Red Chamber 21

Jia Rong and Jia Qiang returned to Jinling together.

After learning that Jia Zhen was near death, Jia Rong felt no sorrow. On the contrary, he was glad.

The man deserved it!

When Liu Jiaying learned that Jia Rong and Jia Qiang had returned to Jinling to settle down, she wasn't surprised.

After all, this world had already diverged so much from the original Red Chamber that one or even several more differences weren't enough to surprise her.

Liu Jiaying was pretty and sweet-tongued, and Lady Jia Shi and Wang both liked her very much.

Lady Jia Shi offered to let Liu Jiaying stay at Rongguo Mansion. Liu Jiaying also wanted to spend more time with the young ladies from Red Chamber, so she sweet-talked Jia Yuanchun into letting her stay.

Liu Jiaying lived with Yingchun, who looked after her.

The three Chun sisters lived in the same courtyard.

The Princess had people prepare the courtyard especially for the three young ladies.

It was spacious, with plenty of room to move around and several buildings, making it comparable to Lixiang Courtyard.

Rongguo Mansion had never built Daguanyuan, so the three unmarried young ladies didn't each get their own courtyard.

Lin Daiyu and Shi Xiangyun also had rooms of their own in this courtyard.

By now, the two of them had also been brought to Rongguo Mansion. The young ladies gathered together, happily spending their days playing and studying.

Zhang hired a tutor for the girls.

Though the tutor was a woman, her talent was no less than a man's. She taught the young ladies to read and write poetry, as well as music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

Liu Jiaying studied along with them, and it was pure torment.

She was a science student, not an arts student!

She really couldn't make sense of the Four Books and Five Classics or the poetry and songs!

After studying, Liu Jiaying dragged her weary soul along with a group of young ladies to Rongqing Hall to pay their respects to Grandmother Jia. They ate lunch there, keeping Grandmother Jia company.

Grandmother Jia loved a lively crowd. If the young ladies didn't come, she would send someone to summon them.

Wang stayed with Grandmother Jia in Rongqing Hall. Zhang wasn't there; she was handling Rongguo Mansion's affairs in her own courtyard.

Wang Xifeng was in Rongqing Hall, though.

Wang Xifeng was quick-witted, and Grandmother Jia liked her, often calling her over to keep her amused.

When the young ladies arrived at Rongqing Hall, it became even livelier.

Wang Xifeng took Liu Jiaying by the hand, and the two of them put on a comic routine that had everyone laughing.

Lady Wang beckoned her granddaughter over and handed Liu Jiaying a teacup.

"This is sweet water made with rose dew. Go on, soothe your throat. You little thing—you did well keeping up with Feng's banter."

"Thank you, Grandmother."

Liu Jiaying thanked Wang sweetly.

Wang was genuinely good to her family.

At first, Liu Jiaying hadn't thought much of Wang because of the fanfiction she'd read. But after spending more time with her, Liu Jiaying had come to regard Wang as her own grandmother.

Wang Xifeng put on an envious expression. "Auntie only dotes on her granddaughter and not on me, her niece. Oh, my heart is breaking!"

Her exaggerated gestures and tone made everyone laugh again.

Lady Jia Shi beckoned to Wang Xifeng. "Feng, come here. If your auntie won't dote on you, I will."

"Grandmother, you're the best." Wang Xifeng ran over and wrapped both arms around one of Lady Jia Shi's arms, swaying against her affectionately.

Just then, Ping'er came in from outside. Seeing the scene, she couldn't help pausing in surprise.

Ping'er was dressed as a married woman now, but she wasn't Jia Lian's concubine.

Jia Lian had his mother and elder brother to guide him, so he wasn't the lecherous scoundrel from the original story who lusted after other men's wives.

Apart from Wang Xifeng, he hadn't taken any concubines or maids as bedmates.

Ping'er had married one of the stewards who had accompanied Wang Xifeng as part of her dowry, and after the wedding, she continued serving at Wang Xifeng's side.

Wang Xifeng let go and asked Ping'er, "What brings you here?"

Ping'er replied, "Granny Liu has arrived."

Hearing that it was someone she didn't know, but who seemed to be an older woman, Lady Jia Shi asked, "Who is Granny Liu?"

Wang Xifeng quickly explained, "She's a relative of the Wang Family, a country woman."

She then told everyone how Granny Liu was connected to them. "Granny Liu's son-in-law's surname is Wang. His ancestors were officials, and his family joined our Wang Family clan. So, technically, they're relatives of ours. Last year, they had a bad harvest, and Granny Liu brought her grandson to Rongguo Mansion to see me. I gave them some silver and sent them on their way. I wonder what they've come for this time. Maybe they've run out of money and are here to ask for help again."

Ping'er hurriedly said, "She's not here to ask for help this time. She said that things have gone well this year, so she brought plenty of country goods to thank Madam."

Lady Jia Shi praised her. "Now that's someone who remembers a kindness."

She added, "I was just wishing I had an old soul to talk to. I never thought such a chance would fall from the sky. Bring her in to meet me."

Ping'er agreed, then left Rongqing Hall to fetch Granny Liu.

Liu Jiaying gazed eagerly toward the courtyard of Rongqing Hall.

She couldn't believe she was going to meet Granny Liu today!

She had always been very fond of this wise old woman.

After a short while, Ping'er led an old woman in homespun clothes and a child of five or six into Rongqing Hall.

Liu Jiaying looked closely. The old woman's face was deeply lined, but her eyes were bright and clear.

Her wrinkles held the marks of hardship and wisdom.

She was just as Liu Jiaying had imagined.

What happened next was much the same as in the original Red Chamber.

The only difference was that there was no Daguanyuan, so no one went there to enjoy themselves. Instead, they held a banquet at Rongguo Mansion.

When Granny Liu left the next day, Liu Jiaying had her maid give the old woman two taels of silver.

It was the money she'd saved from her New Year's gifts.

Granny Liu's visit reminded Liu Jiaying of Miaoyu.

Rongguo Mansion hadn't built Daguanyuan or invited Miaoyu, so where was she?

Was she still in Gusu?

Liu Jiaying asked Jiqiu about her, wanting to know if she knew a nun named Miaoyu.

Jiqiu nodded. "I do. The Qi Duke's family invited a nun to the garden they built for the imperial family's family visit. Her name is Miaoyu."

Liu Jiaying: "..."

When the Qi Duke's family was confiscated in the future, she would send someone to escort Miaoyu and the others back to Gusu. She absolutely couldn't let Miaoyu fall into the hands of bandits.

Of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling, she was probably the only one Liu Jiaying could help, right?

Life at Rongguo Mansion was peaceful and happy. In the blink of an eye, Yingchun's marriage was arranged.

Her future husband was a young man from a collateral branch of Zhang's family. He was talented and capable.

After the retired emperor died, the emperor summoned the Zhang family to the capital and gave them important positions.

The Zhang family was full of talented people. Even their collateral branches had many capable members.

Yingchun's future husband was one of the more capable young men of his generation in the Zhang Family, and Zhang's eldest brother thought highly of him.

It was Zhang's eldest brother who had arranged the match.

Yingchun was now preparing her wedding clothes at home. As her sisters teased her about the wedding, she smiled, her eyes full of anticipation for the future.

She was nothing like the wooden second young lady from the original story.

Liu Jiaying told Yingchun, "Second Aunt, you'll definitely be happy."