Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

In the main hall of the Jia family, Mrs. Wang sat at the head of the table with a solemn expression, her eyes fixed on the Xue family mother and daughter before her. She muttered to herself, "Jia Baoyu's obsession with that vixen Lin Daiyu hasn't diminished in recent years. It's really a headache." However, when she saw Xue Baochai, her heart couldn't help but move.

Xue Baochai was a dignified and beautiful woman, her looks no less impressive than Lin Daiyu's. Furthermore, she was only two years older than Jia Baoyu, making her age just right. More importantly, the Xue family was a royal merchant family with considerable financial resources. A marriage between the two families would not only solve the financial problem of building a villa for the imperial visit, but would also solidify her position within the Jia family.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Wang's mouth curled up slightly, and a hint of pride flashed in her eyes. She said softly, "Baochai has indeed become more and more beautiful, but the matter of her entering the palace still needs to be considered carefully."

Li Wan, standing by, understood the deeper meaning behind Lady Wang's words. She knew Lady Wang did not want Xue Baochai to enter the palace. After all, if Xue Baochai entered the palace, the relationship between the Jia and Xue families might become complicated. Furthermore, Jia Baoyu's marriage was making Lady Wang even more upset.

At this time, Xue Baochai smiled slightly, stood up, and bowed to Mrs. Wang, saying, "Aunt, I also think that entering the palace requires careful consideration. Now that the Jia family is preparing for the visit, I am willing to stay and help."

Mrs. Wang nodded with satisfaction, thinking that her niece was truly sensible and considerate. She smiled and said, "Okay, Bao-ya-tou is really considerate. After the visit is over, I will ask the Empress in the palace to find a way out for you."

Hearing this, Xue Baochai was delighted, but she still lowered her head pretending to be shy.

Mrs. Wang smiled and secretly thought about her next plan. At this time, Jia Mu came over and said with a smile: "What are you talking about here? It's so lively."

Everyone stood up and saluted, and Grandmother Jia waved her hand to signal everyone to sit down.

Li Wan smiled and said, "Grandma, we are praising Miss Bao! Look how beautiful she is, and how talented she is. She will definitely achieve great things in the future."

Grandmother Jia narrowed her eyes and smiled, looking at Xue Baochai and said, "Bao girl is indeed a good child, but her future depends on her own luck."

Xue Baochai stood obediently by the side, listening to their conversation with a smile, but in her heart she had already begun to think about her future path.

Grandmother Jia pondered inwardly, what kind of place is the Imperial Palace? How could one enter it casually? Back then, her granddaughter Yuanchun had spent countless connections and money to become a female historian for the imperial concubine. Putting all that aside, she had learned all sorts of etiquette and rules from the palace maids since she was a child, and had to hire famous teachers to teach her the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She finally earned a reputation as a talented woman in the capital, and ultimately entered the palace on her own merit. But once inside, it was like entering a deep sea, and it took many years to finally make it through.

Hearing Jia's praise, Xue Baochai could not help but lower her head shyly and said softly, "Thank you for the compliment, old lady. Baochai really doesn't deserve it."

With Lady Wang now in charge, she was naturally well-informed about the household's current situation. For years, the Jia family had been struggling to make ends meet, burdened by numerous expenses. Many valuables in the treasury had been secretly sold for silver. Although Lin Daiyu came from an official family, she was not favored, and her dowry had been almost completely squandered by the Jia family, leaving only Jia Min's dowry. However, most of this wealth had been embezzled by Lady Wang. In contrast, the Xue family was extremely wealthy, and the dowry for their daughter, Xue Baochai, must have been enormous. Despite the presence of a highly respected and favored imperial concubine, money was needed to maintain the family's prominent position within the court. Therefore, marrying Xue Baochai was perhaps the wisest choice.

As the saying goes, those who are close to the water get the moon first. Now that the mother and son of the Xue family are living at home, if Baoyu has more contact with Baochai, his son may not like Daiyu anymore.

A few days later, Mrs. Wang and Aunt Xue were chatting. Mrs. Wang asked casually, "What do you think of Baoyu?" Aunt Xue replied without hesitation, "Baoyu is a truly wonderful child! He has a handsome face and a keen eye, and he's especially considerate towards girls."

Mrs. Wang nodded slightly and continued, "Your Highness is my only daughter, and she entered the palace at a young age. Now that I see Baochai, it's as if I've seen my own flesh and blood. I really hope I can keep her by my side forever."

Aunt Xue was secretly delighted when she heard this, and immediately understood the deep meaning behind Mrs. Wang's words. She smiled and replied, "Baochai is indeed the most thoughtful child. It's a pity that she has been included in the candidate list, otherwise I would definitely let her stay by my side forever."

Mrs. Wang then asked, "Our Baoyu is now of marriageable age. I wonder if Baochai has anyone in love?"

After hearing this, Xue Baochai's face flushed rapidly, as bright as the sunset glow. She lowered her head and silently fiddled with the handkerchief in her hand, as if it was her only hope. Her lips trembled slightly, but she never made a sound.

Aunt Xue, who was standing by, saw this and hurried out to smooth things over. She smiled and said to everyone, "Baochai is still young, there's no need to rush this matter. Besides, marriage is a serious matter and must be considered carefully."

Mrs. Wang smiled and nodded in agreement. She said, "Even though we have to participate in the selection, we should be prepared for both situations! If we meet a suitable family, we should consider it early. With Baochai's qualifications, talent and beauty, she will definitely find a good home."

At this moment, Xue Baochai's heart was already in turmoil. She secretly glanced at Jia Baoyu, and their eyes met. At that moment, her heart was pounding like a deer.

Aunt Xue listened to Lady Wang's words and felt they made sense. However, she didn't agree immediately, saying she needed to think it over. After all, she believed her daughter was still young and so outstanding that even if she wasn't successful in the selection, she still had plenty of time to find a suitable husband. Therefore, she wasn't in a rush to make a decision.

Mrs. Wang naturally understood her younger sister's thoughts. She had known her younger sister since she was little, and she recalled how she had successfully orchestrated her marriage, marrying her into a merchant family instead of the Duke's mansion. Now, she was confident that her daughter would obey her wishes and marry into her own family.

Mrs. Wang had already made up her mind to make this happen. To this end, she wrote a letter to her daughters in the palace, explaining the situation in detail and asking them to do their best to help her. She knew that her sisters had always hoped that Xue Baochai would enter the palace, but she was determined to deny them this path. This was the only way to ensure that Xue Baochai would eventually become the wife of her son, Jia Baoyu.