Chapter 3

"Daughter, I'm serious. Hurry up and get me some thin porridge to pad my stomach. Otherwise, I'm really going to starve to death!"

Jia Huan said weakly, his stomach grumbling unhappily.

As Aunt Zhao got up, she grumbled, "Get someone? Who can I get? I'll have to go myself!"

Jia Huan was taken aback and then asked in confusion, "Mother, what about your maidservants?"

Aunt Zhao snorted, "What maidservants? Xiao Jixiang is the same age as you, only seven this year. What can she do? And Xiao Que is boiling medicine in the pharmacy."

Jia Huan frowned, "Mother, you only have two maidservants, and one of them... What about mine?"

Aunt Zhao laughed sarcastically and said with exaggerated derision, "Huan-ge, do you really think you're the third master of the Jia family? You have a dog-shit maidservant! Dream on in broad daylight. Your mother's bad luck is your maidservant! A cursed, ungrateful brat..."

With that, Aunt Zhao exaggeratedly swayed her hips and walked out, lifting the door curtain.

Jia Huan looked at Aunt Zhao's back with a speechless expression, feeling that there was a reason he was disliked in the *Dream of the Red Chamber*, and the reason was his mother.

Most of Jia Huan's bad habits were learned from his mother. He couldn't believe how harsh she could be when scolding her own son. If it weren't for her red, swollen eyes from crying, Jia Huan would have suspected that he was a free gift with a phone bill...

However, despite her many faults and her coarseness, Jia Huan could feel that she genuinely cared for him.

After Aunt Zhao left, Jia Huan put his hands behind his head and began to think about his future.

Although he still didn't fully understand this world, it was clear that he could do very little at the moment.

And at his current age, he couldn't do much more than go to school.

Right, in *Dream of the Red Chamber*, many interesting things happened at the Jia family's clan school, which was a place of mixed characters.

I wonder if that lecherous Xue Dazi has come yet...

Thinking of Xue Dazi, he couldn't help but think of his beautiful sister, Xue Baochai.

Jia Huan subconsciously reached his hand under the quilt, feeling his crotch, and frowned when he noticed something different, wondering why his territory had shrunk so much.

Suddenly, he realized he was only seven and hadn't started developing yet, and he chuckled to himself, feeling secretly satisfied: Not too small, still okay.

...

Sloppily eating the porridge in the bowl, a few fireworks suddenly rose outside the window. Jia Huan glanced at them but lost interest quickly, finding them too monotonous.

But he still asked, "Mother, what day is it today? Why is it so lively outside?"

Aunt Zhao, holding a copper basin with a towel hanging from its edge, replied irritably, "Eat your porridge, what's it got to do with you? You're so picky. You want to wash your hands, but you didn't even go to the toilet. In the past, when you finished, I had to call you to wash your hands, and you never came. Now you're being picky..."

"Cough, cough!"

Jia Huan almost choked, unable to deal with his sharp-tongued mother, and quickly changed the subject, "Mother, what festival is it today? I want to know so I can wish you well!"

Aunt Zhao grumbled, "Dog-shit festival! Your dead aunt's daughter came last month, and the old lady is really confused. It's just a fatherless girl, a weak one. She's made the entire Jia family restless for over half a month. My poor son has been sick for so long, and no one has come to see him..."

Jia Huan didn't hear the rest of Aunt Zhao's words clearly because he finally figured out where he was in the *Dream of the Red Chamber* timeline.

"Jia Yucun regains his old position, and Lin Daiyu leaves her father to enter the capital."

Now, Lin Daiyu must be around nine or ten years old.

The story was just beginning, and it would be a long time before the Jia family was ruined.

Jia Huan finally breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want to end up like the Jia family without even enjoying a single good day.

According to *Dream of the Red Chamber*, the Jia family's most glorious days were yet to come.

This gave Jia Huan more time to plan his future.

But how should he proceed?

It was hard to decide because Jia Huan still knew nothing about this world.

What dynasty was it? Who was the emperor?

It couldn't be the Ming Dynasty. Jia Huan vaguely remembered that *Dream of the Red Chamber* mentioned the emperor a few times.

One time, Wang Xifeng said, "I really regret being born a few decades too late, unable to witness the grandeur of the Southern Tour of the Sage Emperor." The Ming Dynasty didn't have a Sage Emperor, and no other emperor in history had the audacity to call himself that except for Qing Emperor Kangxi.

But this world couldn't be the Qing Dynasty either.

Apart from the long hair on their foreheads, Jia Huan remembered that *Dream of the Red Chamber* described the current dynasty's great military achievements, including the pacification of the barbarians.

The Qing rulers were themselves a barbarian tribe.

This was likely one of the reasons *Dream of the Red Chamber* was banned in the Qing Dynasty.

It wasn't the Ming or the Qing, but the clothing, customs, and etiquette in *Dream of the Red Chamber* had elements of both dynasties.

The main theme of *Dream of the Red Chamber* was the suppression of military power and the promotion of literature, as the country was at peace.

However, Jia Huan was skeptical. According to the prophecies of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling, Jia Tanchun would be sent to the sea to marry a foreign prince, due to the defeat of the Nan'an Duke, who was chosen by the old dowager of the Nan'an Duke's mansion and adopted as a daughter to be sent for a marriage alliance.

Both the Rongguo Mansion and the Ningguo Mansion were ennobled due to military achievements. The current titles in the Jia family were military positions, one a first-class general and the other a third-class general.

Logically, if Jia Huan wanted to rise, joining the military would be a good choice. However, *Dream of the Red Chamber* didn't describe the Jia family having any significant influence in the military. Instead, Wang Xifeng's brother, Wang Ziteng, was a military commander, similar to a military region commander in modern terms.

As for pursuing a literary career, the Jia family had a strong literary atmosphere, with even the daughters being well-versed in literature and poetry.

Pursuing a literary career and then becoming an official seemed like a good path, but Jia Huan didn't think it was suitable for him.

First, he wasn't cut out for the eight-part essay. He found ancient Chinese texts as difficult as bird language when he studied them.

He recognized every character, but they were useless to him.

The profound language left him guessing, and he doubted he could understand these cryptic texts even in his second life.

Second, and most importantly, the other members of the Jia family wouldn't allow him to rise.

The current situation in the Jia family could be summarized as "the top is crooked, and the bottom is askew."

Leaving aside the Ningguo Mansion, in the Rongguo Mansion, the current heir, Jia She, was described by the old lady as a man who, instead of being a good official, spent his days drinking with his concubines.

Jia Huan's father, Jia Zheng, was a pedantic scholar, good for nothing.

He had no ability to serve the country, earn merit, or do anything beneficial. Instead, he helped the cruel and greedy Jia Yucun become the magistrate of Ying天府, leading to the infamous "gourd monk judging a gourd case."

As for the family, he was a complete fool.

With such direct ancestors, the younger generation was even worse.

Jia She's son, Jia Lian, bought a position as a magistrate and managed the household, but he was a wastrel who only knew how to spend money.

As for Jia Baoyu, he was a pampered flower, a dandy.

These two, though incompetent, were the most favored in the Rongguo Mansion.

Most importantly, they were the "legitimate" heirs of Jia She and Jia Zheng.

If Jia Huan remained a wastrel, he wouldn't be a threat, and "a thousand taels of silver would be enough to get rid of him."

But if he suddenly became ambitious and proactive, he would threaten Jia Baoyu's position.

In the Jia family, anyone who posed a threat to Jia Baoyu would face the ruthless and cunning Wang夫人.

Look at Jin Chan, Si'er, and Qing Wen.

None of them met a good end...

The reasons were simple: Jin Chan was accused of seducing Jia Baoyu, "ruining a good young man," and was slapped and expelled.

This was a death sentence, a death by moral code.

In this era, no innocent girl could survive such a "charge."

So, Jin Chan jumped into a well.

What surprised Wang夫人 was probably that Jin Chan dared to jump into a well in the Jia family...

Si'er, who shared the same birthday as Jia Baoyu, was reported for saying, "Those born on the same day are meant to be husband and wife," and was expelled for being "improper."

Qing Wen suffered the most. She was dragged from her bed and expelled while sick, dying that night. The reason was that she was accused of seducing Jia Baoyu...

These three died because their actions could potentially harm Jia Baoyu's reputation.

Just the potential to harm Jia Baoyu's reputation was enough for Wang夫人 to act so ruthlessly. If Jia Huan suddenly rose and threatened Jia Baoyu's position, it would be far more serious.

This was a matter of family succession and resource allocation.

In such a situation, even a real Buddha would turn to violence.

In a large household, there were many intrigues, and Jia Huan didn't want to become a victim of these power struggles.

If Wang夫人 wanted to find an excuse to punish him, in a world where moral codes were paramount, Jia Huan had no way to fight back, let alone protect himself.

His mother, Aunt Zhao, was far inferior to Wang夫人 in terms of background, intelligence, and political skills.

Wang Xifeng, who seemed powerful in the Jia family, was merely a tool in Wang夫人's hands.

She did Wang夫人's bidding, but when things went wrong, she was the one to take the blame.

When the Rongguo and Ningguo Mansions were raided, Wang Xifeng was the scapegoat, being divorced and dying a miserable death.

The "benevolent" Wang夫人 didn't even look at her.

Therefore, Jia Huan would never underestimate Wang夫人.

Of course, Wang夫人 had her limitations. She was a woman dependent on her family and her in-laws.

A clear example was that after her brother, Wang Ziteng, died, the "proper" Lady Xing began to cause trouble.

This led to the raid on the Grand View Garden.

However, before Jia Huan had the power to protect himself, any attempt to provoke Wang夫人 would be suicidal and foolish.

He could try to be less annoying, but he must not show any signs of ambition.

PS: The fact that Jia Tanchun would become a princess was generally accepted, with many hints pointing to this.

The debate was whether she would become a foreign princess or a princess of the Nan'an Duke.

My interpretation is that she became a foreign princess.

In *Dream of the Red Chamber*, it is mentioned that among the four dukes, only the Beijiang Duke had significant achievements, so his descendants still held the title.

This means that the other three dukes' descendants did not inherit the title, at least not those of the same generation as Shui Rong.

When Qin Keqing died, the four dukes' mansions set up mourning tents. I interpret this as being done in the name of the mansions, not the dukes themselves.

For example, if a nobleman died, the Jia family would set up a mourning tent in the name of the Rongguo and Ningguo Mansions, not their current titles.

In Chapter 71, the Nan'an Duke and the dowager visited Jia Tanchun. I believe this Nan'an Duke was of the same generation as Jia Zheng, and the one of the same generation as Beijiang Duke Shui Rong was his son.

His son would have inherited the title of Nan'an Duke.

If his son had also inherited the title of Nan'an Duke, it would contradict the statement that "only the Beijiang Duke had significant achievements, so his descendants still held the title."

Therefore, Jia Tanchun was likely sent to marry a foreign prince, becoming a foreign princess, not a princess of the Nan'an Duke.

The title of foreign princess might sound grand, but in that era, a foreign prince was described as: "the ruler of the southern wilderness, eating raw meat, wearing grass, living in huts, speaking a foul language, and skilled in archery."

One can imagine how tragic and terrifying this would be for Jia Tanchun, who grew up in luxury.

This is just one person's interpretation, and experts can take it with a grain of salt.

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