing things up? How should I add more?”

Since Grandmother Jia didn’t elaborate, she couldn’t press the issue any further. Wang Xifeng had no choice but to review the original list, enhance it, and then take it to the matriarch for approval. When it didn’t pass, she gritted her teeth and thickened it further until the matriarch finally nodded in approval.

Normally, these social exchanges would have been balanced, as Grandmother Jia’s status was high, and her rank substantial. Even if they made more or less, unless someone had a specific request, they would at least break even. However, now that the Lin family’s New Year gifts had increased significantly, there was a temporary shortage in the storeroom, and Wang Xifeng became anxious.

At this point, the Jia household wasn’t completely empty, but since she helped Second Madame manage the household, she had a pretty good understanding of the family’s situation. Things were manageable for now, but if household expenses continued like this for a few more years, they would have to rob Peter to pay Paul.

When Jia Lian returned, she mentioned her concerns, and he didn’t believe her: “What kind of family assets do we have that we would reach this point?”

Even though their family didn’t have many officials in the court right now and their salaries weren’t substantial, and they lacked gray income like bribes or gifts, they also didn’t rely on their salaries to live. Life was hard for anyone who depended solely on their official income; many couldn’t even afford a house.

Their income came from their shops and farmlands.

Wang Xifeng let out a cold laugh. “Oh, my dear Second Master, you should take a look at how large our household expenses are. The money in our accounts isn’t constantly increasing. If it weren’t for our family’s solid foundation, we wouldn’t be able to manage at all.”

Her statement was somewhat exaggerated, but it was also the truth.

“Does the master buy antiques and ancient fans, and you think any of those things are cheap?”

“Doesn’t the master have to pay for the expenses of the Qing guests? Doesn’t he have to pay for calligraphy, paintings, and ancient books? Last time, one painting alone cost eight hundred taels on the account.”

“And what about at Grandmother Jia’s place? The expenses for Baoyu’s food, clothing, and daily needs—where could those costs possibly be low?”

Jia Lian was made dizzy by her words. “You’re just scaring me with your talk. Alright, Second Madam, I know you’re out of money, so why are you telling me this?”

He stood up, angrily lifted the curtain, and walked out.

She only said that to limit his spending. As a grown man, he hardly had any money on him, not even enough to have a good time at a brothel. If he went out like this, who would believe he was the son of a duke’s family? On top of that, he didn’t say anything, yet she was crying poverty. He had originally planned to ask her for some pocket money, but now Jia Lian was in such a bad mood that he left without another word. Wang Xifeng was so infuriated by Jia Lian’s attitude that she almost fell backward, glaring angrily. If Jia Lian had still been there, she would have immediately lectured him on “reason.”

Ping’er saw this and advised Wang Xifeng, “Second Master doesn’t like to hear these things; why bother talking to him like this?”

Wang Xifeng complained, “Do you think I want to say this? The New Year is coming soon, and the money from the estate hasn’t been collected yet. On top of that, Grandmother Jia wants me to increase the New Year’s gifts for the Lin family. Where do you expect me to get this money?”

In the end, she didn’t want Grandmother Jia or Second Madam to see her as incompetent. She gritted her teeth and temporarily took some from her dowry to make up for it.

Ping’er couldn’t help but frown at Second Madam’s plan.

Old Lady Lin of the Lin family received the New Year’s gifts sent by the Jia family. After looking at the list, she naturally realized the gifts were quite generous, but she had no intention of returning them.

Since the Jia family was willing to send them, why shouldn’t she accept them?

Even if the other party were to offer the entire Jia family, she would dare to accept it; she was just afraid they wouldn’t be willing to give.

In any case, she would accept the gifts as they were; as for anything else, the other party could think whatever they wanted. No matter how beautifully they imagined it, it was impossible to realize!

Thinking this, Old Lady Lin picked out some items from the Jia family’s New Year gifts and boldly declared, “The New Year is approaching, and everyone has worked hard this year. Let’s distribute these rewards and celebrate a good New Year together!”

The people around her immediately smiled with joy, “Thank you, Old Lady!”