Chapter 556 I Won’t Marry
"The old lady gave twenty taels of silver, and the eldest lady gave fifteen! My two sisters-in-law and I each chipped in ten taels, and you young ones, whether you chipped in three, five, seven, or eight taels, chipped in too."
"Don't worry, Second Madam. We've prepared everything in advance," Yuanyang said with a smile. "Although we can't compare to the other Madams, we'll each get ten taels. The maids around us, as well as Qingwen and the others, will each get one tael. Also, although the Master isn't here, we can't go without, so we'll also get twenty taels, just like the Old Madam."
"First, Master Bao's dignity is important. Second, Xiren has been looked after by the old lady after all. We can't make things difficult for her."
Although Yuanyang and the others were only concubines, they held the status of imperial decrees. Moreover, their contributions represented Jia Cong's respectability, so naturally they could not be less. As for the maids around them, one hundred coins was not a small amount, but Jia Cong usually gave them a lot of rewards, so one hundred coins was really nothing.
Moreover, although they spent money, they were also trying to gain face for the East Mansion. They could not suppress the master, but they could suppress the maids in other rooms .
As for Jia Cong, although he is Baoyu's brother, he is now in charge of the East Palace. Not only is he a marquis, but he is also the head of the Jia family. Naturally, no one would say anything if he offered twenty taels to compete with the old lady.
On the contrary, Keqing, as a younger generation, got the upper hand and did not need to contribute. After all, how could a niece-in-law pay money for her uncle to marry a wife?
Baochai, who was standing by, smiled and said, "Sister Yuanyang is right. We sisters naturally cannot go beyond the sisters-in-law, so each of us will receive eight taels."
Baochai, Daiyu, and Baoqin didn't care how much they had. Yingchun wasn't exactly wealthy, but she had enough money now. Even Xiangyun, though she had been short of money before, was now much more comfortable with the Shi family, following in the footsteps of the Jia family. Furthermore, the women in the East Palace received a monthly allowance of ten taels of silver, so it wasn't a big deal to give them a few.
"Everyone knows how wealthy you are in the East Mansion!" Wang Xifeng said with a raised lip. "There are hundreds of thousands of taels of silver in the treasury. Your eldest master loves you and gives you hundreds or thousands of taels at a wave of his hand. If Second Madam were as wealthy as you, she would give you an extra 100 or 200 taels."
"That's hard to say!" Yu Shi took Wang Xifeng's arm. "One day you'll become a member of our East Palace. Wouldn't it be easy for our master to reward you a few more times? "
"Hmph, who is in charge of your East Palace?" Wang Xifeng gritted her teeth and pinched Youshi hard.
"You, Feng Lazi, please withdraw your magical powers!" Li Wan stepped forward helplessly . "It's getting late. Let them go back and rest early. They've been making trouble all day."
"Bi Yue just came to tell me that the fourth young lady and her friends went to the East Palace to play. They are probably asleep now."
"Then let's go today. Don't forget to come to Brother Bao's wedding tomorrow!" Wang Xifeng said with a smile.
Afterwards, the maids and servants lit the lights, and all the people from the East Palace returned. Baochai, Daiyu and others simply stayed at the mansion for one night to avoid having to travel back and forth the next day.
In Daiyu's courtyard, the maids fetched water for Daiyu and Xiangyun to wash, and then the two sisters went to bed.
Although Xiangyun also had a residence in the mansion, she liked to be lively. Therefore, whenever she stayed overnight in the mansion, she would mostly live with other sisters, especially in Daiyu's room, where the two of them would often talk in bed at night.
The two of them lay on the bed, and Xiangyun smiled and said, "We haven't had such a lively time in a long time. Today, it's a rare occasion for all the sisters to gather together, so we can have a good time."
"By the way, did you draw the hibiscus flower today, Miss Lin? It's really excellent, just as good as Sister Bao's peony flower."
Daiyu turned to look at Xiangyun, "I remember you drew the smiling flower today?"
"Xiangpo is sleeping drunk. In my opinion, it should be Qingshi who is sleeping drunk!"
Xiangyun's pretty face flushed red upon hearing this. How could she not know what Daiyu meant? Last year, when everyone was having a small gathering in the East Mansion, Xiangyun drank too much and fell asleep directly on the bluestone. It was Jia Cong who carried her back to her room. Even thinking about it now, Xiangyun was filled with shame.
"Lin girl, you're teasing me too!" Xiangyun spat softly, "Anyway, you and Sister Bao have already exchanged gifts with Third Brother. When Third Brother comes back, you two will be his brides. Then you'll probably have to call him your good sister-in-law."
Daiyu half covered her face with a handkerchief. After the formalities, she was much more resilient to such words. Although she was still shy, she would not run away as embarrassed as before.
"Girl Yun, don't talk nonsense! You're only one year younger than me, and you're already sixteen this year. It's estimated that in a year or so, the old lady will find you a wealthy husband. By then, you'll have a group of powerful sisters-in-law and a powerful mother-in-law who'll set rules for you all day long. Don't go to your sisters to complain when that happens."
Xiangyun felt annoyed and snorted, "Don't worry, you don't have to worry. When you marry Third Brother, there won't be any proper elders in the East Palace. You and Sister Bao will be the mistresses of the household directly, and no one will set rules for you. Besides, you and Sister Bao are destined to be high-ranking officials in the future, which means you'll be one level lower than an old lady. It's truly a great honor."
After saying that, Xiangyun snorted again, "I won't get married. Fourth sister and I have already discussed it before. I won't get married. When you marry Third Brother, I will stay in your house all day long and let you and Sister Bao take care of me. With Third Brother here, let's see if you dare to kick me out."
"It's the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words! You say you don't want to marry? I heard from the old lady that the two aunts from the Shi family have already started discussing this matter with her. It depends on which family in Shenjing the two aunts will choose."
brush!
Xiangyun turned over and sat up, "Really?"
"What's true or false?" Daiyu said with a smile. "I heard it from the old lady the other day."
"They've been talking about the legitimate son of the Duke of Zhiguo, the legitimate son of the Duke of Qi, and so on. Who knows, maybe a matchmaker will be called one day to finalize the marriage."
"How could you two aunts do this?" Xiangyun asked anxiously, "Why didn't the old lady tell me?"
"It's not right for us ." Daiyu sighed. Fortunately, her third brother was her lover. Otherwise, if he married someone else, how could she have the right to refute?
"No! Absolutely not!" Xiangyun cried out, "Tomorrow I'll go back home and tell my two aunts that no matter who they choose, I won't marry!"
