Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

The night was deep, and moonlight streamed into the house through the window lattice, illuminating a tranquil scene. Jia Zheng broke the long silence and whispered to his wife beside him, "Madam, it's late. You should also go to bed early." His voice was low and a hint of fatigue.

Mrs. Wang shuddered slightly, as if coming to her senses from her reverie. She replied, "Yes, you too." After this brief exchange, the room fell silent again, with only the sound of their breathing mingling in the air.

The two of them lay quietly on the bed, their bodies separated by a distance, as if they were completing a task naturally. A dull atmosphere filled the room, making people feel depressed. Their eyes were empty and lifeless, as if they were just two strangers who were destined to lie together, without any emotional connection.

Lady Wang silently turned away from Jia Zheng, a flicker of helplessness and bitterness in her eyes. She knew that this loveless marriage had lasted too long. Over the years, she had grown accustomed to this indifference and alienation, yet deep down, she still felt an endless sense of grievance and resentment. She felt that her efforts and dedication had been ignored, while Jia Zheng had never truly cared about her feelings.

Jia Zheng lay quietly, his body trembling slightly, his eyes closed, as if unconscious. But in reality, countless thoughts were swirling within him, flooding his mind like a tide, leaving him unable to calm down. His thoughts were not solely about personal gains and losses, but rather about the worry and responsibility he felt for his entire family. He knew he shouldered a huge mission, but at this moment, he felt powerless to meet it.

Yet, amidst this endless brooding, he never considered what his wife truly needed. He was preoccupied with career success and family honor, neglecting the feelings of those closest to him. He took it for granted that, as the head of the household, his wife should silently stand behind him, supporting him, caring for him, and preparing everything for him.

Just as Jia Zheng was lost in his thoughts, there was a sudden, gentle knock on the door. It was soft, but distinctly audible. Neither Lady Wang nor Jia Zheng moved, knowing it was probably just a maid bringing tea or some other small item. They paid no attention, remaining absorbed in their own thoughts.

However, the knocking didn't stop; instead, it became more urgent, as if the person outside couldn't wait to convey some important news. Mrs. Wang frowned and muttered in dissatisfaction, "Who is this? Knocking at the door so late!"

Finally, Jia Zheng couldn't bear it any longer. He sat up suddenly and shouted to the door, "Who is it? What's going on?" A maid's voice came from outside the door: "Master, Madam, something bad has happened. Aunt Zhao has a stomachache!"

The two looked at each other, their faces expressionless. Mrs. Wang said silently, "Master, can you go and see him?" Jia Zheng said with cold eyes, "Aunt Zhao really doesn't know the rules. What's the point of going to the doctor and the master when you are sick? You are disturbing the mistress's rest."

At this time, Aunt Zhao was in her room, clutching her stomach in pain, her face as pale as paper. Her eyes were filled with fear and despair, because she knew that her status was low and no one would care about her life or death. At this time, Jia Zheng still treated her coldly, which made her feel extremely chilled.

Mrs. Wang sat on the bed, looking at the door coldly. She sneered inwardly, what a heartless man! When he was in love, he could even call Aunt Zhao's ignorance and vulgarity straightforwardness. He really didn't know what to do. Mrs. Wang pretended to be generous and said, "Master, please go and take a look! After all, Aunt Zhao has given birth to a son and a daughter for our Jia family."

Jia Zheng hesitated for a moment, then stood up and walked towards Aunt Zhao's room. After all, she was his aunt, and he couldn't completely ignore her.

Seeing Jia Zheng come in, Aunt Zhao forced a smile, suppressing the pain. "Aunt, how are you feeling? Have you called the doctor?" the maid next to her asked anxiously. Another maid replied, "We have already called."

Soon, the doctor rushed over. After a brief examination, he said to everyone with a serious expression, "Aunt Zhao has accidentally eaten something poisonous."

Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng frowned and asked in confusion, "What's going on? The food and drink in the mansion are all supervised."

At this time, a little maid knelt on the ground tremblingly and told the whole story in a trembling voice.

It turned out that Aunt Zhao went to Tanchun's residence because she was greedy and saw the bird's nest given by Mrs. Wang, which was very good, so she rushed to eat it. After coming back, she saw some fresh persimmons and ate a few more.

After hearing this, Jia Zheng was so angry that his face turned red, and he cursed, "You ignorant and stupid woman, you even snatched my daughter's things. You shouldn't have hired a doctor for you." Then he turned away with a wave of his sleeves.

After hearing what Jia Zheng said, Aunt Zhao did not feel ashamed for snatching food from her daughter. Instead, she thought someone was deliberately harming her. She quickly crawled to Jia Zheng's side, hugged his thighs tightly, and cried with snot and tears, "Master, someone must be trying to frame me!"

Jia Zheng impatiently pushed her away. "Frame you? Who would have the leisure to frame a fool like you? Why don't you lie down and rest?"

Aunt Zhao refused to give in and cried even louder, "Master, I have always been obedient and never had any grudges against anyone. It must be that the mistress can't stand me and wants to get rid of me. Please, Master, help me!"

Jia Zheng was furious, "Enough! Stop talking nonsense, aren't you ashamed enough?" He turned and left, leaving Aunt Zhao crying alone in the room.

When Mrs. Wang heard this, she was secretly delighted, but she pretended to be deeply distressed and said, "How could Aunt Zhao take her own daughter's food? If she wants to use it, she should tell me. We don't need this little thing at home."

The maids beside her echoed, "Yes, Madam, what do you think we should do about this?"

Madam Wang pretended to be thoughtful for a moment, then slowly said, "Well, now that it has happened, we can only face reality. I will personally explain the whole story to Master and assume the corresponding responsibilities."

The maids nodded in agreement, thinking that the Madam was indeed a person of great righteousness and responsibility. Lady Wang, on the other hand, was secretly pleased. She knew that this incident would not only make Jia Zheng even more disgusted with Aunt Zhao, but would also demonstrate her love for her illegitimate children. More importantly, Jia Zheng would definitely not stay at her place tonight. It was truly a three-pronged approach!

That evening, Mrs. Wang came to Jia Zheng's study and told him the whole story. Jia Zheng was so angry that his face turned blue. He slammed the table and shouted, "How dare this bitch do such a thing! Come, give her ten lashes to teach her a lesson and let everyone know the family traditions of our Jia family!"

Mrs. Wang quickly advised, "Master, please calm down. Although Aunt Zhao did something wrong this time, she is still ill. If you really hit her, I'm afraid she won't be able to bear it. How about letting it go this time?"

After hearing this, Jia Zheng felt a little calmer. He felt that what Lady Wang said made sense, so he nodded and said, "If that's the case, then let her go this time. However, Madam, you must discipline her properly and let her know what the rules are."

Mrs. Wang nodded repeatedly, indicating that she would definitely discipline him properly. Jia Zheng looked at her with a surge of admiration, thinking that his wife was indeed a person who understood the overall situation and took the overall situation into consideration.

The next morning, word spread throughout the mansion that the master had intended to spank Concubine Zhao, but because of Madam Wang's plea, he decided to have her kneel in the Buddhist temple for a day. Upon hearing this, Concubine Zhao burst into tears and a tantrum, feeling deeply wronged. But she also understood that the matter was irreversible, so she obediently knelt in the temple.

Jia Tanchun saw all of this. She was grateful for Lady Wang's actions, but also deeply disappointed with her mother's selfishness. From then on, the relationship between Jia Tanchun and Aunt Zhao became increasingly distant. She began to deliberately avoid her mother and was unwilling to have too much contact with her.