Chapter 748 Sisters
October 14th, sunny.
The rise and fall of Zhenguo Mansion has caused countless people to sigh and lament.
But for the group of young ladies gathered in the backyard of the Sun Mansion within two miles, it was not even a serious topic of conversation.
It's not that the women didn't pay attention to this matter, but it was because the situation in the Zhenguo Mansion was quite similar to the current Rongguo Mansion. Discussing it would inevitably touch upon taboos, so they simply kept their mouths shut.
It was almost noon that day. Jia Tanchun, who had just played two rounds of cards, said she wanted to relax, so she went to the west wing corridor alone, spread out her handkerchief and sat on the railing. She untied the purse at her waist and carefully counted the loose silver inside.
After a while, she suddenly sighed with a sad face.
"Yo~"
At this time, a mocking voice suddenly sounded from behind: "You who won money are hiding here sighing, and we who lost money, are we still going to survive?"
Jia Tanchun said without even turning her head: "Sister Lin has never played, how could she have lost to me?"
Just as he finished speaking, he heard a chuckle from behind, and then he started laughing.
Jia Tanchun was stunned and turned around to see that the person behind her was not Lin Daiyu, but Xue Baoqin.
"You mischievous ghost! How dare you pretend to be Sister Lin's voice to scare me!" Jia Tanchun stomped her feet and said coquettishly, half-seriously and half-fakely, and made a threatening move to tickle me.
Xue Baoqin took two steps back, looking extremely terrified: "This is unbelievable! A robber has emerged from the Rongguo Mansion—not only did he rob our money, but now won't even let us go!"
“Pah~!”
Jia Tanchun spat at her and said unhappily, "You've only been with Sister Lin for a few days, and you've already learned her sharp tongue. I wonder if you'll marry..."
At this point, Jia Tanchun suddenly remembered something and hurriedly changed her words: "I wonder if others will dare to recognize you when you return to your hometown in Jinling in the future!"
She took the initiative to avoid the topic, but Xue Baoqin pouted and said, "What's there to hide? If I really get disliked by others, it will never be because of this mouth."
Seeing that she was carefree and yet also a bit naive, Jia Tanchun couldn't help but smile. She walked around to the outside of the corridor and sat next to her, but they were both speechless tacitly.
At this time, Xue Baochai came out of the room. Seeing the two of them sitting side by side, she stamped her feet and scolded them, "It's fine if you're at home, but you two can't be quiet when you're out visiting relatives. If you really catch a cold, won't it a waste of trouble for Second Sister?"
As he said this, he stepped forward and pulled Jia Tanchun up, saying, "My dear sister, in a few days it will be my turn to host the banquet again, but I really can't stand the noise - you have always been a person with strong opinions, why don't you help me arrange it."
Jia Tanchun felt her palm sink. She looked down and saw a bulging green purse of Yingge lying quietly in her palm. A rough estimate showed that it weighed at least thirty or forty taels.
Not to mention that the poetry club had to pool together a sum of money for daily expenses. Even without that sum of money, these were still too generous.
Besides, every time Xue Baochai hosted a party, she always managed everything in an orderly manner. Why did she need someone else to do it for her?
After a moment's thought, Jia Tanchun immediately understood Xue Baochai's intentions. She was touched and ashamed at the same time, and hurriedly refused, saying, "Sister, the poetry club is..."
"Just take it if I tell you to. Don't tell me I can't use you anymore?"
Xue Baochai interrupted the conversation with a feigned anger, and before Jia Tanchun could say anything else, she smiled and said, "It's settled now - my mother is still waiting for me to be her military advisor, I dare not be lazy here."
Having said that, she turned her plump yet graceful body around and went straight back into the house.
Jia Tanchun hurried a few steps behind and opened her mouth to shout, but she didn't want to make this matter known to others. In the end, she had to return to the corridor of the west wing in a daze.
"You have to follow my lead."
Xue Baoqin looked at the purse in her hand and shook her head, saying, "This money really shouldn't be spent on him - even if it's thrown into the water, at least you can hear the noise!"
Upon hearing this, Jia Tanchun suddenly raised her head and stared at Xue Baoqin, wanting to say something but stopping herself.
"Why are you looking at me, sister?"
Xue Baoqin curled her lips and said, "Although I am not as considerate as my sister, I am not a fool. Besides, everyone in your house already knows that Master Zheng is going back to Beijing."
Jia Tanchun continued to stare at him, and after a while she sighed, lowered her head and said, "So, I am just trying to cover up my mistake - I'm sure the Madam knows the truth too, right?"
"So what?"
Xue Baoqin stepped forward and held her shoulders, saying with a smile: "If your heart is really as hard as stone, I really wouldn't dare to get close to you."
Jia Tanchun responded with a wry smile, then turned her gaze back to the purse in her palm.
It is said that every failure makes one wiser, but her brother Jia Huan, who was born to the same mother, was a stubborn person.
Just now, she cried and swore to Baoyu, and finally got his help to pay off her gambling debts. But just a few days later, she was trapped again.
If it were under normal circumstances, when Jia Tanchun learned of this news, she would at most be secretly angry at her husband for not fighting back, but would not take any substantial action.
But now it’s different.
Thanks to Jia Yuanchun's pregnancy, Jia Zheng has received an order to return to the capital to report on his work ahead of schedule. He will probably be able to hand over his duties and return to the capital after the New Year at the latest.
Given his temper, if he knew that Jia Huan was unrepentant and had a lot of debts outside, he would probably beat this rebellious son to death with his own hands.
It is said that they have no contact with each other and are as hostile as water and fire.
But how could Jia Tanchun bear to watch Huan Lao San being beaten to death by her father's stick?
Therefore, Jia Tanchun has been trying to find a way to raise money recently, hoping to help him fill the hole after he has learned his lesson outside.
But she is an unpopular concubine's daughter, and she is usually strong-willed and proud. How much money can she save?
She had been keeping something on her mind these past few days, but she had forced herself to hold it in and not show it in front of outsiders. Who would have thought that Sister Bao would still see through her.
In addition to feeling ashamed and grateful, the scales, which were already slightly tilted, could not help but decide the winner - although Brother Bao had always resisted this "perfect match", Sister Bao's character could...
Crash~
Just at this moment, the sound of pearl curtains was heard, and another woman walked out of Jia Yingchun's main room. That delicate figure, like a willow swaying in the wind, who else could it be but Lin Daiyu?
After Lin Daiyu went out, she looked around and saw the two of them were in the corridor of the west wing, so she walked over.
But when he was halfway there, his eyes were fixed on the purse in Jia Tanchun's hand. A look of confusion first flashed across his face, and then a look of sudden realization appeared.
Then, she subconsciously stopped, as if intending to turn back the way she came.
“Sister Lin!”
Just as Tanchun was vaguely aware of something, Xue Baoqin, who was standing by, had already rushed over like a fly, spread her hands and said with a smile: "Do you have something to ask Sister Tanchun for help? Come on, give me an advance on your wages!"
Lin Daiyu was caught off guard by her. She turned to look at Jia Tanchun who had suddenly stood up, then pointed a finger at Baoqin's forehead and scolded her with a smile, "You are the only smart one!"
As he spoke, he took out an apricot-colored purse, walked over and stuffed it into Jia Tanchun's hand without saying anything, and said straight to the point: "If you really love Huan Lao San, you can't just give this money away. You have to make him suffer enough first."
Seeing that Jia Tanchun seemed to be about to refuse, she put on a serious face and asked, "Why, my silver is not silver anymore?"
Jia Tanchun was speechless for a moment. After watching Lin Daiyu return to the main room, she felt troubled.
Which side should she stand on?
"Okay."
Baoqin sat back on the railing without knowing when, and kicked her embroidered shoes on the crescent-shaped bottom up and down, saying with a smile: "Don't worry about it. It's not up to you to decide who will be Brother Bao's bride."
This is so clever!
Jia Tanchun glanced at her and was about to criticize her, but she giggled and said, "Besides, I think my aunt may not have decided on Brother Bao."
