Uncle Lai in the Red Chamber

Chapter 383
Xue Baochai, Mrs. Wang and Aunt Xue arrived at the front yard at the same time, one of them was delayed for dressing, the other had a long journey.

Jia Baoyu, who pretended to be ill, was the first to arrive because he did not delay.

Seeing the Xue family receiving the order together with her own family, Mrs. Wang couldn't help but let out a long breath, while Aunt Xue could not conceal her joy.

Although Xue Baochai didn't hear the conversation between Mrs. Wang and Aunt Xue, she had a bad premonition when she saw that her family and Rong Mansion were receiving the order together.

Hearing that everyone has arrived, Xia Shouzhong didn't delay, and immediately stood in the middle of the courtyard, and read the imperial edict to the Rongfu and Xue family members.

"By God's blessing, the emperor called and said: Now there is Xue Baochai, a daughter of the Xue family. She is skillful and generous, gentle and honest, knows etiquette but is not arrogant, and has outstanding appearance. She is specially given to marry Jia Baoyu, the son of Jia Zheng, the governor of Rongguo, as his wife..."

Hearing this, Xue Baochai felt as if he had been struck by thunder. His legs felt weak and he almost fell to the ground.

Fortunately, Ying'er next to her caught a glimpse of Jia Baoyu, who had arrived early, and took precautions, so she was able to support him.

As the emperor's first companion, Xia Shouzhong knew the emperor's purpose of granting the marriage, and he did not want to delay in the Rong Mansion after announcing the decree.

Just when I turned around, I heard a call from behind: "Eunuch Xia, why don't you leave after a cup of tea!"

When he turned around, he saw Lai Shangrong walking towards him.

He immediately put on a frown on his face and said with a smile: "Guidao didn't see Mr. Lai in Chaoshang today!"

When Xue Baochai suddenly heard Lai Shangrong's voice, he suddenly had some hope and turned his head to look back with difficulty.

Lai Shangrong didn't squint his eyes. He heard the decree read by Xia Shouzhong from a distance. While he was surprised and uncertain, he couldn't help but feel doubts in his heart.

The emperor's attitude towards Jia Yuanchun was very clear to him, and he naturally would not think that it was Yuanchun who came forward to request the order.

The emperor was busy with everything. Even if he knew Jia Baoyu, he would not know Xue Baochai's name, so how could he order a marriage?

Lai Shangrong ushered in Xia Shouzhong into the flower hall and ordered his servants to bring tea and water.

He backed away and asked tentatively: "Is there any profound meaning behind the marriage granted by the Emperor?"

Xia Shouzhong took a sip of tea and said with a smile: "No wonder Mr. Lai is so respected by the emperor. It is really extraordinary. The emperor is afraid that Mr. Lai will be implicated by Jia Zheng and affect the new currency plan!"

Hearing this damn answer, Lai Shangrong cursed in his heart and said: "Shang Rong is so ashamed that he bothered the emperor, and there is no way he can repay the emperor's kindness by shattering his body to pieces!"

Xia Shouzhong said meaningfully: "This is all thanks to the Queen. If it hadn't been for the Queen's advice yesterday..."

Lai Shangrong couldn't help but feel moved when he heard about the queen's idea.

With a grateful expression on his face, he said: "I am so virtuous and capable, but my empress is caring and caring for me."

Although Emperor Zhenglong had not yet made a name for himself when Queen Tian married into the palace, when a daughter of an imperial merchant married into the palace, it could be said that a sparrow turned into a phoenix.

With the Tian family's financial resources, how could they ignore the great companion beside Emperor Zhenglong?
Eunuchs are a special group. Because they are not humane and cannot serve as officials, they only love yellow and white things among money, power and sex.

And the Tian family's imperial merchants had a lot of money for generations, so it could be said that they could prescribe the right medicine, so why didn't they try to win over Xia Shouzhong?

After all, the outside world didn't know that he coveted Xue Baochai. From their point of view, this marriage completely helped him eliminate official worries. It was understandable that Xia Shouzhong was eager to reveal it to himself.

This is also the reason why he is dissatisfied in his heart but grateful on his face.

Why is this queen always unhelpful? Last time, she just took care of Yuanchun to win over her. After all, she got through it. She realized that Mrs. Wang was submissive and petty. But this time, she helped Jia Baoyu cut off her own hair. What did she mean?
Thinking of this, a message suddenly flashed through my mind.

Originally, Xia Shouzhong said that the emperor was afraid that he would be implicated by Jia Zheng and suffer the same fate as when he was punished in Yuanchun.

He didn't think much about it, just thinking that Jin Yiwei had many eyes and ears, so it was not surprising to know about the rumors of a good match.

But just now Xia Shouzhong revealed that the marriage was the Queen's proposal yesterday, which is worthy of scrutiny.

For the Rong Mansion, the first thing that bears the brunt of Jia Zheng's illness is the marriage of his children, and Jia Baoyu, as the treasure of the Rong Mansion, is even more top priority.

This was evident from what he told Mrs. Wang and her performance that night.

In this situation, Xue Baochai, who has a good relationship, is naturally the first choice.

Judging from the arrangements of the Xue family today, it is obvious that there is no intention of this marriage. With Mrs. Wang's love for Jia Baoyu, it is logical for Yuan Chun in the palace to come forward to ask the queen to grant the marriage.

It's just that Jia Zheng's illness is not an ordinary one. With Jia Yuanchun's face, he may not be able to persuade the queen, and he may be using his own guise.

Otherwise, how could the queen connect the marriage grant with the previous impeachment without requesting it?

With this guess, Lai Shangrong was eager to verify it, chatted with Xia Shouzhong for a few more words, took out a banknote, stood up and sent it to the gate.

Not everyone in the Rong Mansion was happy about this sudden marriage.

At least, Jia's mother, who was still in the dark about Jia Zheng's condition, couldn't be happy at all.

In her opinion, Yuanchun, who relies on Shangrong's help, is just around the corner to give birth to a prince, so how can he look after the Xue family, who are poor and have only money left.

Therefore, as soon as she received the order, she put off her headache and went back to the house to rest.

This also gave Mrs. Wang an excuse to keep a low profile.

It's not that she doesn't want to celebrate for her son, but she is worried that killing him first and telling the story later will arouse Lai Shangrong's dissatisfaction, and she is eager to calm him down.

In addition, Jia Baoyu was still pretending to be ill, so he made an agreement with Aunt Xue to wait until his son recovered from the illness before celebrating.

After sending the Xue family home, she anxiously waited for news at the second door.

Seeing Lai Shangrong walking into the second door with a serious face, Mrs. Wang immediately came up with a smile.

He said flatteringly: "If it weren't for Shang Rong, I'm afraid Eunuch Xia wouldn't even have a cup of tea!"

Lai Shangrong didn't say anything and walked straight in, all the way to the vacant Rongxi Hall.

The arrogant person ordered: "The second wife and I have something to say, you all should step aside!"

Caixia and the other maids had long been accustomed to this routine, so they hurriedly closed the door and left without saying a word.

Mrs. Wang immediately came to Lai Shangrong with her chest and back hunched, took Lai Shangrong's arm, and was about to pull him to the Arhat bed.

Lai Shangrong threw Mrs. Wang away and said in a stern tone: "Ms. Jia Wang! Did you know that a disaster was coming?"

"This..." Mrs. Wang said in horror: "Shang Rong, please don't scare me. Where do you start talking about this?"

"Am I trying to scare you? You've gotten into a huge disaster and don't even know it. What's going on with the marriage today?"

"Uh..." Mrs. Wang immediately turned her head away, not daring to look at him, and looked around: "The marriage granted by the emperor is a great joy, how did it become a disaster?"

Looking at her performance, Lai Shangrong knew that he was right as he expected.

"If this is an ordinary situation, it would naturally be a huge happy event, but if someone says something that shouldn't be said, the happy event may not turn into disaster! Do you really think that Eunuch Xia and I are just drinking tea in the hall?"

Mrs. Wang saw that he was so determined and could not withstand the scare. She hurriedly threw down a bamboo tube and asked the Queen to help him speak out under his banner.

"It's my fault for not telling Shang Rong beforehand. If Shang Rong is angry, feel free to take it out on me, but don't take it out on the child."

Mrs. Wang said, and stepped forward again to tear Lai Shangrong's clothes.

Lai Shangrong flicked his sleeves and said: "Ms. Jia Wang! You are so courageous. You made up nonsense to deceive the emperor. What you said is easy. Don't implicate me in this crime of deceiving the emperor!"

Although Lai Shangrong didn't know the details of the discussion between the queen and the emperor, and it was a bit reluctant to label him as a bully, Mrs. Wang also had no way of knowing.

More seriously, it was at least a crime of deceiving the queen.

Seeing Lai Shangrong put on the label of bullying, Mrs. Wang also panicked, and hurriedly said: "Whether Shangrong's consent was obtained for the levy, God knows, you know, I know, as long as Shangrong doesn't say anything, it can be called bullying." You’re here!”

"Hmph!" Lai Shangrong snorted coldly: "How do you know no one knows?" "How...how does anyone know this?"

"To tell you the truth, Miss Bao and I have made a private decision for a long time. The position of mother-in-law may have been given to her. How can I ask the emperor to give my woman to someone else?"

"How could it be..." Mrs. Wang exclaimed: "Shang Rong! You can't blame me for this! I went to the Xue family a while ago and wanted to help you find a match with Bao Yatou, but... my sister refused to agree. I'm just doing this for Baoyu!"

Mrs. Wang had long forgotten that when she heard that Jia Zheng was ill, she was glad that the Xue family did not agree to her matchmaking.

Everyone would shirk responsibility. She hated Aunt Xue at this moment. If she hadn't only cared about her adultery and resisted the temptation to bring Baochai and Lai Shangrong together, she wouldn't be in today's dilemma.

Since the disaster was caused by Aunt Xue, of course the finger must be pointed at her.

Lai Shangrong secretly cursed, what kind of trouble is this?
While refusing Mrs. Wang's matchmaking, he arranged for himself and Xue Baochai to sneak around.

Could it be that Xue Baochai was seducing herself without telling Aunt Xue?
At this moment, he wanted to threaten Mrs. Wang and make her unreliable. Of course, he would not let her divert the conflict.

He said calmly: "Aunt Xue's family still doesn't know about the matter between me and Miss Bao."

Mrs. Wang was immediately upset when she heard that. Judging from Aunt Xue's performance when she brought Lai Shangrong and Xue Baochai together, if she knew that the two had a private life-long contract, she would definitely not accept it. Mother and daughter... probably can only make a clean break with Lai Shangrong and make things happen. Xue Baochai is here.

"Shang Rong! The matter has come to this, and all the mistakes are my fault. Now the Emperor Jinsou has said that there is absolutely no reason to change it. You have made a private decision for the rest of your life. I don't know who is not guilty. We don't blame each other. , just pretend that this is not the case, do you think so?"

Mrs. Wang said she didn't take it seriously, but she was itching with hatred in her heart. She didn't dare to bear grudges against Lai Shangrong, but the Xue family was hooking up with Lai Shangrong while hanging on to her own family and creating a situation. How could she be calm? ?
But the situation is stronger than the person, and all he can do is knock out his teeth and swallow his blood.

"Baoyu can be considered half of your son. For the sake of me, can you give Bao Yatana to him?"

She just thought that the two of them were just engaged in a private life, and that Baochai was not so bad that she would have an affair with him without a matchmaker before leaving the court.

Lai Shangrong sneered: "His biological father beat him half to death for Jin Chuan, but my half-father can't be closer than his biological father, right?"

"Uh..." Mrs. Wang was at a loss for words. When Jia Zheng intended to take Jin Chuan as his concubine, Jia Baoyu teased Jin Chuan and was beaten half to death by Jia Zheng. He did not give Jin Chuan to him, which led to Jin Chuan going to Lai's house.

If the biological father is like this, how can he make too many demands on his wild father?

But despite her words, Mrs. Wang could not help but feel resentful and angry in her heart, shouting: "Shang Rong! Are you trying to force our mother and son to death?"

Lai Shangrong took out a brocade handkerchief from his arms and said sincerely: "For the past six months, my wife has been riding in front of and behind the horse, lying down and doing small things. How could I be willing to force you to death? It's just that Miss Bao is already mine. She has deep love and righteousness, and threatened to If you don't marry me, you won't be able to let others get involved. If you can't handle it properly, if you lose your mind and cause death, I just want to hide it for you, but I'm afraid I won't be able to hide it anymore."

Lai Shangrong was well versed in negotiation skills and knew that concessions were not achieved overnight, so he pressed forward step by step. It was only at this moment that he revealed the truth to Mrs. Wang.

When he said this, Mrs. Wang suddenly became nervous. She was only focused on dealing with Lai Shangrong, but she forgot that she had revealed the details of Yuanchun's request in front of Aunt Xue.

It’s hard to believe that Aunt Xue didn’t tell Xue Baochai.

It was good that Xue Baochai couldn't think about it for a while, but she was afraid that she would reveal the truth to Aunt Xue and cause Aunt Xue to compare the two. How could she not be suspicious?

At that time, if the government intervenes again, the crime of deceiving the emperor will really be committed.

Thinking of this, his legs felt weak and he fell to the ground.

Immediately, as if grasping a life-saving straw, he hugged Lai Shangrong's thigh.

"Shang Rong! You can't ignore it! From now on, I will never dare to make decisions without authorization. I will obey Shang Rong in everything!"

"If I don't care about you, why should I tell you so much?"

Lai Shangrong said, picked up Mrs. Wang's creaky nest, lifted her up from the ground, patted the plump peach twice with both hands, and said solemnly: "The most important thing now is to comfort Miss Bao first. Send someone to call her quickly, and don't say anything then, lest you irritate her, I will definitely comfort her, but I'll comfort her first, so nothing can go wrong."

"Hey! Hey!" Mrs. Wang agreed, quickly ran outside the house and told Caixia to invite Xue Baochai.

Xue Baochai did not exchange information with Aunt Xue as Mrs. Wang suspected.

This sudden change made her frightened. Aunt Xue, who was full of joy, dragged her back home. She excused herself from feeling unwell and went back to her room to rest.

Hearing Mrs. Wang's invitation, she and Aunt Xue both thought that the mother-in-law was going to give her daughter-in-law some advice, and they knew they couldn't shirk it, so they had to bite the bullet and come to Rongxi Hall.

But when he entered the door and saw Lai Shangrong was there, he suddenly felt despair.

She just assumed that Lai Shangrong told Mrs. Wang what happened today, and Mrs. Wang wanted to call an army to hold him accountable.

Just as he was feeling uneasy, he saw Lai Shangrong coming to him and holding his hands openly.

"Don't worry, Miss Bao, my wife already knows about our affairs!"

Xue Baochai wanted to die. She had been mentally prepared for it, but she didn't expect it to come so soon.

She didn't understand why Lai Shangrong still had the nerve to reassure people when Mrs. Wang knew about it.

But just as he was about to turn to Mrs. Wang to beg for mercy, he saw Mrs. Wang smiling at him like a spring breeze.

Of course, the smile seemed too deliberate, but it was enough for Baochai to notice something strange.

In this weird situation, she didn't dare to speak randomly, so she could only look at Lai Shangrong with a puzzled look.

"I can't blame the second wife for this. After all, we made a private decision for life, and she didn't know about it. The emperor Jinsou said that we can't resist the decree, but don't worry, I made an agreement with the second wife to keep it safe so that no one else can touch you.

Although you can't marry into my Lai family, with my wife helping us cover it, we can still stay together for a long time here. I will treat everyone equally and will never wrong you. "

Xue Baochai couldn't believe her ears. In front of her future mother-in-law, discussing how to stay together with others is already appalling.

Moreover, listening to Lai Shangrong's meaning, she didn't know that he was trying to show off his reputation and change the situation.

However, she couldn't figure out how Mrs. Wang could agree to such a ridiculous proposal, and she looked at Mrs. Wang in disbelief.

She didn't know yet that the marriage was Mrs. Wang's idea, and she didn't know that she was accused of bullying the emperor. She thought that Lai Shangrong was already so powerful that Mrs. Wang, the biological mother of the imperial concubine, could still do it even if she had the intention of granting the marriage. I had to compromise.

Tolerating adultery and even giving up face to help cover it up.

People in ancient times knew that it was hard to disobey the sacred command, and it was hard to change it when marrying Jia Baoyu.

She clearly had the opportunity to marry into the Lai family, but she was given the opportunity to marry. How could she be willing to do so?

In particular, seeing Mrs. Wang's submissive attitude in front of Lai Shangrong made it even harder for her to let go.

However, there is also luck among misfortunes. Fortunately, with today's arrangements, I seized the last chance and reluctantly got on Lai Shangrong's car.

Otherwise, wouldn't he have to be like Mrs. Wang in the future, lowering his eyebrows and submissive in front of Lai Shangrong?

Thinking of this, I can't help but feel happy.

Secretly, although they are also low-key and small, one is inside and the other is outside. In the end, it is still different.

At this moment, Lai Shangrong's impatient voice sounded.

"Second Madam! You and Miss Bao should give some reaction!"

"It's not like Shang Rong didn't ask me to do more..." Mrs. Wang blurted out, and then hurriedly agreed: "Hey! Hey! Of course I will do what Shang Rong said."

Seeing Mrs. Wang acting like this, Xue Baochai felt his blood surge up, as if there was a stream of heat rushing from the soles of his feet to his forehead, and his face became hotter and hotter.

"Uh-huh!~" I couldn't help but murmured from my nasal cavity.

Immediately, I felt dizzy for a while, only to realize that I was being hugged by Lai Shangrong.

Lai Shangrong's unmistakable voice rang in my ears: "Second Madam, please keep watch for us and don't let anyone bump into us!"

…………

(End of this chapter)