Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 25 Like Son, Like Father
Rongqing Hall,
Grandmother Jia was still furious. She sat high on the armchair, frowning and breathing long.

Behind her, Yuanyang was fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan and offering her some tea, but was pushed back by Grandmother Jia.

"You said, Baoyu got beaten up, and that's it?"

Jia Zheng, who was sitting below, also looked very embarrassed.

He felt sorry for the child, but he couldn't bear to bring bad luck to the Prince Qin's Mansion.

"After all, it was Baoyu who made the mistake first. The court is in great turmoil right now, and we should never offend the Qin Palace at this time."

Grandmother Jia slapped the armrest of the chair heavily and said angrily, "He is a personal guard of the palace and he dares to act so arrogantly. If the King of Qin ascends the throne, won't he ride on my neck?"

"The Qin Wang Mansion is so arrogant because of its favor. It has always been at odds with the four princes and eight dukes. Once the Qin Wang enters the East Palace, how can we have a good life?"

Jia Zheng was also very worried, so he asked his mother, "Grandma, what should we do?"

Grandmother Jia frowned and thought for a while, tapping the phoenix head on the pear wood cane with her fingers, making a crisp sound. After a long time, she replied, "Did your father reply?"

Jia Zheng shook his head and said, "Not yet. Otherwise, I'll send someone else to go again."

Grandmother Jia nodded repeatedly, "Yes, your father is fighting at the border with His Royal Highness Prince Kang, and he must be more concerned since he is close. Other families have already bet on Prince Kang's mansion, and the daughter of the Shanguogong Mansion has been married into Prince Kang's mansion for two years. I'm afraid it's too late for us to bet on it."

Jia Zheng hesitated and asked, "Then how should the old lady arrange this?"

Grandmother Jia pounded her cane and said, "Let your elder brother go. He has been living a life of drunkenness and debauchery in the mansion all day long. Why doesn't he do anything serious? Let him go to Datong Prefecture and bring the sincerity of our Jia family!"

……

After finishing the tasks assigned by Lady Jia, Jia Zheng dragged his tired body back to the courtyard. As soon as he entered the room, he saw Lady Wang sitting on the edge of the bed with a cold face, as if she was waiting for him to come back.

As soon as Jia Zheng stepped over the threshold, all the maids in the room bowed to him and went out together.

After going out, don't forget to close the door.

Jia Zheng knew that what happened today had annoyed Mrs. Wang, so he smiled and asked with concern, "Have you eaten yet?"

Madam Wang snorted coldly, "Eat? How can you have the heart to eat? Wasn't it your son who got beaten today? Your son got beaten, and you, as a father, didn't say a word. It turns out that he really wasn't your flesh and blood, and you don't feel sorry at all!"

Jia Zheng was overwhelmed by the barrage of words. He sat down on a low stool nearby and said awkwardly, "Yue Ling is indeed not a powerful figure, but the palace behind him is not something we can afford to offend. But don't worry, the ancestor has already made arrangements."

After hearing this, Mrs. Wang was finally somewhat convinced. "It is true that the relationship between the two generations is very close. Fortunately, we have the old lady at home, otherwise, I don't know what kind of retreat we would have become."

"And that vixen-like girl. When Baoyu saw her once, he thought about her day and night as if he had lost his soul. If it weren't for her, how could Baoyu have encountered this disaster? Fortunately, she is not in the mansion. If she was in the mansion, he would have lived a peaceful life for a single day."

Jia Zheng disagreed with Mrs. Wang's statement and retorted: "What does this have to do with Lin Ruhai's daughter? Isn't she the same playboy, who is ignorant and only cares about having fun..."

Halfway through his words, Jia Zheng seemed to feel a chill. He looked up and saw Mrs. Wang glaring at him, "Go out! Don't come to sleep in this room until Baoyu is well again!"

Jia Zheng, who was kicked out, awkwardly dealt with the maids who returned to the room. He had not taken a few steps when he saw a door of the wing room open. Aunt Zhao twisted her slender waist in front of the door, "Master?"

Jia Zheng seemed to have found his way in the desert. He walked closer, cleared his throat, and said, "Go to the room and wait."

...Baoyu Room,
Shi Xiangyun rubbed the powder and was about to apply it on Jia Baoyu's buttocks and thighs.

It should have been a careful job, but she was a little absent-minded.

As soon as he touched it, Baoyu cried out, "It hurts, it hurts!"

Shi Xiangyun came back to her senses instantly, but she did not admit her mistake. Instead, she mocked Baoyu and said, "Of course it hurts if I apply it. If your beloved sister Lin applies it, it won't hurt."

Baoyu imagined the scene in his mind and couldn't help but smile. Seeing Shi Xiangyun frowning, he couldn't help but say, "Sister Yun, what are you talking about?"

Shi Xiangyun snorted, "Look, he's still being stubborn. Sister Xiren, please judge for yourself. Did he just laugh?"

Both of these clowns were in trouble. One was lying on his stomach, and the other was squatting. They still didn't forget to make noise, which really made Xiren helpless.

She took the medicine from Shi Xiangyun's hand, sat next to Baoyu, and began to apply it gently.

"You should all stop talking. If the old lady or the lady sees us, they will be punished again."

After Xiren brought up Lady Jia and Lady Wang, the two stopped fighting.

After a long silence, Baoyu changed into clean clothes, while Shi Xiangyun leaned aside, pinching a few strands of hair, drawing circles with her fingertips, in a daze.

When Baoyu saw this, he couldn't help but laugh and said, "Sister Yun, when did you become so shy?"

Shi Xiangyun didn't respond, put down her hand, and asked bluntly: "Ai brother, who is Yue Ling?"

Hearing Yue Ling's name, Baoyu's buttocks began to ache again. He forced himself to wave his hands, "He is just a guard of the Prince of Qin's Palace. I have heard from our ancestors that His Royal Highness Prince Kang will become the crown prince after winning the battle. He will not be so arrogant for many days."

"Oh, I was wondering. So he is from the Prince of Qin's mansion. No wonder he is so strong and powerful. What about Li Gui's statement that he can defeat a hundred people alone? Is it true or not?"

Baoyu curled his lips, "How would I know about their vulgar deeds? However, it is true that he is the commander of the personal guards of the Prince of Qin's Palace. He must be better than those servants in wielding guns and clubs."

"Commander of the personal guards?"

Shi Xiangyun's eyes lit up, "He is not much older than his brothers, but he is already the commander of the personal guards of the Prince of Qin's palace? If His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin becomes the crown prince, he will be promoted to a general."

Baoyu only understood the meaning of Shi Xiangyun's words at this time, and his face was full of disbelief, "Sister Yun, did you fall and hurt your head? He just hit you, and you actually think he's good?"

Shi Xiangyun's face gradually turned red. "It's not that it's good, but I just feel that a man should be like him, a man who stands tall and upright."

"What?" Baoyu widened his eyes, struggled to sit up, and wanted to go forward to wake Shi Xiangyun up.

But as soon as his butt touched the cushion, he fell back down in pain.

Baoyu's eyes were filled with tears, and the pain and sorrow rushed into his mind. "Did you all just meet a stranger? What's so good about him? Why do you feel like you've lost your soul after seeing him? Why don't you want to be friends with me anymore?"

Xiren, who had just finished washing clothes, heard the noise in the room and hurried into the room.

But Baoyu scolded them, "Go away! If you want to play with those muddy pigs and rotten dogs, don't come and dirty my land!"

(End of this chapter)