Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 139 Big Sister is a Great Example

On the sixth day of May, Jia Yuanchun sent a message from the palace, asking Ying, Tan and Xi to come to the palace for a stroll.

The Rongguo Mansion was suddenly surprised and happy!

Jia Yuanchun has been in the palace for nearly ten years. Apart from the routine admission of female relatives with imperial decrees, she has never been able to allow her younger sister and other commoners in the family to "visit the palace" as she pleases.

She hurriedly called Tanchun back and dressed her in the lightest clothes according to the rules of mourning. She even gave Tanchun a mourning lining underneath. Only then did she allow Mrs. Xing to bring the three girls into the palace.

But when they arrived at the palace gate, she took out the zither and looked at Madam Xing, saying apologetically, "I'm afraid you can't get in. When the queen reported to the empress, she only mentioned three girls."

Mrs. Xing was happy not to get involved in these things. She said "no problem" with a smile on her face, and then happily got in the car to visit her brother's family who had just arrived in Beijing. When she saw that it was almost time, she went to the palace gate to pick up her three sisters.

Not to mention this.

The three sisters followed Baoqin until their feet were sore by the time they arrived at Fengzao Palace.

Yuanchun was dressed in plain clothes and entertained the three sisters with a smile. She held their hands and exchanged pleasantries for a long time before asking about the festival at Qingxu Temple.

Tanchun said nothing.

Yingchun looked at her and had to speak up herself: "Since the family is still in mourning for the Second Madam, no one went. In compliance with the Queen Mother's order, only Brother Bao went to kneel and burn incense for three days."

Yuanchun looked at her gently, nodded to show that she understood, and asked, "Is there anything else going on at home these days?"

Yingchun said blankly that it was not the case.

Xichun said, "The day after my second brother came back from kneeling and burning incense, Taoist Zhang came to our house in person and said he was going to exchange the name talisman for Qiaojie. Then, Lian's second sister-in-law found an excuse and took us away.

"After we left, Taoist Zhang seemed to stay at the old lady's place for quite a long time. When I returned to the garden, I saw Brother Lian leading him out from a distance at the intersection.

"I heard someone say last night that Taoist Zhang insisted that my second brother needs to chant some kind of incantation for 49 days. Either he goes to Qingxu Temple, or he goes to my father's place outside the city to chant."

Yuanchun's pupils shrank slightly, and she asked hurriedly, "Has Baoyu gone? Where did he go?"

"My second brother chose my father's place. Because the empress wanted to see us, my second brother said that he would leave tomorrow. We will go back in the evening to see if the empress has any other instructions." Xichun said it clearly.

Yingchun was surprised and asked, "How could I not know?"

"When I said this, the eldest wife just called my second sister out. When you came back, Lian's second sister-in-law called me to try on clothes. It was just the wrong time.

"As a result, I forgot to tell my second sister. It was my fault." Xichun hurriedly stood up to explain and even gave Yingchun a half-bow.

Yingchun immediately stood up with a red face, waving her hands and saying, "That's not what I meant. I was just surprised. It's okay, it's okay!"

Yuanchun looked at the two of them and couldn't help but smile. She pulled them both to sit down and said with a smile, "I am happy to see you two being so friendly."

Yingchun and Xichun blushed and smiled: "It's all because of the elder sister's example."

Yuanchun chuckled, but with a hint of sarcasm, then shook her head and asked them softly, "I heard that the third sister managed the household with the eldest sister-in-law and the eldest sister Xue for a while last year, so she learned a lot.

"What about you? Does anyone teach you housework?"

Yingchun said hurriedly, "Yes, yes, yes! Ever since the third sister took charge, the eldest wife said that I should learn it too. When she was handling the affairs of the first house, she asked me to learn by her side.

"My second sister-in-law has started to take care of family affairs recently, and my eldest wife asked me to learn from her."

Xichun opened her eyes wide: "Then why don't I have it!?"

Yuanchun couldn't help but smile.

Yingchun looked at Xichun with a hint of nervousness, her face flushed, but she still managed to explain in detail:

"The other day my wife said that by the time I'm done with the second wife's mourning, I'll be seventeen. By then I'll have to hurry up and see my husband. I'm afraid he won't have time to teach me how to handle household affairs. So she asked me to learn more recently.

"You are different. You are only thirteen. Once you are settled in Jinling, your brother and sister-in-law may take you there. What you need to learn may be the rules of Jinling.

"The old lady is the only one who knows the rules of Jinling best. So the eldest lady said that the old lady might teach you in person. Of course, you might also return to Jinling to learn.

"The eldest wife also said that if the old lady wants to find a family for you in the capital, then after I finish my business, she will ask the old lady to take you to the first house. She will teach you step by step and will definitely teach you everything!"

Yuanchun and Xichun were both amused by her repeated "I can't say for sure".

When Xichun heard the last sentence, her eyes suddenly became wet. She sniffed and nodded vigorously: "I will kowtow to the eldest lady when I get back!"

“No, no!” Yingchun waved her hands in fear again, “Actually, the eldest lady wouldn’t let me tell you these things right now.

"If the Madam hadn't asked, I definitely wouldn't have mentioned it. If you go back and tell me now, I'm afraid the Madam will blame me!"

"You are such a good sister, how could the eldest lady blame you?" Yuanchun smiled and patted her hands.

When he looked up, he saw Baoqin standing there with tea and snacks. Yin smiled and said, "There is a rare field of peonies in the garden outside. You two should go out and take a look. I will talk to my third sister about the second house."

Yuanchun said it so openly about the affairs of the second house, and the two of them hurriedly stood up, bowed, and followed her to the side hall with the zither in their arms.

There were only a pair of half sisters left in the room.

"Third sister, I've been having a hard time lately." Yuanchun leaned back, her waist slumped, her shoulders crooked, and her face full of fatigue.

Tanchun looked at her quietly without saying a word.

Yuanchun smiled bitterly and whispered, "Four kings, eight dukes, and twelve marquises, several were sent in, but the emperor only left me.

"So these years, I've actually been doing pretty well. Everyone's connections in the palace are all given to me.

“But recently, not anymore.

"Ever since Prince Beijing was severely beaten by the Grand Master, I can no longer avoid the Queen's harassment, which I used to be able to 'accidentally' avoid every time.

"Not only that, many concubines have started to come to my palace and speak nonsense in a weird way. The other day, Concubine Hui came back and beat Baoqin..."

Tanchun's eyebrows twitched slightly, and she finally spoke: "Prince Beijing, are you helping the Queen now?"

"I don't know who he helps, I just know that he started to help everyone who dislikes me." Yuanchun looked sad.

Tanchun sneered, "He has a dirty heart and blinded eyes. He dares to covet Sister Lin and even vents his anger on the queen. It is obvious that this person is narrow-minded and short-sighted. Our family can no longer ally with him!"

"There's no need to be so arbitrary." Yuanchun said slowly, her eyes fixed on Tanchun, "In fact, the principal wife in the Northern Palace is indeed sickly and weak, and she doesn't win the prince's heart.

"Sister Lin is the daughter of a marquis. Although her parents are both dead, her status is still noble. It is really inappropriate to make her a concubine.

"But, Third Sister, you..."

Without waiting for her to finish, Tanchun turned her head abruptly and stared at her, causing Yuanchun to swallow the half sentence on her tongue!

Tanchun sneered, looked at Yuanchun mockingly, leaned over and whispered: "You can't give Sister Lin to someone else as a concubine, so you want to give her to me?!

"I am a concubine's child, and my father is only a fifth-rank official. I am indeed of low status, so it is only natural for me to be someone's concubine.

"But since we are all concubines, why should I become a concubine of a king of a different surname? Big sister, you have done a great job before me. Isn't it good for me to be a concubine of the emperor like you?!"

"Snapped!"

Yuanchun slapped Tanchun hard on the face!