Three Wives and Four Concubines in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Page 21

Seeing this, Gu Yu first told Xiangling and the others who were serving her to go to the kitchen to eat by themselves, and then said:

"Wang Mama has been a long-time member of the Lin family, and she's also Lin Daiyu's wet nurse. She's been serving her since she came to the capital. What could she possibly be embarrassed about? Why are you treating me like an outsider!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Mama's expression softened, and a smile appeared on her face. She said, "This old woman has served you for so many years that she already considers herself a member of the Lin family. Even if I die, I will still serve the mistress."

"But now that I'm old, I can't do anything anymore. I've become a nuisance, and I've lost face to stay here and be laughed at."

“Now that Yu-ge’er has completed his studies, my daughter has someone to rely on. Coincidentally, my family has also had two grandsons who need help, so I thought I would ask for permission to return to my hometown to take care of them for a few years.”

Gu Yu knew this was just modesty. In the past few years, he had been away from home. Because he had previously refused the help of Grandmother Jia, and he had been away all the time, Wang Mama had been taking care of all the big and small things in the courtyard in order to better take care of Daiyu.

Even Qingwen and Xiangling were entrusted to her for training, because he didn't want Qingwen to develop such a straightforward, outspoken, and slightly spoiled personality that easily offended people.

Now that things have settled down, she seems to be looking forward to having a grandchild, having traveled thousands of miles from her hometown. After all, she is getting old and might not be able to get up any day.

While I can still move around for a few more years, I'd like to spend a few more years taking care of my grandchildren, and that would be enough to make me feel fulfilled.

Gu Yu smiled slightly, then asked Daiyu for her opinion. Wang Mama quickly replied that Miss had said it was entirely up to Young Master Yu's decision. Gu Yu then went into the inner room, took out a locked box, and handed it to Wang Mama, saying:

“After Wang Mama returned, she was also provided with supplies by the Lin family, so it was not my place to interfere. However, I have seen how hard Wang Mama has worked over the past few years, and I haven’t had a chance to thank her for Xiangling and Qingwen’s matter yet. Please do not refuse this small token of my appreciation.”

As soon as Wang Mama took it, she knew it was quite heavy; if it contained silver, it would probably be close to two hundred taels.

But seeing Gu Yu's sincere gaze, he knew it wasn't just polite talk, and he was touched, so he didn't refuse.

After hesitating for a long time, Granny Wang gritted her teeth, leaned close to Gu Yu, and whispered:

"It's not that I'm being gossipy and trying to sow discord between the young lady and her maternal grandmother's family. I just said these crazy things in front of Young Master Yu."

“Mother Wang, please speak freely. This is something you and I should keep to ourselves.” Gu Yu raised an eyebrow, already having some guesses in her mind.

"Over the past few years, I've observed that Madam Jia treats Miss Jia extremely well, almost as well as the most favored young master in the mansion, Bao Er Ye."

"However... those old women and maids really broke the rules. I've also seen the servants outside a few times; they're not worthy of this mansion."

At this point, Granny Wang paused, then continued:

"As for the other masters... Bao Er Ye's mother seems to be somewhat unfriendly to Miss lately... I think... it's because Old Madam Jia wants to match Miss with that Bao Er Ye!"

"Hmm?" Gu Yu narrowed his eyes. He hadn't heard any rumors like this since he returned. He wondered when Grandmother Jia had come up with this idea.

"As for why Madam Wang is like this, I guess it's because of the 'golden and jade marriage' thing. Madam Wang probably wants the Xue family's daughter to marry into the family... But it's just gossip from the servants, Yu-ge'er, don't take it seriously. Just consider it me talking nonsense."

Granny Wang gave an awkward smile, said nothing more, bowed to Gu Yu, and prepared to take her leave.

However, thinking of her young mistress, she added, "I think that Miss Xue seems to have a bit of a thing for Yu-ge'er... we should think about it more."

Gu Yu was taken aback. He didn't know that everyone had come yesterday, and he was a little confused.

Although he was determined to have them all, he also knew that with Baochai's aloof nature, she probably didn't like Baoyu as much after these few meetings. What was the meaning of what Granny Wang said earlier?

However, Granny Wang was an experienced woman and knew how to judge women better than she did, so she must have her reasons. Therefore, she was secretly pleased and thought about how to continue her efforts.

While Wang Mama was packing, Gu Yu told her that she didn't need to rent a boat and had her men arrange for her to board one of their own boats for the day. She also had her maids help with the packing, and they left in less than an hour.

After seeing off Granny Wang, Gu Yu was worried that Daiyu might be feeling melancholy, so she was about to go up and tease her a little. However, Daiyu just glared at her twice and ignored her completely before going straight back to her room.

Gu Yu was completely baffled. Later, when Qingwen told him that everyone had come to see him, he still couldn't figure out the connection between the two.

He was reading in his study for a while when Wang Xifeng arrived, accompanied by Sanchun. After a brief chat, Wang Xifeng revealed her purpose: she had come to invite him to the Ningguo Mansion's birthday banquet in a couple of days.

Gu Yu pondered for a moment and concluded that this must be the banquet where Sister Feng plotted to kill Jia Rui. He also felt quite sorry for the tragic character of Wang Xifeng, and since he was caught up in the plot of the book, he wanted to lend a helping hand if he could!

Gu Yu had originally planned to invite her to lunch, but soon an old woman came looking for her. Watching Wang Xifeng running around busily, Gu Yu could only sigh at her strong will.

Tan Chun and Xi Chun went to Daiyu's room together to invite the Buddha statue, leaving Ying Chun behind.

Yingchun originally wanted to go too, but she was afraid that it would be lonely if everyone left, so she hesitated and was delayed for a short while. Gu Yu then turned around and came back.

Seeing Yingchun sitting alone in the room, Gu Yu was taken aback. He had assumed she had gone to find Daiyu. Then, realizing what he'd done, he felt a sudden urge and went over to strike up a conversation…

Chapter Thirty-Five: The Big Bad Wolf's Methods

The maids who came with her either stayed in Daiyu's room or chatted outside. Siqi, Yingchun's most capable maid, was not well and did not come along, which made Yingchun even less noticeable.

Looking at Yingchun's gentle and kind face, Gu Yu deliberately lowered his body to meet her gaze and said:

"Second sister, is it because I had no one to talk to for a while, that you stayed behind to comfort me?"

Yingchun was a little confused when he called her "Second Sister". Where did he get that idea from?

Then, upon seeing Gu Yu's bright, sparkling eyes, she blushed and looked away, her hands unconsciously twisting together as she felt a little sweaty.

She's almost fifteen, and in casual conversations, she often jokes about getting married. In the past few months, Grandmother Jia has hinted several times that she should get closer to Gu Yu's side.

At the time, she didn't realize what was happening, but when she came to her senses, she didn't know what she was thinking. For some inexplicable reason, she didn't even tell Siqi, but kept it to herself.

She hadn't met Gu Yu often, but Gu Yu's good looks and the gifts he often sent her undoubtedly gave her a good impression of him.

When her sisters came over, she secretly observed them a few times and found that Gu Yu still cared most about Xi Chun, so she kept this matter to herself.

But now that she's alone in a room, all sorts of thoughts are surfacing, making her head a little foggy, and she's tempted to run away.

But Gu Yu stood in front of her, blocking her way, which made her lose the courage to run away. She could only lower her head and wait for the verdict.

Gu Yu couldn't help but chuckle when she saw that her worries were written all over her face, just like Xiang Ling's.

He stopped teasing her, took a chessboard from the shelf next to him, placed it on the coffee table, and sat down facing her.

"I've heard that my second sister is good at chess. Since you have some free time today, why don't you teach me a few games?"

Of the four arts of qin (a stringed instrument), chess, calligraphy, and painting, chess was his worst. He would get crushed every time he played chess with Li Wensong and the others, which made him so angry that he would eat half a bowl less rice after each game.

Yingchun relaxed slightly upon seeing her old profession, adjusted her posture, and her face lit up with a radiant glow. Compared to her usual taciturn and wooden demeanor, she appeared quite stunning.

Gu Yu stared at Yi Yan for a while, making Ying Chun lower her head before she looked away and they resumed their usual game of chess.

After about twenty moves, Gu Yu couldn't help but look up and secretly observe Yingchun, who was intently staring at the chessboard. She saw that Yingchun's fair lips were slightly clenched as she focused on the game.

Watching a game of chess is like watching a person. Seeing Yingchun's cautious and defensive approach on the chessboard, always worrying about defeat before winning, made Gu Yu feel a little sorry for her. So he deliberately changed his strategy and started competing with her for those scattered spots.

Yingchun stared at the chessboard in surprise, and couldn't help but look up at Gu Yu. Unexpectedly, Gu Yu was already smiling at her. She quickly blushed and lowered her head again, focusing intently on the chessboard, but her thoughts became chaotic.

Suddenly, the chessboard lost its predictable patterns, and everyone started playing haphazardly. Gu Yu also played faster and faster.

As if he were a bit childish, he would place his piece before Yingchun could retract her hand, and the pieces would be placed quite close together, with their hands touching every now and then.

Yingchun tried to glare at Gu Yu several times, but Gu Yu acted out of character, like a chess master, focusing intently on the chessboard with a serious expression.

Seeing his posture, Yingchun pursed her lips, lowered her head and continued playing, but her attention gradually shifted to her hands rather than the chessboard.

Yingchun spent more and more time on the chessboard with her hands. Although it was just the backs of her hands touching, she felt as if there was a furnace around her, making her feel warm all over.

Before anyone knew it, Gu Yu slowly turned his hand over, but Ying Chun remained still. Just as she was about to grasp his hand, the outer curtain was suddenly lifted, and a large group of girls walked in chatteringly.

Yingchun reacted as if she had been branded with a hot iron, almost jumping up and quickly withdrawing her hand. She broke out in a cold sweat, which made Gu Yu, who was nearby, subconsciously sniff.

"Second sister, they were just saying over there that you might have been left in this room. What are you doing with Brother Yu?"

Xi Chun was the first to enter. Seeing the two people sitting on the stage with a chessboard between them, she smiled and said:

"Oh, so Second Sister was playing chess with Brother Yu. Has a winner been decided yet?"

Upon hearing this, Yingchun subconsciously looked at the chessboard, only to find that the two players were playing terribly, worse than three-year-olds, and her face flushed.

Gu Yu handed over a handkerchief, got up to pour tea for Daiyu and the others, and said with a smile:

"I was just asking Sister Yingchun for some guidance, but I made her so angry that she was sweating profusely. It's my fault. How about I treat you to a big meal later as an apology?"

He called Xiangling over and asked her to give instructions to the kitchen. Since Siqi wasn't there, he asked her to pull Yingchun away to wipe her sweat, as it was too cold for her to catch a chill.

Daiyu watched with suspicion as Yingchun, her face flushed, followed Xiangling downstairs. With a growing sense of unease, she strolled over to the chessboard and took a closer look.

After watching for a moment, Daiyu pursed her lips. She naturally knew Yingchun's ways and could tell at a glance that Gu Yu was not going to play.

They all just randomly changed positions based on Yingchun's location, no wonder it made the usually quiet and gentle Yingchun so angry.

Thinking this, Daiyu felt a secret joy that came out of nowhere, but she turned around and joined her sisters in their playful banter without showing any emotion.

The study wasn't very big. Amidst the laughter and conversation, Tan Chun got up and walked around, her attention immediately drawn to the calligraphy practice book on Gu Yu's desk.

Gu Yu spent a long time playing with Xi Chun and felt that they were closer than last time, which made him very satisfied.

After all, these past few years have been a crucial period of psychological growth for Xichun, making her increasingly withdrawn. With everyone's attention focused on Baoyu, and unlike Tanchun, she and Yingchun are not as strong-willed, making them even more marginalized.

However, since he has come into this world, he naturally wants to start from childhood and give them a wonderful memory.

But when Gu Yu turned his head to look at Daiyu, who was still sitting next to him with a lukewarm attitude, his face turned slightly bitter. He really didn't know how to make her happy.

Even though Baoyu has been visiting less these past few months, and he's usually the one playing with her, she's become so distant. Could it be that they really can't sever their so-called preordained bond of wood and stone?

With a sigh, Gu Yu noticed Tan Chun standing blankly with her back to him, and he perked up to go over and strike up a conversation.

Let's start with the easy stuff and work our way up to the difficult stuff. Let's get the Three Springs Strategy first before tackling the Golden Marriage and the Stone Bond!

Reality isn't like those dating games where you play the stock market. As a light-hearted anime fan who had over twenty wives in his past life, he naturally wants them all!

"What is Tan Chun looking at?"

As they were talking, Gu Yu followed Tan Chun's gaze and saw the calligraphy scroll that she hadn't had time to put away. She frowned for a moment, then relaxed.

It doesn't matter anymore. Anyway, it got out yesterday, and now most of the people in Beijing probably know about it.

But Daiyu doesn't know that I practice calligraphy every morning. If she hears it from outside, I don't know how she will react with harsh words.

It's better to reveal this matter now. With that in mind, Gu Yu asked with a smile, "I've heard that Sister Tan Chun is quite knowledgeable in calligraphy. How about we come over and exchange ideas often?"

Tan Chun finally came to her senses, her bright and sharp eyes shining with a strange light as she stared at Gu Yu and said, "I wonder what kind of character this is, Brother Yu. It looks very unique and I've never seen it before."

"This is the Slender Gold style of calligraphy, which is derived from the strengths of various masters such as Chu Suiliang and Huang Tingjian, and is a combination of their styles."

Tan Chun seemed to be staring at Gu Yu's face until she saw a flower bloom. She had been studying calligraphy since childhood, and after practicing for several years, she focused on the small regular script with flower patterns. None of the sisters could match her in this regard.

She had also seen some calligraphy and paintings by scholars outside the capital a few times and felt that she hadn't lost out much.

I never expected that when I saw Gu Yu's calligraphy today, I would realize that I was too narrow-minded. I had never even heard of the "Slender Gold" style of calligraphy.

The style of this calligraphy is seamless and subtly forms its own school. If it were to spread, it would inevitably become a pioneering style similar to Liu Gongquan's or Yan Zhenqing's.

When Gu Yu invited her, Tan Chun smiled and agreed. After asking Gu Yu for more information, she put away the calligraphy scroll, intending to take it back and look at it more often.

As they were talking, a servant came downstairs to ask for permission to serve the meal, so Gu Yu called her sisters to go eat.

West Lake Vinegar Fish, Dongpo Pork, Crispy Braised Pork, Shrimp and Eel Back... More than twenty dishes were laid out on the table, leaving people speechless.

Looking at the dishes on the table, representing all corners of the country and all seasons, Tan Chun couldn't help but advise Gu Yu:

“This is far too extravagant. We sisters are usually quite picky, and you’ve managed to produce all this stuff in this freezing cold. How much must it have cost?”

Gu Yu smiled and invited them to eat, saying, "My family has some savings and several fleets that travel north and south. Bringing some things along the way is no problem, so it won't cost too much."

"Besides, my family is small. If one person is full, the whole family isn't hungry. If even the basic desire for food isn't satisfied, are we supposed to keep them buried in the ground?"

These words were rather saddening. Daiyu looked at him with concern. Although she had occasionally felt the bitterness of living under someone else's roof in recent years, at least she still had an elderly father who was alive.

Although she felt embarrassed to trouble the Jia family to deliver the letters, she didn't feel troubled by the people Gu Yu had left behind. Writing letters during festivals was a way to comfort her.

Ke Yu's brother became an orphan when he was only six years old. He came to the Lin family alone and then came to the Jia family with her.

The Jia family was at least her maternal grandmother's family, while Gu Yu had no relatives or friends and could only study outside, which was extremely miserable.

Thinking of this, Daiyu felt as if her usual worries were too petty, and she quickly lowered her head to eat, afraid that others would see her embarrassment.

During the meal, everyone had different thoughts. Daiyu, who was the most preoccupied, was the first to say goodbye. Tanchun, thinking that she would sit in Daiyu's room for a while before leaving, also got up and left.

Xichun was a little reluctant to leave, but she still prepared to go with them. Yingchun realized that they were all leaving at once, and then she also got up to go back.

Before she could even take a step, Gu Yu raised her voice and said, "Didn't Sister Yingchun say we'd play a few rounds of handball after dinner? Let's go back to the study to digest our food."

Hearing this, the group that had already left didn't wait for Yingchun any longer and went to Daiyu's room first.

Yingchun opened her mouth, then subconsciously looked around, wanting Siqi to respond, but Siqi wasn't there, so she lost her composure.

Gu Yu smiled smugly, pulled her by the sleeve and led her into the study. He instructed the servants to bring a pot of hot tea and told them not to disturb them.

Chapter Thirty-Six: Taking Care of Yingchun

Yingchun sat in her original spot, her mind blank. She didn't know why she hadn't made a sound, and was led there by Gu Yu like a puppet.

But after Gu Yu chased away the others, the two of them were alone in the room, and Yingchun felt her body getting hot again, just like before.

Looking at the familiar chess pieces on the still-uncleared chessboard, it felt as if the warmth of her hand had not yet faded. Yingchun didn't dare to look up at Gu Yu, but Gu Yu's mere presence in front of her made her afraid to get up.

Yingchun's pretty face grew redder and redder, like a delicate flower slowly blooming, exuding a charming aura.