Red Chamber 30

Zhang treated Xichun as if she were her own biological daughter.

Xichun also grew close to Zhang, regarding her as a mother.

Xichun did not become cold and detached as she had in the original story; although her insight into Buddhist scriptures remained superior to others, she had no intention of becoming a nun.

In Jinling, Zhang found a talented and capable young man for Xichun to marry.

The man also enjoyed painting, and he and Xichun shared a common language.

After they married, the two shared a very deep affection.

Jia She sent Jia Cong and Jia Huan to the best local academy.

Both of them understood that as sons of concubines, studying hard was their only way out.

Consequently, both of them were very diligent.

Without Lady Wang's interference, Jia Huan's schoolwork caught up.

Later, the two participated in the imperial examinations, advancing all the way from student status to achieving the rank of jinshi.

Although they were only secondary jinshi, through the maneuvering of Jia Hu and Jia Lian, both were appointed to good positions as officials in the provinces, and both eventually retired as high-ranking officials of the third rank.

Their wives were both chosen by Zhang, and both were virtuous women.

They provided no small amount of help to the two men.

Both men were sincerely grateful to Zhang and Jia She.

The scene shifts back to the capital.

The campaign in the south ended with a victory for Daqing.

Although Prince of Nan'an was rescued, the capital's prison awaited him.

The Emperor began to settle the final accounts.

The Nan'an Prince Mansion was also gone.

Dowager Consort Nan'an and the Princess Consort, who had once looked down on everyone from their high position, were reduced to selling their jewelry to survive.

The young princess, the legitimate daughter of the Nan'an Prince Mansion, lived on to keep them company, but what would her future hold?

Later, no one saw them again.

It is assumed they had already left the capital.

The soldiers who had gone on the expedition returned in triumph.

Liu Xianglian performed brilliantly in this war, capturing the enemy leader amidst ten thousand troops and earning the greatest merit.

By virtue of this achievement, Liu Xianglian was granted a title.

Although he was not made a marquis, he received the title of count.

Xue Baoqin became a countess, suddenly becoming the person with the highest status besides Xue Baochai.

She safely gave birth to Liu Xianglian's eldest daughter, a little beauty who combined all the best features of her father and mother, named Liu Yao.

Liu Jiaying liked this little cousin very much and dressed her up like a doll.

Jia Lian was also granted the title of baron for his service, and Wang Xifeng thus became a titled noblewoman, adorned in a phoenix coronet and ceremonial robes.

She was very happy and dragged Jia Lian out to go shopping in high spirits.

The couple brushed past a woman with an aged and haggard face.

Wang Xifeng glanced at the woman with sympathy before looking away.

The woman stared at their retreating backs until they disappeared before looking away with a sense of loss.

The woman was none other than You Erjie.

Watching the happy and harmonious appearance of Jia Lian and his wife, she felt an unbearable bitterness in her heart, with an urge to rush up and tear the two apart.

But she did not dare.

The two looked high-born, and she could not afford to provoke them.

Xue Baoqin received a generous gift from Shi Xiangyun, thanking Liu Xianglian for saving Wei Ruolan's life.

On the battlefield, Liu Xianglian had blocked a fatal blow for Wei Ruolan.

Otherwise, Wei Ruolan would have died on the battlefield, and Shi Xiangyun would have become a widow.

Shi Xiangyun did not even have children yet; if she had become a widow, her life would have been very difficult.

Therefore, Shi Xiangyun was very grateful to Liu Xianglian and grew much closer to Xue Baoqin.

Perhaps it was true that "surviving a great disaster brings future blessings," as not only was Wei Ruolan's official rank promoted after returning to the capital, but Shi Xiangyun also became pregnant.

A year later, she gave birth to a pair of fraternal twins, a great auspicious omen that significantly raised the status of Wei Ruolan and Shi Xiangyun within the Wei family; Wei Ruolan's stepmother gnashed her teeth in hatred, but she could no longer do anything to him.

Wei Ruolan's wings had hardened, and he was no longer someone she could manipulate.

Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu were married.

Before Grandmother Jia passed away, she took Jia Min's hand, hoping to finalize the marriage between Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu.

Lin Ruhai had no complaints about Jia Baoyu as his future son-in-law, so he agreed to the marriage.

After the mourning periods for Jia Zheng, Lady Wang, and Grandmother Jia had passed, the two held their wedding.

Jia Baoyu passed the imperial examinations, entered the Hanlin Academy, and later served at the Imperial Academy.

He spent his life teaching, composing poetry and prose, and stayed away from the power struggles of the imperial court, living a relaxed and comfortable life in perfect harmony with Lin Daiyu until they grew old together.

Lin Daiyu's original essence remained intact, and her health was excellent, allowing her to bear Jia Baoyu two sons and two daughters.

Jia Baoyu had no concubines or illegitimate children, nor did he have any maids serving as concubines.

Xiren and Qingwen were both his maids, and Xiren had harbored thoughts of rising in status.

However, since Jia Baoyu had not been taken to the Taixu Illusion Realm by Fairy Jinghuan and had not been instructed in the arts of love by Fairy Keqing, he did not mature as early and lacked the intense interest in romantic affairs seen in the original story.

Xiren was older than Jia Baoyu, and since he had no such inclinations, there was nothing she could do despite her desires.

Seeing herself growing older, Xiren could wait no longer, so she bought her own freedom, returned to the Hua Family, and married under the arrangements of her eldest brother.

The man she married was none other than Qi Guan, Jiang Yuhan.

In this life, without Jia Baoyu leaking information, Jiang Yuhan had escaped the pursuit of Prince Zhongshun.

Later, when the plot of Commandery Prince Yizhong was exposed, Prince Zhongshun, as his accomplice, was not executed by the Emperor but was placed under house arrest.

Jiang Yuhan was finally able to appear in public openly.

He wanted to marry and live the life of an ordinary person.

Possessing houses and farmland, he was a wealthy man and considered a highly eligible bachelor in the eyes of many, so there was no shortage of matchmakers knocking at his door.

Among the many young women introduced by the matchmakers, Jiang Yuhan chose Hua Xiren.

This could be considered their destiny.

As for Qingwen, she saw that Jia Baoyu was deeply devoted to Lin Daiyu and had room for no one else in his heart, so she gave up the idea of becoming his concubine.

After Lin Daiyu entered the household, Qingwen asked her for help in selecting a husband, then married with a generous dowry prepared for her by Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu, eventually becoming the proprietress of a shop.

Under the guidance of Lin Ruhai, Lin Daiyu's younger brother later became a Tanhua, married, had children, and enjoyed a successful official career.

Lin's younger brother had two sons and a daughter, breaking the tradition of the Lin family having only one heir per generation.

Lin Ruhai passed away from this world with a smile, feeling he could finally face the ancestors of the Lin family.

Xue Baochai's life in the inner palace was relatively stable and smooth; the Emperor was fond of her understanding nature and talent, though, of course, her beauty played no small part.

Xue Baochai gave birth to a son with her first pregnancy and was promoted to the rank of Pin.

Afterward, she gave birth to two Princesses in succession.

Her rank gradually rose until she became a De Fei.

Later, the Emperor passed away, and the Crown Prince ascended the throne.

Xue Baochai's son became a Prince.

The new Emperor was quite kind to his younger brother, who was not yet of age and posed no threat to his throne, granting him favorable treatment and allowing him to bring his mother, Xue Baochai, out of the palace to care for her.

Leaving the palace where she had lived for over twenty years, Xue Baochai felt as if she had lived through a lifetime.

The dreams of her youth had been realized, yet she felt only an immense emptiness, as if she had gained everything, yet lost it all at the same time.