Chapter 835

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

The incense burner provided warmth, the incense was fragrant and refreshing, and as the New Year began, family members chatting idly should have been relaxed and carefree.

Alas, the struggles of honor and decline in a noble family are not comparable to those of a small household; Jia Mu, as a leader of the inner chambers, naturally understood the essence of this.

Xue Yima heard Jia Mu's words and smiled slightly; although the old lady was advanced in age, her mind was still sharp and shrewd, truly not muddled in the slightest.

She knew that the Second Branch was now in decline, and that she was biased toward her younger son and Baoyu, so she weighed and balanced everything to ensure the Second Branch would not be too neglected.

Now that the First Branch of the Jia family was as stable as Mount Tai, these methods of the old lady could only ensure the Second Branch would not be too embarrassed, but they were of no other use.

It was just that her sister did not have the old lady's depth of character, and most likely took the old lady's intentions as her reliance, thinking the Second Branch could use this to turn things around; that would be truly muddled thinking.

When Baoyu heard the old lady mention the word "marriage," his face turned bitter, and infinite sorrow surged in his heart, his large, round, fair face revealing grievance.

He hated it most when others talked about getting married and having children, especially in front of his sisters, yet no one in the family knew of his feelings.

They were always stabbing him in the heart every few days, leaving him in a wretched state, wishing he were dead, and having nowhere to hide his face.

He looked at Daiyu and Baochai, his gaze filled with deep affection and melancholy, wishing only to see the sisters also feel pity and resentment, so that they could empathize with him.

Yet he saw Bao Sister drinking tea, and Lin Sister talking to Second Sister, seemingly indifferent to this talk of marriage.

It must be that they heard talk of marriage so often in the family that the sisters were accustomed to it, and had concluded that he was a vulgar person, unwilling to pay him any mind, becoming even more distant.

Yet they did not stop to think that if Jia Cong had not lost his father, he would have long since been granted a marriage by the palace; would he not be even more vulgar? He was just lucky...

Wang Lady heard Jia Mu mention the Second Branch and felt relieved, suddenly feeling that she had regained some luster.

She laughed, "Although Baoyu's uncle is a bit busy with official duties, he has already sent word that he will come to visit on the second day of the New Year and will also pay his respects to the old lady."

When Jia Mu heard the name Wang Ziteng, she felt a bit uncomfortable, but out of consideration for her daughter-in-law's face, she could only smile and mumble agreement.

Xue Yima, however, was a bystander who saw clearly, noticing Jia Mu's concealed displeasure, the coldness in her brother-in-law's expression, and that Cong Ge'er was even more expressionless.

Xue Yima had lived in the Jia Fu for many years and had long heard of the turmoil during Jia Mu's birthday celebration and the incident where Jia Cong was falsely accused.

The Jia family had long since severed ties with her eldest brother; the failure of her eldest brother's attempt to become the Commander of the Nine Provinces was rooted in the loss of the Jia family's support.

But this matter could not be blamed on the Jia family; it was her own sister-in-law who had acted too arrogantly and had truly left no room for maneuver.

In recent years, her eldest brother had tried his best to make amends, and every year during the Jia Fu's festivals and banquets, he would come to pay his respects with great courtesy.

But Cong Ge'er and her brother-in-law had not changed their views because of this, maintaining only superficial courtesies and unwilling to have any further involvement with her eldest brother.

There were rumors among all the families in the Divine Capital that her eldest brother's position as the Commander of the Capital Garrison, while looking high and powerful, was actually just superficial glory.

It was said that the military power in his hands had long been hollowed out by the palace, and he would likely remain in that empty position until he was old.

Last year, when her eldest brother came to Lixiang Court, he knew full well that the Xue family and Cong Ge'er were not well-matched in status, and that Baochai could not hold the position of the primary wife, yet he still showed intentions of playing matchmaker.

Her brother was at his wit's end, wandering without a plan, and had actually reached the point of wanting to use Baochai as a pawn...

Although Xue Yima knew clearly in her heart that if her brother's official career flourished, it would be of great benefit to the Xue family, she was not yet at the point of using her own daughter's marriage as a bargaining chip for this matter.

Wang Lady laughed again, "Yesterday, Lady Xia sent word that the Xia family and the Jia family have become in-laws, although Baoyu and Xia Gu Niang have not yet married."

"But the Jia family has the old lady in the hall, and our status is noble; furthermore, it is the end of the year, so the Xia family cannot afford to lose etiquette, and on the second day, they will come to pay their respects to the old lady as juniors."

Jia Mu laughed, "Although the Xia family is a family of imperial merchants, their rules and etiquette are meticulous, truly not a bit inferior to those of noble families; Lady Xia is a person who is particular."

"I have spent this year comfortably; Cong Ge'er has now achieved success and fame, and Baoyu is also about to settle down and start a career; the family is full of happy events."

"I have also seen this Xia Gu Niang several times; her appearance and character are both excellent, and when she came to deliver the mid-winter festival gifts last time, her knowledge and ability were also not ordinary."

"When you marry such a daughter-in-law, the Second Branch will have an extra arm in the future, and with such a wife, Baoyu will also be able to hold his own; this is truly excellent."

Jia Cong heard Jia Mu's joyful words, and a strange feeling surged in his heart; the old lady was so high-spirited, but he hoped it would turn out as she wished...

Jia Mu laughed at Yingchun, "When the Xia family relatives come tomorrow, you sisters should also come to sit for a while; in the future, you will be sisters-in-law, and it will be good to get to know each other and have some fun."

Jia Cong heard these words, and his brow furrowed involuntarily, but this subtle expression was not noticed by anyone for the moment.

Seeing Tan Chun, because her thoughts were all on Jia Cong, and she happened to be sitting opposite him, saw it in her eyes at once.

She had some realization in her heart; Third Brother had mentioned to her more than once that Xia Gu Niang was not a person who was easy to get along with, and seemed to have quite a barrier toward her.

She had also noticed more than once that the look Xia Gu Niang gave Third Brother was always hot and strange.

Every time she thought of that scorching gaze, Seeing Tan Chun could more or less understand the meaning, and she felt quite unhappy in her heart.

Xia Gu Niang was Second Brother's wife; what reason did she have to dare to look at her Third Brother like that...

Third Brother must be disgusted by Xia Gu Niang and dislike the sisters getting close to her; that was why he frowned. When the time came, they just wouldn't meet, which was not a difficult thing.

Yingchun had never heard Jia Cong mention Xia Gu Niang, so she naturally did not know the inside story, and seeing Jia Mu bring up this topic, she did not pay much attention to it in her heart.

She said, "Since the old lady has ordered it, my sisters and I will naturally come to visit."

Baoyu heard Jia Mu mention the word "marriage," which had already made him look quite ugly, and he did not expect the Xia family to come to pay New Year's greetings as well; the matter was becoming increasingly heated, without even a bit of concealment.

The old lady also wanted the sisters to accompany the guests; if people like Lin Sister and Bao Sister were all familiar with Xia Gu Niang, wouldn't they become even more determined to give up on him?

In front of the sisters, he was becoming increasingly worthless, truly becoming a vulgar person who was considered an outsider and unworthy of a second glance; such humiliation was not as clean as death...

Seeing Tan Chun laughed, "Xia Gu Niang will be my Second Sister-in-law in the future; when she comes to pay her respects to the old lady, we sisters will naturally come to see her."

"I'm just afraid that on the second day, there will be many guests coming and going in the East Mansion, and Second Sister and Lin Sister will both be busy, so I'm afraid it won't be convenient for them to get away for a moment."

"Otherwise, I will come to accompany her and talk, and it won't be too late for Second Sister and the others to come over when they have some free time."

Yingchun and Daiyu heard these words and both felt a bit strange; they sisters had much tacit understanding and both heard that Seeing Tan Chun was helping them to decline.

Although they did not know the inside reason, they both knew Seeing Tan Chun was shrewd and delicate; she must have her reasons for saying such things, and they would know after asking carefully when they returned to the mansion.

Moreover, Daiyu had long since despised Baoyu and was afraid of his absurd words and messy entanglements in her daily life; she couldn't stay away from him fast enough.

Xia Gu Niang was Baoyu's wife and a person closely related to him; if she got close to Xia Gu Niang and Baoyu used this to get involved, wouldn't she be asking for trouble?

Therefore, Daiyu heard Seeing Tan Chun's words of decline and felt it was exactly what she wanted, and she was actually very happy in her heart.

Yingchun had seen with her own eyes Baoyu blocking Ping'er from entering the room last time, and had also heard that Baoyu once had delusions about Wu'er.

Yingchun held her brother in high regard, but Baoyu's intentions were impure, and he actually coveted the people around his brother; she had long since felt disgust toward her cousin.

Naturally, she had no great interest in getting close to Baoyu's wife, and since Seeing Tan Chun spoke up to help her block the matter, she naturally went with the flow.

Yingchun laughed, "Third Sister is still the most thoughtful; I had forgotten for a moment that there will be many guests in the East Mansion on the second day, and I will indeed be tied up with miscellaneous duties."

"But it doesn't matter; let Third Sister come over to accompany her first, and Second Sister and Lin Sister will come over when they are free after finishing their work."

Baoyu heard Seeing Tan Chun's words, and Daiyu would not come to accompany Xia Gu Niang, which immediately gave him great comfort in his heart.

This was the best way; he wouldn't lose face in front of Lin Sister, and as for whether it was self-deception, it was not in Baoyu's consideration...

It was just that he had only been happy for a moment when he suddenly felt something was wrong; Second Sister helping Jia Cong manage the household was still justifiable.

Why was even Lin Sister helping him manage the household affairs? What kind of logic was this? Jia Cong also had this kind of good fortune.

He was truly beyond saving, tricking the sisters into going to the East Mansion; it was also extremely overbearing, and it was unreasonable.

He actually did such shameless things, letting Lin Sister, a person of heavenly talent, help him manage his fishy and vulgar affairs without name or status.

To desecrate a daughter like this was truly outrageous...

"Lin Sister has always been weak in health; Second Sister is the proper person to manage the reception of guests in the East Mansion. Why should Sister have to toil? Take good care of your health, and please don't tire yourself out."

Wang Xifeng heard Baoyu's careful words and the flattery in his tone, and she almost laughed out loud.

She glanced at him with great disdain; this Baoyu was already a married man, yet he was still flirting with young ladies.