Chapter 69

Daiyu and Tan Chun entered the Rongqing Hall.

Daiyu smiled slightly: "I just seemed to hear Second Brother Baoyu mentioning that maid Wuer."

Baoyu saw that his asking for Wuer had been overheard by Daiyu, and his face was somewhat sheepish; he had always hidden this habit of loving beauty in front of Lin Meimei.

Now that he was asking for Jia Cong's maid and happened to be bumped into by Daiyu, he was truly somewhat anxious.

Jia Mu asked: "Yu'er, have you ever seen that Wuer? Is she really that good?"

Jia Mu had also always liked maids with good looks; she knew her grandson's taste was not low, so if she could be valued by him, she must be good. Why hadn't she heard of her before?

Lady Wang, to the side, had a bad expression, but in her heart, she thought: that Wuer is indeed seductive; she had already reached Jia Cong's room, and yet she could still hook her own son into asking for her.

If she really went to her son's room, she didn't know how she would incite and corrupt her son; fortunately, she had planned ahead and sent her to Jia Cong's room early.

Lady Wang had always disliked such beautiful and intelligent women, feeling that such women were restless, and she had a natural repulsion toward them.

Daiyu smiled slightly: "Old Ancestor, Wuer in Young Master Cong's room is indeed excellent; not only is she beautiful, but she is also clever, quiet, and elegant, and she is meticulous and appropriate in everything she does."

Seeing that the Old Ancestor had already made up her mind, she couldn't openly contradict her in the hall; anyway, if she really asked for her, she could just find an excuse to send her away later; she absolutely couldn't let her son be incited and corrupted.

"I heard from Aunt Zhao, Young Master Cong's matron, that the Third Young Master cherishes Wuer very much; even his previous Zhi Shao was not treated like this."

When Zhi Shao was still in the mansion, few people knew her; now that she had left the Jia mansion, her name had become a kind of taboo, and almost everyone in the Jia mansion knew it.

Jia Mu heard Daiyu also say Wuer was good, and since her grandson liked her, she had made up her mind to find an excuse to ask for her from Jia Cong's room and give her to her Baoyu.

As for whether Jia Cong was willing, she didn't take it to heart; at worst, she would just reward him with another maid.

Daiyu added: "Old Ancestor, what you said is true; such a good maid is rare. Young Master Cong cannot leave her for a moment in his daily life, and he is exceptionally attentive to Wuer."

"That Wang Shanbao's wife who forced Zhi Shao to jump into the river was even tricked by Jia Cong into having her legs broken in the hall, and she is now waiting to be beheaded in the Zhen'an Prefecture prison."

Perhaps such a woman was contrary to her own nature, just like how she didn't like that beautiful and intelligent sister-in-law in the past, and now she didn't like the daughter she gave birth to either.

"The Third Young Master's daily life and diet are all managed by this maid; even I like this girl very much, and I felt a connection the moment I saw her."

Originally, it was because the Eldest Master took a fancy to Zhi Shao that she was forced to jump into the river; Jia Cong almost broke with his own father because of this and was beaten by his father until he was almost dead.

But because of this, he also completely moved out of the East Courtyard.

Jia Mu felt a thud in her heart when she heard the name Zhi Shao; even Lady Wang and Wang Xifeng's expressions changed.

Jia Mu felt a bit panicked whenever she thought of these things.

For Jia Cong to make such a huge scene over a maid—there was really no one else like him.

Jia Mu's eyes brightened: "Is she really that good? Then call her over tomorrow so I can see her too."

Now Daiyu said Jia Cong treated this Wuer just like he treated that Zhi Shao in the past.

Baoyu actually wanted to ask for this maid from Jia Cong's hands; wasn't this clearly asking for trouble?

If that wicked creature knew Baoyu had designs on his precious maid, who knew how crazy he would go? If he caused trouble, what would happen to her Baoyu!

"Baoyu, since Wuer is his intimate maid, we won't ask for her. If you like beautiful ones, I'll have Sister Feng buy you good ones; what's the big deal?"

Tan Chun looked at Daiyu, who had a calm smile on her face, and forcibly held back her laughter; she didn't expect Lin Jiejie to be such a tease, not liking Second Brother Baoyu asking for Wuer, so she said these words to scare people.

Strange, Lin Jiejie didn't have much contact with Third Young Master Cong before; why was she helping him now?

Baoyu had always been attentive to Daiyu; he saw that although Daiyu had a calm smile on her face, the corners of her mouth were slightly curled in triumph.

Baoyu wasn't stupid, and he was familiar with Daiyu's temper; could it be that Lin Meimei didn't like him asking for Wuer? That didn't seem like it; he had plenty of maids in his room, and when had she ever minded these things?

Could it be that Lin Meimei was secretly helping Jia Cong so he wouldn't have his maid taken away?

What was Jia Cong? How could he make Lin Meimei help him? Absolutely not; Lin Meimei grew up with him...

Baoyu had long since thrown the frustration of not getting Wuer to the back of his mind, and his heart was already in a state of panic.

Wang Xifeng saw Jia Mu's expression and naturally knew the Old Lady's thoughts.

She went out to smooth things over: "Baoyu, it's not simple to want a beautiful maid? Sister will spend silver to pick good ones for you to buy."

"This Brother Cong has more strings in his brain than others; who in the mansion doesn't know he treasures his maids the most? Why bother to provoke him?"

"Actually, if you want that Wuer, it's not impossible."

Baoyu's eyes brightened, and he even put aside the suspicion that Lin Meimei was favoring Jia Cong, only staring at Sister Feng and asking for her method.

Daiyu and Tan Chun both glanced at Wang Xifeng, feeling she was being meddlesome; even the Old Lady had let it go, yet she was still hooking the topic; had Third Young Master Cong offended her?

They didn't know that Wang Xifeng was the most shrewd and calculating; these days, seeing Jia Cong's "mighty reputation" spreading in the mansion, and the Eldest Master and Lady suffering heavy losses, it would be difficult to control Jia Cong in the future.

And this kid was now valued by the Second Master and had moved to the West Prefecture; although the Old Lady still didn't like him, she couldn't stop things from changing over time.

Her own husband was incapable, and she couldn't stop this literate kid from climbing over their heads one day, so she had the idea of nipping it in the bud and taking the opportunity to suppress him.

What the Old Lady cared about most was just Baoyu; now that Baoyu had taken a fancy to the maid in his room, taking the opportunity to stir up trouble and make this kid lose face would also dampen his spirit.

Wang Xifeng said: "Brother Cong is going to the academy to study soon, right? That Qingshan Academy is in Mount Luocang; entering the academy to study requires living in the dormitory, and even the better ones are rented nearby."

"He won't be able to come back a few times a year; wouldn't the maids in his room be idle? When the time comes, I'll help you speak, saying you don't have enough people in your room, and transfer her over to serve for a few days."

"When Brother Cong returns to the mansion, just return her to him; isn't that more clever than forcibly asking for her?"

Daiyu felt some disdain in her heart; Sister Feng was also capable, but she only knew how to please the Old Lady, and all her skills were used on such rotten ideas.

Baoyu was spoiled by these people, which was why he only knew how to enjoy wealth, was decadent and luxurious, did nothing, and only thought about the maids in other people's rooms.

Daiyu grew up with Baoyu and always had a sibling affection for him, hoping he could be a man who could stand on his own, but seeing the people around him, she felt helpless.

Baoyu smiled: "Sister Feng is indeed a female Zhuge." Then, seeing Daiyu sitting there without saying a word, he swallowed the rest of his words.

Daiyu couldn't listen anymore; besides, her cough had flared up these past few days, and the warm incense in the Rongqing Hall was too thick, making her very uncomfortable; she just wanted to find an excuse to leave with the Old Lady.

(End of chapter)