Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

Soon, the two arrived at the Spring Banquet's main hall. Madam Wang was already waiting there. Upon seeing Jiaojiao approach, she immediately stepped forward with a broad smile, reaching out to hold her hand. With a loving gaze, she softly asked, "My dearest daughter, did you see the young master of the Zheng family today? How was he?"

Facing her grandmother's concerned question, Jiaojiao's cheeks immediately flushed with shame. She lowered her head and replied in a voice as soft as a mosquito: "Grandmother... I just met him for the first time, I really don't have any special thoughts..." After hearing Jiaojiao's words, Jia Mu smiled slightly and comforted her: "It's okay, it's okay. You can get along slowly in the future."

However, despite her grandmother's words, Jiaojiao's clever and perceptive mind had already seen through the many complex interests hidden in this matter. She knew that this matter was not as simple as it seemed on the surface, and there must be unknown political calculations and conflicts of interest behind it.

Madam Wang pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, "Jiaojiao, don't let your mind wander. You must know that the Zheng family is truly a rare and virtuous family! They have an unwritten rule: a man who is forty and childless may take a concubine. Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, this rule alone is enough to demonstrate the strictness of their family traditions and the integrity of their family. Furthermore, the Zheng family is wealthy and well-off, and their reputation and influence in the literary world are immense. It's no exaggeration to say that even your Lin family, with its long-standing family heritage, would probably pale in comparison."

Meanwhile, elsewhere, the Jia family continued to chatter about Jiaojiao. Mrs. Wang, with a gloomy expression, said coldly, "Hmph, in my opinion, if Miss Lin really manages to marry into the Zheng family, she'll never again take our Jia family seriously." With these words, everyone present looked at each other, each harboring unspeakable emotions: some worried, some secretly delighted, and still others filled with jealousy... For a moment, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Jia Tanchun stood before Mrs. Wang, her hands unconsciously tugging at the corner of her clothes, her mind replaying the purpose of her visit to the Zheng residence. She took a deep breath, gathered herself, and spoke with some trepidation, "Madam, the girl from the Lin family is still young, not even of marriageable age; but the young master from the Zheng family is almost of marriageable age. With such a huge gap, I think this marriage will be difficult to achieve! Besides, the Lin family and our Jia family don't have close ties. Even if this marriage is successful, it will probably not bring any substantial benefits to our Jia family. However, I, your daughter, am different..."

Mrs. Wang had been listening casually, but at this point, her gaze suddenly sharpened. She fixed her gaze on Jia Tanchun, a hint of surprise and anticipation in her eyes. She nodded slightly in agreement and said, "Tan-chan, you do have some truth in what you say. But, what exactly can we do to facilitate this marriage between our Jia family and the Zheng family?"

Seeing that Lady Wang was quite interested in what she was saying, Jia Tanchun couldn't help but feel delighted. She quickly lowered her voice and continued cautiously, "Madam, as far as I know, the young master of the Zheng family has always been fond of poetry and is extremely obsessed with literature. I have loved reading and calligraphy since I was young, and I have some experience in poetry. If I can find a suitable opportunity, I can let me show off my talents in front of the young master of the Zheng family. Perhaps I can attract his attention and favor."

After hearing this, Madam Wang fell into a brief moment of deep thought. After a long moment, she slowly raised her head, a thoughtful expression on her face, and said slowly, "Well, while this plan is brilliant, the Zheng family is a prominent and wealthy family, so the threshold is naturally unusual. If we want to make it work, we must plan carefully and thoroughly."

Jia Tanchun quickly replied, "Madam, you have given it careful thought. I understand." Lady Wang patted Tanchun's hand gently and said, "Tan-girl, since you have such thoughts, don't be too hasty. Just focus on preparing some outstanding poems for the next few days. I will send someone to the Zheng family to sound out any concerns." Tanchun bowed and said, "Thank you for your advice, Madam. I will prepare carefully."

Everyone in the Jia family was only concerned with imagining the glory of their Jia family and the Zheng family becoming relatives. They had not considered that the Zheng family had ears. Within an incense stick of time, everything the Jia family said was transmitted word for word to Madam Zheng's ears. Upon hearing this, Madam Zheng sneered, "Humph, does the Jia family think that their daughters have some talent and can get close to our Zheng family? That's a beautiful thought." The maidservant beside her asked softly, "Madam, how should we deal with it?" Madam Zheng's eyes flashed with cunning, "Since they want to show off their talent, then we should give them a chance.

After the banquet, the lights in the Wutong Courtyard of the Lin family were on. Wang Xifeng walked lightly to Lin Ruhai's side and said softly, "My husband, today I went to the Zheng family to attend a banquet. During the banquet, the Zheng family expressed their intention to marry into our family." After that, her beautiful eyes stared at Lin Ruhai, as if waiting for his response.

When Lin Ruhai heard this, his brows furrowed slightly. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Zheng family? Although it is indeed a famous and prestigious family, this matter is a little too sudden, isn't it?" As he spoke, he stroked his chin with his hand, looking into the distance, as if thinking about something.

Wang Xifeng, upon seeing this, paused for a moment, then replied, "I do think this marriage is quite good. Our Jiaojiao is our precious daughter, whom we have raised with much hardship and care, and we never intended for her to enter the palace and get involved in the intrigues. But we can't just find her a random, small-town family and let her suffer for no reason, can we? The Zheng family, as you know, is a family with a clean and upright character and a great reputation. Their son is even more exceptional, not only ambitious but also handsome and well-mannered. Besides, the Zheng family is well-off and will certainly not mistreat our Jiaojiao. Wouldn't that make everyone happy?"

After listening to what Wang Xifeng said, Lin Ruhai nodded slightly to show his agreement: "Well... what Madam said makes sense. But I don't know what Jiaojiao herself thinks. After all, marriage is a big matter, and we have to respect her own wishes." As he spoke, a trace of worry appeared on his face.

After hearing this, Wang Xifeng's mouth corners rose slightly, revealing a smile as bright as a blooming spring flower, and she comforted him softly: "My husband, don't be anxious. Jiaojiao is a well-known smart girl, and her mind is as clear as crystal! As long as we tell her in detail about the many advantages of the young master of the Zheng family, with her smart and clever personality, she will certainly not have any objection to this marriage." After that, Wang Xifeng stretched out her jade hand and gently patted the back of Lin Ruhai's hand. Her eyes were as gentle as water, as if signaling him to relax.

After hearing this, Lin Ruhai pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Well, since I no longer have the urge to go there to compete, it's best to finalize this marriage as soon as possible. This will prevent unnecessary complications. With that in mind, I need to quickly find a suitable opportunity to personally visit the Zheng family and discuss this matter with Master Zheng."

Meanwhile, in the Zheng family's main courtyard, the Zheng family master sat at a large carved table, his demeanor dignified. His gaze was sharp as a torch, and he asked, "Did you meet the young lady from the Lin family today? How was your impression?" Madam Zheng, standing nearby, quickly rose and replied, "Master, I was fortunate enough to meet her today. Although the young lady from the Lin family is still young, I can already glimpse her as a beauty that will surely captivate the whole nation. Furthermore, she is elegant and well-behaved, dignified and polite, yet retaining a youthful spirit of playfulness. She is truly the perfect candidate for our clan's matron." Madam Zheng couldn't help but smile with satisfaction as she spoke.

Mr. Zheng frowned, staring sharply ahead, and said in a deep voice: "Is it really so? The granddaughter of the Jia family is notorious in the capital. She is known for her frivolousness and rudeness. She has none of the rules and manners that a lady should have!" His tone was full of doubt and dissatisfaction.

Madam Zheng, seated nearby, gently fanned herself with a round fan and responded slowly, "Master, do you still have any doubts about my judgment? The two girls from the Lin family aren't born of the same mother, so it's understandable that they have very different personalities. The granddaughter of the Jia family grew up in the Jia family and was later adopted. She must have been influenced by the Jia family's customs for a long time, and naturally picked up their bad habits. And today, the concubine from the Jia family's second branch is actually trying to get close to our son Bo. This family has the audacity to blatantly plot against the master in someone else's mansion, and they act without regard for the occasion, not even knowing how to lower their voices. It's truly shameful and unbearable to watch!"

Upon hearing this, Master Zheng's originally calm expression instantly darkened to a gloomy black. He snorted coldly and said angrily, "Humph! This is simply wishful thinking! Do the Jia family really think that having a concubine will instantly propel them to great heights? Such ignorant behavior is truly despicable!"

At the same time, in another courtyard of the Jia Mansion, Mrs. Wang was sitting upright on a carved chair, and with a solemn expression she ordered the servant who was serving respectfully beside her: "Go and invite the master over quickly, I have something important to discuss with him." The servant did not dare to delay, and quickly bowed and responded, then hurriedly ran towards the gate of the mansion.

The relationship between Jia Zheng and Lady Wang had long been irreconcilable. If it weren't for the fact that there was a certain empress in the palace, Jia Zheng wouldn't have even bothered to even step foot in this place. His face was gloomy, and he said unhappily, "It's so late! What's so important that I have to come here in the middle of the night?"

Mrs. Wang has always been decisive and never dragged her feet. She said straight to the point: "Today I went to visit the Zheng family. Who would have known that your illegitimate daughter was so ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth, speaking wildly in public and boasting that she wanted to marry into the Zheng family." After saying this, she glanced at Jia Zheng fiercely with the corner of her eye, and sneered from her nose with contempt and disdain.

Without even a moment's thought, Jia Zheng responded without hesitation, "The Zheng family is a prominent and prestigious family, a renowned and powerful one in the capital. They are a perfect match for our Duke's Mansion. Moreover, Tanchun is not only the Imperial Concubine's biological sister, but she is also incredibly charming and beautiful, with a cheerful, bright, and generous personality. Furthermore, she has been well-versed in poetry and literature since childhood, possessing exceptional literary talent and good manners. I believe the Zheng family will be pleased with her."

After hearing Jia Zheng's words, Lady Wang felt a surge of indignation within her. She sneered at Jia Zheng and said sarcastically, "Since Master thinks this matter has great potential, why don't you pick a suitable day and personally visit Master Zheng to ask his opinion, so that the marriage can be finalized sooner rather than later? However, it seems to me that Lady Zheng has been incredibly attentive and enthusiastic towards the little girl from the Lin family today."

Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng frowned slightly, a thoughtful expression on his face as he said, "Miss Lin? Could it be that you're referring to Lin Daiyu? Although she's currently staying with us, she's still my mother's darling. She and Baoyu grew up together, so they're childhood sweethearts. However, I really need to investigate the Zheng family's plans."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang snorted coldly and said, "Master, please don't forget that the Lin family has a legitimate daughter! Just based on the appearance of your Jia family's niece, they might not be interested in her. Besides, even if Tanchun is a concubine's daughter, she is still a daughter of our family. If even she is disliked by the Zheng family, wouldn't it make everyone else laugh at our family if this matter gets out?"

After hearing this, Jia Zheng slowly began to walk, lost in thought. After a moment, he paused and spoke, "We must not act rashly on this matter. I believe the Zheng family has close ties with the Lin family, and perhaps they simply value Miss Lin's talent. As for Tanchun, she's actually not much worse off. How about this? Tomorrow, I'll send a servant to the Zheng family to deliver a message, to test the master's stance on this matter, and then we'll make further plans."

Mrs. Wang's expression softened slightly, and she nodded, saying, "I hope things will go as we wish. If the Zheng family does indeed agree to Tanchun's marriage, there will inevitably be a lot of interaction between our Jia Mansion and the Zheng family in the future. So before that, Master, you must carefully consider the pros and cons involved."