Aunt Zhao is a very ridiculous existence in "Dream of Red Mansions": she has been criticized by her daughter more than once, and even her son has contradicted her: "You are not afraid of the third sister? If you dare to go, I will obey you", everyone - from Wang Xifeng to Fang Guan - despised her even more. Even when the author mentions her, she is directly called a "foolish concubine" in her eyes. Is she really that stupid?
From the perspective of spring exploration, it is indeed true. She is not motivated, nor is she "quiet and recuperating", but she always makes trouble and is vindictive everywhere, but she can't win, she is either returned by Tanchun Ding, or besieged by the maids. Even in front of Jia Zheng, who doted on her, she made a request, but Jia Zheng refused. It's not stupid to be defeated and defeated again and again, what is it?
But from another point of view, Aunt Zhao's aggressiveness and trouble, is it really unrewarding?
You once said to Wang Xifeng: "These mothers-in-law and aunts came to make money for your birthday, you are not enough, what are you doing with two bitter gourds!" thought that Aunt Zhou Zhao was a "bitter gourd", and turned her head to return their share of the money.
However, when Aunt Zhao asked Ma Daopo to help her Demon Sister Feng Baoyu, she immediately took out "a bunch of silver for white flowers". Notice that she just said, "Look over there, and that piece is in shape?" The things that have become the same can't come into my hands", it seems that she is poor and bullied, which makes Ma Daopo worried, "What can you do to impress me?" "Things are in order, and there is no evidence, you still care about you", Aunt Zhao also claimed that "I saved a few taels of myself piecemeal, and a few clothes hairpins", but the fact is that there is no "clothes hairpin" at all, just this "white flower and a bunch of silver" is enough to impress Ma Daopo. It seems that Aunt Zhao is not as poor as she showed when she cried poor.
There are such words in Zhang Ailing's novels: "Rural people have always complained about poverty, bad weather and bad harvests, on the one hand, they are afraid that they will talk too much and attract the jealousy of ghosts and gods, and at the same time, they are also out of self-defense to deal with the endless exploitation of them by the government and landlords." Whether it is the military police, tax collectors, or masters who go to the countryside to collect rent, there is no one who is not in their mind anyway. So whoever asks about their harvest is always right to cry about poverty. "Aunt Zhao should be a maid in Jiafu and have children, but she inherited the habits of the countrymen.
As for the rejection of Caixia by Jia Zheng, we readers often only see the rejection, but ignore the intention behind it. Jia Zheng said, "What are you busy with, wait for them to study for another year or two, and then release them." I have taken a fancy to two girls, one with Baoyu and one for Huan'er. ”
Jiafu opposes early marriage, perhaps because of Jia Huan's precedent; He also attaches great importance to reading, so he refuses to use "study for another year or two, and then release people". This makes perfect sense.
Interestingly, Jia Huan is Tanchun's younger brother, and Tanchun is younger than Baoyu (Tanchun is younger than Daiyu, and Daiyu is one year younger than Baoyu, so Tanchun is two or three years younger than Baoyu. But the age in "Dream of Red Mansions" is unreliable, we don't consider this), Jia Huan is much younger than Baoyu. In this case, why did Jia Zheng consider Baoyu and Jia Huan together when he considered letting go of the girl?
There are really readers who discuss who the two girls Jia Zheng likes. In fact, it was concealed by Jia Zheng. Just like when Daiyu entered Jia's mansion, Mrs. Wang criticized Wang Xifeng for not taking two satin to cut clothes for Daiyu, and Wang Xifeng replied that it had been prepared in advance, Jia Zheng probably didn't think about it at all. It's just that Aunt Zhao mentioned that he was unwilling to give Caixia to Jia Huan (the maid sent out by Mrs. Wang, Jia Zheng wants to come back, so he can't help but give his wife face. And Jia Huan is indeed still young, there is no reason to surpass Baoyu, who is a few years older, to give Jia Huan a concubine first), and he is unwilling to refuse Aunt Zhao strongly, so he said such a "retreat".
Anyway, it's "wait another year or two". As long as you pay attention, in a year or two, can't Jia Zheng pick out two good girls?
And why did Jia Zheng pay attention? It is the role of Aunt Zhao's reckless request.
Yes, Aunt Zhao's recklessness, vulgarity, and aggressiveness can play a certain role. It's just that her pursuit is completely different from Tanchun's pursuit. So in Tanchun's view, Aunt Zhao's actions were too "stupid".