Chapter 784: Passionate and Obsessed to the Point of Madness

Rongguo Prefecture, Rongqing Hall.

The atmosphere in the hall was harmonious. Although the twelfth lunar month festival gifts sent by Xia Gu Niang sounded a bit strange at first, there was really no gossip to be said.

After being embellished and praised by women like Lady Li and Aunt Xue, Xia Gu Niang's name for virtue was actually established in the hall.

Lady Wang's heart was chaotic, awkward, and uncomfortable, so she had to follow the tone of others and temporarily press it down without mentioning it.

But she didn't expect that because of Xia Gu Niang's words about sending books, Baoyu was ashamed and angry, and finally couldn't help but speak with indignation.

Those two sentences of heartbroken "how can this be" made many people in the hall change their expressions.

The Old Matron and others all knew Baoyu's temper and had already caused quite a few disputes because of his nonsense.

However, they were all storms in the inner chambers, which couldn't be spread outside, and wouldn't lose any face.

But today's situation was very different. Not only was her own niece-in-law present, but the Xia family matron who delivered the gifts hadn't left the hall yet.

If Baoyu said some nonsense about "salary worms" again, it would be shameful to be heard by her niece-in-law, but it wouldn't be a big deal.

If it was heard by the Xia family in-laws, the young couple hadn't even married yet, but they would have already developed a grudge. How would Baoyu's days be smooth in the future?

The Old Matron was about to speak to divert the topic when she suddenly heard She Ren beside Baoyu say, "Bao Er Ye, your face doesn't look good. Are you feeling unwell? Let me help you back to rest."

She Ren's voice seemed deliberately loud, and everyone in the hall heard it clearly, so Baoyu's heroic words were interrupted.

As the saying goes, no one knows a son better than his mother. Lady Wang knew her son's character, so naturally, she knew what he wanted to say.

If Baoyu were to talk nonsense at this moment and develop a grudge with the Xia family, the situation would be too awkward, and a good marriage would be cast in shadow.

Fortunately, She Ren was loyal and quick-witted enough to intercept Baoyu's words in time, which made Lady Wang breathe a sigh of relief and also gave She Ren an extra bit of appreciation.

She only waited for She Ren's voice to fall before hurriedly intervening, "Baoyu, I saw your complexion was not good this morning. You must have been startled by the wind when you got up."

"The hall is crowded and stuffy. You should go back and rest first. She Ren, Yu Chuan, hurry and help Baoyu back to rest."

Baoyu's heroic words had only just begun. He originally wanted to show his innocent feelings in front of the sisters and shirk the trouble of getting involved in the imperial examinations. He was extremely disdainful of things like the courtyard examination.

He didn't expect that just as he was expressing his feelings, he was rudely interrupted by She Ren, making him feel extremely uncomfortable and uneasy.

He said, "Lady, I am not feeling unwell. I still have words to say..."

Lady Wang's face sank slightly. How could she let Baoyu continue? She said, "Look at your poor complexion. You don't even cherish your body. Hurry down."

The Old Matron hurriedly said, "It's almost the New Year. You can't get sick at this time. You must take good care of yourself. You all hurry and help Baoyu down."

"Feicui, you follow too. Come back to report to me after Baoyu is settled."

The Old Matron and Lady Wang coaxed and persuaded. She Ren's heart also fell to the ground. She stepped forward to support Baoyu, pulled him toward the back of the hall, and Feicui and Yu Chuan followed closely behind.

That Mother Chen saw this situation and didn't react for a while, standing at the entrance of the hall, somewhat dazed.

Yingchun gave Sheyue a look, and Sheyue stepped forward and said, "Mother Chen, I will take you down to drink tea. I will have the servants in the outer courtyard load the return gifts onto the carriage; you don't need to worry."

Mother Chen took several Xia family matrons out of the hall and couldn't help but ask, "Miss, what happened to the husband just now? He looked so angry."

Although Mother Chen was a shrewd and experienced person, she was an uneducated, coarse woman; she simply could not understand the literary terms Jia Baoyu used, such as "extraordinary beauty of the boudoir" or "moth of the salary."

But she could understand those two heartbroken "how can this be" sentences, and she estimated that he was saying that her own Miss was not good...

Sheyue had received Yingchun's hint just now and naturally understood her own Miss's meaning. It was nothing more than smoothing things over, blocking this matron's mouth, and having less right and wrong and more peace.

She smiled, "Mother doesn't know the situation in the prefecture. The second master has been pampered by the Old Matron since childhood and has always been a delicate person."

"He caught a cold a few days ago and hasn't fully recovered. The second master is not feeling well, and his brain is not clear, so it's common for him to say some nonsense."

"It will be fine after he recovers his health. Mother, just listen and let it pass. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill and go back to tell your Miss about this."

"I heard your Miss is also a straightforward character, a daughter of a prominent family, who can't listen to any idle or crooked words. Don't make a big deal out of nothing."

"Your Miss and our second master are about to get married and hold a happy event. Don't break the happy atmosphere because of something that doesn't exist."

"Mother looks like an experienced person, so where would I need to remind you? Just take it as me talking nonsense."

Mother Chen heard this and felt it made sense. The husband's expression just now wasn't like his brain was sick and confused; his speech was also a bit crazy.

Everyone has headaches and fevers and says nonsense. Besides, her own Miss was a fierce character. If she went back and talked about this kind of idle talk.

Who knew how her Miss would fly into a rage, and she might even vent her anger on her, saying she didn't handle the errand properly.

Anyway, the two had already set the three books and six rites, and were determined to be husband and wife. The Lady also valued this marriage highly.

She should also keep a clear head and avoid trouble if she could...

Mother Chen smiled, "Miss's words make sense. This doesn't count as anything. If I gossip with the masters about everything, wouldn't I become a fool?"

Sheyue smiled, "I just said Mother is a careful person. With such a big name as the Xia family of Guihua, the people who come out of the prefecture can't be wrong."

Mother Chen heard this with a smile on her face, feeling that the Jia family was worthy of being a Duke's family, and indeed it was very extraordinary inside and out.

Any maid was so eloquent, and could see her own benefits, which was really quite insightful.

Rongguo Prefecture, Baoyu's Courtyard.

Baoyu was pulled back to his courtyard by She Ren, Feicui, and others.

Thinking of his heroic words, he hadn't been able to express them in front of the sisters, so he couldn't help but feel anxious and disappointed, stomping his feet and beating his chest.

He complained loudly, "Sister She Ren, why did you interrupt me and pull me back?"

"I didn't express those heartfelt words in the hall. Others really think I have become a 'salary worm'."

"How should the sisters in the family look at me? Isn't this leaving me with nowhere to vent my grievances, letting others tarnish my innocence?"

She Ren heard this, felt dizzy, and had a headache. She said, "Bao Er Ye, why are you talking nonsense again? Xia Gu Niang just sent some books to Bao Er Ye."

"I didn't hear any major problems with the words the Xia family matron passed on. Bao Er Ye, you shouted in the hall like this. What does it mean if outsiders hear it?"

"If the Xia family matron goes back and tells Xia Gu Niang, wouldn't Bao Er Ye offend the new grandmother before even getting married? How will you live in the future?"

Baoyu said angrily, "Listen to what she said. It's all sour and rotten words about Hanlin families and studying for advancement."

"A good and innocent daughter is marrying, yet she has such a 'salary worm' heart. It's truly tarnished by these thoughts of officialdom."

"How can I, an innocent and self-cleansing person, live with her for a long time in the future? It's truly heartbreaking, pitiful, and sigh-worthy."

She Ren heard Baoyu repeat the same old tune. Even though she was devoted to Baoyu, she was also very tired of hearing it.

She said, "Bao Er Ye, the words Xia Gu Niang said are not as unbearable as Bao Er Ye thinks. Miss Lin also said such words back then."

As soon as Baoyu heard this, his face turned pale, as if his soul had been taken away, and his face had been torn open in an instant.

He stiffened his neck and said, "Stop talking nonsense! Miss Lin said such words because she was angry with me and deliberately said them to squeeze me. How could it be sincere?"

Feicui on the side felt a bit disgusted in her heart. This Bao Er Ye Bao always liked to talk to himself.

Miss Lin was born in a scholarly family and had a stomach full of poetry and articles. The old master Lin was a proper third-place scholar, not much worse than the third master Cong.

How could a person of Miss Lin's background not like reading and studying?

Last time, when I went to the East Mansion with Yuanyang to see the snow scene, I saw it clearly. Miss Lin and the third master Cong don't know how close they are.

Miss Lin probably took a fancy to the third master Cong's success in the imperial examination and his success as a scholar. She must have taken a fancy to the third master Cong.

Sister Yuanyang also told me to keep my mouth shut and not go back and talk nonsense. Just wait and see in the future. The cousin and cousin will sooner or later be one family.

Bao Er Ye Bao is about to get married, and the new grandmother is persuading him to study hard. It's such a proper idea. He doesn't appreciate it, and he's still there fantasizing and making a fuss...

She Ren heard Baoyu's words and couldn't help but smile bitterly. Bao Er Ye, because of those words from Miss Lin last time, he made a scene of life and death. Did he forget it himself?

Not much time has passed since this matter, and now he is coaxing himself like this again. Always fooling himself like this, wouldn't he become more and more confused?

Baoyu said firmly, "Look at the sisters in the family, whether it's the second sister, the third sister, or sister Bao, which one of them would lobby me about officialdom and economy?"

"If they really said these things to me, I would have already distanced myself from them. It shows that they have always understood my heart."

"So today in Rongqing Hall, I had to say these words in person. Otherwise, wouldn't I be failing the sisters' sincerity?"

She Ren heard Baoyu's intoxication and felt powerless and speechless. Bao Er Ye is not a stupid person, and he is even quite smart in some things.

Why is it that the truth that all of us maids can see, Bao Er Ye himself doesn't understand, and always uses good words to coax himself?

The second sister is the third master Cong's own sister. As long as her own brother is successful, why would she come to persuade Bao Er Ye to study hard? This is called closeness and distance.

Although the third sister is a concubine, she is more shrewd than other girls. She knows best that Bao Er Ye hates reading, and the Old Matron and Lady are extremely doting.

How could she still persuade Bao Er Ye to study? Wouldn't this be looking for trouble for herself? The third sister would never do such a stupid thing.

Just look at how close the third sister and the third master Cong have been since childhood, and you know that the third sister loves reading and talent very much. It's just that she doesn't count on Bao Er Ye.

As for sister Bao, she is the daughter of an imperial merchant. Compared to the girls in the family, she understands human feelings and sophistication better. She would never talk about the lamp being dark in front of a blind person and go to ask for trouble.

These girls, except for sister Bao, now all live in the East Mansion and get along with the third master Cong day and night.

Who they really like in their hearts, isn't it clear enough?

They don't persuade Bao Er Ye to study and advance, not because they understand his heart as Bao Er Ye thinks, but because they have long been distanced from Bao Er Ye in their hearts. ===== CHAPTER 785 =====