The Good Concubine of the Qing Dynasty [Red Mansion]

Because of this sense of familiarity, Yun Shuyao inquired about Tian Wenjing from Lin Ruhai and learned that he was currently the same age as Lin Ruhai, serving as a prefect, although his official position was not very high.

Moreover, there was something noteworthy about him: he did not enter the officialdom through the imperial examination but instead bought his position.

He started as an eighth-grade county assistant, and even after so many years, he remained in this position.

The path of buying an official title is much harder than that of those who enter through the imperial examination; unless one has the favor of influential figures or possesses exceptional abilities, it is difficult to rise.

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem with him?”

Lin Ruhai had of course also looked into the Tang family’s connections; their background was not particularly high, but it wasn’t very low either.

And although he lacked talent in studying, he was a person who got things done.

Yun Shuyao replied, “Nothing, it’s just that I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere before; I must have misheard it.”

Lin Ruhai had no suspicions; the two had no intersections in their lives at all.

The daughter of the Tang family was named Tang Wanxin.

She was born in the same year as Chenyu. She had already applied for exemption from selection because by the next draft, she would be too old, and during the last selection when she was of age, she was in mourning.

This situation was understandable, so she was allowed to marry freely.

The wedding date was not set for this year; Chenyu also expressed his hope to wait until after next year’s autumn examination. He was confident about the autumn exam next year and believed he could be successful in the imperial examinations. At that time, he could marry her with the status of a successful candidate, making the occasion more grand and respectable, and it would also be more suitable in terms of age.

The old lady wanted to hold her great-grandson and wished to set the engagement as soon as possible, hoping to complete the steps at the fastest speed so that they could marry within the year. If everything went smoothly, she could hold her great-grandson by next year.

However, not only did the grandson think this way, but the son also felt that getting married this year was too rushed.

Completing the traditional courtship process would also take a considerable amount of time.

Seeing that they both felt this way, the old lady had no choice but to accept it with resignation.

“Alright, since that’s the case, I’ll agree to you. However, at the latest, you must bring her home before the end of next year.”

She still wanted to see her great-grandson born.

With her current health, both the court physician and Dr. Zhou had checked her pulse and said it was good. She should be able to last a few more years.

Seeing her agree, Chenyu let out a sigh of relief. “Grandmother, I will study hard and pass the examinations as soon as possible.”

The old lady smiled with satisfaction. “Good, good, good! Grandmother will be waiting for your good news.”

Tang Wanxin was sixteen this year, and among girls, it was indeed rare for someone her age to be unengaged. However, there were reasons for this. One was that her grandfather had passed away, and she was in mourning. The other was that there had been a marriage proposal under discussion, but the other party ended up climbing up another branch, and that marriage was naturally called off, so they had to start over.

It was simply hard to find someone at her age. Just when Tang’s grandmother was feeling troubled about it, she heard that the Lin family was interested. Without much thought, she agreed, embracing her granddaughter and crying for a while.

Her granddaughter had finally turned her luck around!

The eldest son of the family had not spent much time with his junior, but he was sentimental. The Lin family only had this one son, and the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was insignificant.

It was the Tang family that was climbing the social ladder.

The second son was still serving as a governor in a remote area and it was uncertain how long it would take for him to rise further.

The third son, however, was not academically inclined, so he was simply allowed to manage the family business. The fourth son had average talent for studying but could still teach the younger members of the family.

Lin Ruhai was now a third-grade official in the capital. Although he and his son did not seem too different, the leap from fourth grade to third grade was a significant hurdle. Many people got stuck at this level, never making any progress in their lives.

Moreover, the second son had only recently been promoted to his governorship after considerable effort.

Even though Old Lady Tang was happy that her granddaughter would have a good match, she was not in a hurry to send her granddaughter off. The old lady was reluctant to part with her; every extra year she could keep her would be a blessing. After all, the engagement was already set. If the other party still valued their reputation, they wouldn’t easily break their promise.

This was already an engagement.

With the relationship established, Chenyu began to build a connection. Relationships are developed over time, so every once in a while, he would copy a line of poetry or prose, share his insights from his studies, mention the weather or his mood… All these topics could easily fit on a single piece of paper, so he didn’t have to worry about running out of things to say. He would also send some pastries from their family or bamboo woven items, jewelry, and some hairpins he came across during his outings. None of these were particularly valuable, so the Tang family felt no pressure to accept them.

When old lady Tang received these, she looked at them with a broad smile, holding her granddaughter’s hand and laughing, “This young man is thoughtful. Wanxin, your grandmother doesn’t expect your husband to be exceptionally talented or outstanding. If a person has a bad character, then everything else is meaningless.”

Just like Long Kedu, what did he have?

But if his character is bad, how long has his legitimate wife not shown herself?

Despite that, his concubine has been running rampant in the capital, causing widespread grievances.

“These items are clearly prepared by him personally, which shows he is sincere. This is your good fortune.”

If the other party is sincere and returns the affection, then there’s no need to worry about living poorly.

Tang Wanxin blushed and softly replied, “Grandmother, should I return some sewing supplies then?”

Old lady Tang nodded in satisfaction, “Yes, you decide how to proceed. Once you have everything ready, bring it to me.”

She couldn’t let her granddaughter handle this on her own.

Tang Wanxin looked at the piece of paper for a long time, flipping it over and over, growing redder the more she looked.

As the saying goes, “The writing reflects the person.”

Now it seemed to be true.

Gradually, she picked up a pen, and her delicate, flowing small script began to appear beautifully on the paper…

Before long, the Lin family received a box sent by the Tang family. One was specifically for Chenyu, while the others were gifts for the matriarch, Yun Shuyao, and Daiyu, including hair ribbons, purses, handkerchiefs, and other items.

They had already gotten engaged and exchanged some gifts, with both sets of adults cooperating and even deliberately creating opportunities for them.

When Grandmother Jia heard about this engagement, she couldn’t help but chuckle. She thought that Lin Ruhai would pick and choose for so long to find a princess or a county princess for her grandson. But in the end, he was marrying a girl without a father!

Apart from having a second uncle in court, it didn’t mean much. Upon further inquiry, it turned out he was a classmate of Lin Ruhai. But what did that matter?

They hadn’t spent much time together, so how deep could their feelings be?

It was all for the sake of reputation—a vague and ethereal notion. Was it worth it?

After all, this girl would be the future mistress of the Lin family, a small and unremarkable household. Did she have the ability to fulfill that role?

Just like the Xing family, they were hardly impressive.

She was looking forward to the spectacle.

Second Madam Wang was also in a good mood; her niece was entering the Prince’s residence while the Lin family settled for such a dilapidated household. The girl’s father had passed away, her second uncle was only a fourth-rank official, and most importantly, he had his own children. How much love could he possibly give this niece of his?

Moreover, the Tang family wasn’t particularly wealthy; their residence in the capital wasn’t large, and their daily life appeared quite plain. What kind of support could they provide? It would be good enough if they didn’t drag the Lin family down!

She specially had someone write a detailed letter about the Tang family’s situation to inform her niece.

When Wang Xiluan received this letter, she stood up in shock from her stool, unable to imagine where she had lost!

She couldn’t believe she was losing out to such a person?!

Wang Xiluan felt increasingly wronged and angrier as she thought about it. In a fit of rage, she smashed all the porcelain in her room, startling the maidservants who attended her.

When the news reached the Fujin, she calmly placed a chess piece down and said, “If she wants to smash things, let her. But all these items are accounted for through the public funds. Concubine Wang just entered the family not long ago, so she might not know. This time’s expenditure will be charged to my account, but remind her during the next reimbursement that if there’s a next time, she’ll have to cover it herself. After all, rules cannot be disregarded.”

The maidservant replied respectfully.

Then, Wang Xifeng received a letter from her cousin, asking her to investigate why the Lin family was engaged to the Tang family and whether that Tang girl had done anything or used any underhanded means.

Upon hearing Ping’er read the letter, Wang Xifeng felt a jolt in her brow.

“What is she thinking? She’s already entered the prince’s residence; what does the Lin family have to do with her? What will the prince do when he finds out about this?!” She considered it a piece of gossip and thought it should have ended there, but why was she still pursuing it? What would knowing do for her?

Was she planning to do something more?

Wang Xifeng could no longer sit still and decided to return to her family for a visit.

This matter had to be mentioned to her second aunt.

Let the second aunt have a good talk with her.

Daiyu was busy preparing a return gift for her future sister-in-law. She had received a handkerchief from the other party, adorned with orchids that she particularly liked. Her embroidery skills were excellent, so she planned to gift a similar embroidered item in return.

She worked slowly with her needle and thread, but fortunately, the handkerchief was simple. She had already completed half of it, so finishing it wouldn’t take too long.

While Daiyu was busy, Wang Xifeng delivered an invitation. After Daiyu inquired about it and responded to the invitation, Wang Xifeng brought Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xichun to visit.

When they paid their respects to the old lady, she noticed that Wang Xifeng seemed to brighten up the entire room with her presence and makeup. She unconsciously asked, “Are you studying now?” The downfall that followed was certainly due to being trapped in her own web, but it also stemmed from her lack of understanding of the law and her lack of reverence for it.

All these issues could be resolved through study.

Hearing this, Wang Xifeng’s smile stiffened. “Replying to the old lady, I feel a headache just seeing those characters; I only recognize a few,” she said. She wasn’t completely illiterate; she could read the accounts, but beyond that, she struggled.

The old lady advised, “Studying brings wisdom. When you have free time, it wouldn’t hurt to read a few more books.”

Lin Daiyu listened from the side and felt it made sense: “Second sister-in-law, there are golden houses in books; once you read them, you will come to like them.”

She truly enjoyed reading.

Wang Xifeng’s heart skipped a beat, and she smiled, “Oh dear, it’s different! You have the literary flair just like your uncle, but my brain is as wooden as a log! If I look at those characters for too long, I get dizzy.”

Sitting still all day just to read a book was pure torture for her, so Wang Xifeng couldn’t understand why these young girls loved to read and paint so much; it simply didn’t interest her.

When they arrived at Daiyu’s courtyard, she saw the group of young girls gathered together, chattering about the handkerchiefs and pouches. Just in time, she heard Daiyu mention that the handkerchief was for her future sister-in-law and asked for their advice on the design.

Wang Xifeng raised an eyebrow: “For the daughter of the Tang family?”

Yingchun nodded, and Tanchun added, “It’s appropriate.”

Wang Xifeng took a look and began to praise, “Of course it’s suitable! This is bamboo; isn’t that a symbol of a gentleman? It couldn’t be better!”

Then she asked, “Your uncle arranged the marriage with the Tang family? Just based on Cousin Lin’s character and appearance, he could even marry a princess in my opinion.”

She deliberately flattered him.

Daiyu frowned slightly: “Second sister-in-law, you flatter us. Our family is just an ordinary one, and Sister Tang is also very good. Second sister-in-law, I really think reading is quite beneficial.” Her sentiment was heartfelt; whether one had read books could be discerned from their demeanor. The Lin family mostly interacted with literary officials, and even families that didn’t value their daughters still required them to read the Four Books and the Five Classics. Those who valued education, like her family, encouraged learning poetry and prose. Among the people they interacted with, young women who read were the majority. Even Yingchun and the others were readers.

Wang Xifeng felt her smile faltering: “Have I done something rude?”

She had already felt quite embarrassed after the old lady’s question, and now being told to read more to gain understanding seemed to imply that she was lacking in wisdom.

But she hadn’t done anything wrong!

Wang Xifeng went over her recent actions in her mind and was suddenly alarmed. Had she sold off some of the heavy, unwanted furniture from the storeroom, and had the news somehow leaked? Did the Lin family hear about it?!