Corrupt official in the Red Chamber

Chapter 44 The Joy and Worry in Rikain
On this day, all the maids and servants in Lixiangyuan were in high spirits. Even Xue Pan, the runaway donkey, was wearing new clothes and sitting majestically in the main hall.

In Xue Baochai's boudoir, Aunt Xue was holding her daughter's hand and talking there.

However, Aunt Xue was a little distracted, and often confused about every sentence.

Xue Baochai who was standing next to her couldn't stand it.

"Ma'am, what should come will always come."

Aunt Xue finally came to her senses, but then she tapped her daughter's forehead hard with her finger.

"Little girl, before she became an official wife, she began to teach mother a lesson."

This joke made Xue Baochai blush a little. She turned around and threw herself on her quilt, then covered her head with a pillow and stopped talking.

Aunt Xue felt that the time was almost up, so she stood up from the bed and said to Xue Baochai's personal maid, Ying'er:
"Take good care of your young lady and don't let her smother her in the pillow."

After saying this, he smiled and went out.

Seeing that Aunt Xue had left, Ying'er dared to draw to Xue Baochai's side, "Miss, Madam has already left."

It was Xue Baochai who stretched his head out from under the pillow, sat down again, and straightened his clothes.

"Miss, we can be regarded as settled in this life."

Xue Baochai looked calm and nodded.

In fact, she didn't have much affection for Jia Rui in her heart, but she agreed to marry Jia Rui only for the sake of her own future and her family.

In this regard, Jia Baoyu is similar to Jia Rui.

However, Jia Rui is now a high-ranking official and is already a third-rank official, while Jia Baoyu is still hanging out in his boudoir.

At this point, Jia Rui had surpassed Jia Baoyu, so Xue Baochai's balance was tilted to Jia Rui's side.

Looking at the happy Yinger next to her, Xue Baochai sighed in her heart, if only she was a man.

At this moment, the curtain of Xue Baochai's boudoir was suddenly lifted, and then a person broke in.

Xue Baochai and Ying'er took a closer look and found that it was Jia Baoyu.

"Sister Bao, I heard that you are getting engaged?" Jia Baoyu asked eagerly as soon as he entered the door.

After hearing Jia Baoyu's question, Xue Baochai didn't know how to answer him, so she cast her eyes to the side.

As Xue Baochai's personal servant girl, Ying'er knew exactly what her master was thinking, so she hurried forward and stopped Jia Baoyu who was about to lean forward.

"Second Master Bao, it's different now. A matchmaker came to propose marriage to our young lady today. If you lean in like this and let others know, I'm afraid you will chew my young lady's tongue behind her back."

Baoyu froze for a moment.

Before that, he had visited Xue Baochai's boudoir several times. At that time, Ying'er was very attentive to him.

"Ying'er, why are you talking to Master Bao? You haven't poured tea yet."

"Yes." Ying'er agreed, then turned and left the boudoir.

"Sister Bao, that Jia Rui is not a good person. When he was in school, he often took the opportunity to blackmail students. You should think about it."

When he said this, Jia Baoyu was already sitting on the kang.

If it was the past, Xue Baochai would naturally not care about it.

But it's different now, he is going to be engaged to Jia Rui soon, he is a third-rank official, an important minister of the court, so he can't spread any gossip because of him.

However, my family is now attached to the Rongguo Mansion, so I can't offend Jia Baoyu.

So Jie Baochai pretended not to care, stood up with a smile, came to the door in a few steps, lifted the curtain gently, and leaned against the door frame.

In this way, all the maids coming and going in the yard can see the scenes of Xue Baochai and Jia Baoyu in the house.

"Baoyu, it is the order of the parents to have the right way. It is the word of the matchmaker. As a daughter, I cannot disobey my mother no matter how unfilial I am."

Jia Baoyu looked disappointed. Although Daiyu was the closest to him in his heart, he still had some affection for Sister Bao, a gentle and considerate beauty.

Now I suddenly heard that the elder sister who cared about her before was going to marry someone else, and she felt an indescribable sourness in her heart.

However, there are some things that he can't say clearly. He can't let Xue Baochai stay with him all the time without getting married, right?

However, the sense of loss in my heart has been lingering in my heart, and I can't go back no matter what.

So Jia Baoyu said angrily: "He is just another vulgar beetle, how can he be worthy of Sister Bao?"

After saying this, Jia Baoyu was somewhat interested in chatting. He walked through the door in despair and left Lixiangyuan without even looking at Xue Baochai.

Xue Baochai looked at Jia Baoyu who was leaving and shook his head gently.

At this time, Ying'er, who was holding a saucer, came over and said, "Girl, what's wrong with Mr. Bao?"

"Go and follow Baoyu and watch him go back to the old lady."

Ying'er hurriedly put the tray in her hand on the table in the house, then hurriedly left Lixiangyuan, followed Baoyu
Xue Baochai had just finished arranging Ying'er here, when she heard a burst of excitement at the gate of the courtyard.

She knew that this was the person Jia Rui sent to propose a marriage, so she quickly put down the curtain and retreated to the boudoir.

After returning to the boudoir, Xue Baochai sat there thinking for a while, and became more determined to marry Jia Rui.

It turns out that Xue Baochai is a woman with a clear mind, and she is used to observing words and demeanor.

After getting along with Jia Mu and others during this time, she found that Jia Mu, the ancestor of the Jia family, was already a little tired of them.

It was just because of Mrs. Wang's face that she never opened her mouth to chase people away.

However, although their family is said to have a huge family fortune, "since Xue Pan's father died, all the business managers and associates in the provinces saw that Xue Pan was young and ignorant of the world, so they took advantage of the time to abduct Xue Pan, and they all won several businesses. Gradually consumed." Xue Pan has been eating and drinking extravagantly in the past few years since he came to Jia's mansion. Even if there are a few houses in the city, they would have been sold and squandered by Xue Pan long ago!
Now that they have left Lixiangyuan, where can their family go?
Therefore, Xue Baochai could only pretend to be deaf and mute, shamelessly pretending not to notice.

Rather than being unpopular in Jia's mansion, it's better to follow Jia Rui wholeheartedly.

Based on Jia Rui's current identity and status in Beijing, the managers and shopkeepers below did not dare to act recklessly.

Xue Baochai stayed in the boudoir until noon, when Aunt Xue walked in with a smile on her face.

"My baby girl, your business is settled, and you have done it years ago."

Xue Baochai was surprised.

"Why is mother in such a hurry?"

Aunt Xue sighed, and then said: "It's not that Jia Rui is not young anymore, their old lady can't wait."

After hearing this, Xue Baochai lowered his head and thought for a moment, then nodded, "Brother Rui is indeed not young anymore."

"Okay, I know my daughter is reasonable."

After saying this, Aunt Xue became excited again, "I'll tell you another piece of good news. Their family has already promised that as long as you marry, they will immediately ask the emperor for orders and give you an order."

After saying this, Aunt Xue was already in a daze.

You know, Jia Rui is now in the third rank. If he is really approved by the emperor in the future, then Xue Baochai's status will not be low.

The only one who can surpass Xue Baochai in Jia's mansion is Jia's mother, and the only one who can equal her is Jia Amnesty's stepwife, Mrs. Xing.

As for the other wives, they were all a head lower than Xue Baochai.

This is because there are regulations in this dynasty that all officials should confer gifts to grandparents, parents, and wives, according to the imperial qualifications... Zheng, from the first-rank great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, and wife each confer first-rank wives; Grandmothers, mothers, and wives of the first rank are awarded to their wives; grandmothers, mothers, and wives of the third rank are granted to Shuren respectively; Gifts to Yiren; Zheng, from sixth-rank mothers and wives to Anren respectively; Zheng, from seventh-rank mothers and wives to children respectively... "

Calculated in this way, only Jia's mother is super-class, and Jia She's wife, Mrs. Xing, is a third-class gentleman.

If in the future, the imperial court really grants a reward, Xue Baochai should also be a third-grade lady like Mrs. Xing.

(End of this chapter)