Chapter 24 Why is the Marquis of Zhongyong here again? "If you were my relative..."

After leaving the palace, Mu Chuan didn't hesitate much. He first went back to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence to find a gift, and then headed to the Rongguo Mansion.

What I didn't say yesterday, I'll say today. I can't say it for your own good, nor can I gloss over the truth.

The servants and maids in the front courtyard were gathered together, and they were genuinely frightened. The Rongguo Mansion rarely had any guests and rarely opened its gates, perhaps only once a year. The Earl of Zhongyong had just visited yesterday, so they all huddled in a corner, comforting each other with whispered words.

"They were all given ten lashes and sent to the countryside to farm."

"The screams were so horrible, I still get goosebumps."

"I heard that our estate is more than a month's journey from the capital. Why didn't you let them rest before setting off?"

A man next to him nodded, still shaken: "He was limping. I heard the village is in the north, and the winters are extremely cold. I wonder..." He didn't dare finish his sentence.

"Master Bao—"

"You can't mention Master Bao!" another person quickly interrupted him, "The steward gave the order!"

The man sighed... He said he dared not say anything, but thinking of Master Bao, he figured the steward couldn't possibly find out.

Everyone in the Rongguo Mansion knows what kind of person Bao Er Ye is.

He usually seems unassuming and disrespectful, but when it comes to using maids and servants as scapegoats, he's ruthless.

They searched for almost an hour, shouting so loudly, but Master Bao remained hidden in the Second Master's room without uttering a sound. In the end, they even heard that they hadn't served tea and snacks to Earl Zhongyong.

Surely this couldn't have been said by the Marquis of Zhongyong?

And then there's Jin Chuan'er, who mysteriously jumped into a well a few years ago. Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine.

Bao Er Ye is clueless about worldly affairs and doesn't understand human relationships. The old lady and the madam in the backyard always say that he has the heart of a child and that he is filial. Every time the second master scolds Bao Er Ye, they always protect him... He's already seventeen.

The Marquis of Zhongyong was nothing more than tall and mighty, with a fierce appearance. The delicate and frail Miss Lin, who seemed like she could be blown away by a gust of wind, was already frightened by Master Bao.

Thinking about it this way, the servants couldn't help but miss their second master, who had been sent away to work elsewhere.

"If the Second Master were here..."

"The Second Master's study is in the front yard."

That Second Master Bao would absolutely never come to the front yard.

They are safe.

Just as everyone was deeply immersed in their memories of Jia Zheng, a servant from the gatehouse rushed over: "Oh no! The Marquis of Zhongyong is here again!"

The maids and servants in the front yard all snapped awake.

"Don't let Master Bao come to see guests again!"

"Oh no! Second Master Lian went out early this morning!"

"Miss Lin! My godmother is at the second gate. I'll have her go directly to inform you!"

Even if the old lady has to give her approval before Miss Lin can come out, preparing in advance will allow her to come out sooner and avoid being implicated by Master Bao.

Mu Chuan sensed that something was off about the atmosphere at Rongguo Mansion. Today, without any instructions, the gates were opened as usual, and those who were supposed to lead the way were led. Even those who went to deliver messages were running much faster than yesterday.

As soon as Mu Chuan sat down, a row of four maids brought up tea and snacks; there were three pots of tea alone.

"This is Lapsang Souchong, this is Jin Jun Mei, this is Jiuqu Hongmei, and the Qimen black tea you requested last time has already been sent to find, but it will take a few more days."

Although Mu Chuan didn't know much about tea, only to the point of being able to taste its strength, the service at Rongguo Mansion was excellent today. He nodded and praised, "Not bad."

At this moment, another steward with jade inlaid on the brim of his hat came in and said politely with a smile, "I have already sent someone in to report that Miss Lin will be here in a little while."

Mu Chuan laughed loudly: "Today I don't have to rush you."

The steward awkwardly wiped his sweat. He was nervous too. If he had to call Master Bao to do this again, he, as the steward, wouldn't be in a good position either.

The weather was nice today, and it was close to lunchtime. Everyone was in Grandmother Jia's room when they heard the news that the Earl of Zhongyong had come again, and everyone reacted differently.

Lin Daiyu smiled, Jia Baoyu stiffened, Xue Baochai glanced at Lin Daiyu subconsciously, and Shi Xiangyun laughed, "Why are you here again? Doesn't the Marquis of Zhongyong have anything else to do? When I was at home, both of my uncles were marquises, and they were busy all day long. Even when they went to pay their respects, they could only see each other once every three or five days."

Xue Baochai, who was sitting next to her, tugged at her sleeve and scolded, "The Marquis of Zhongyong gave you gifts, so you should show some respect to him."

Shi Xiangyun lowered her head: "Sister Bao, I was wrong, I won't do it again next time."

This conversation completely baffled Lin Daiyu. She subconsciously looked at Baoyu and winked at him, as if to say, "Look at your Yun sister, she listens to your Bao sister so much. She's never been this respectful to you before."

But Jia Baoyu didn't take it seriously, after all, he had heard Shi Xiangyun say, "If I had such a sister, it wouldn't matter if I lost my parents."

Seeing that Jia Baoyu did not react, Lin Daiyu felt awkward and sat quietly waiting for Grandmother Jia to call her out.

Grandmother Jia still wanted to struggle a bit, so she said in a deep voice, "Go and call Lian'er back."

The old woman replied cautiously, "I've already sent someone to look for them."

Grandmother Jia's gaze then shifted to Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu, who were still sitting together.

Baoyu looked away, but Daiyu seemed eager to try, as if she would leave as soon as Baoyu opened her mouth.

Grandmother Jia was not happy. This was the reason why she didn't let the girls go out. She thought that if they met more people, they would become more knowledgeable, unruly, disobedient, and difficult to manage.

Just like Xiangyun.

Xue Baoqin did this very well.

"Baoyu," Grandmother Jia called out.

Jia Baoyu stood up with his head down and responded listlessly.

Looking at it this way, Grandmother Jia couldn't bear it anymore. She had stopped Jia Zheng from letting Jia Baoyu study before, so why should she stop an outsider from visiting, especially since this outsider wasn't there to see Baoyu?

Don't frighten the child.

"Take your sister to the front," Grandmother Jia said, changing her words. "She's an old friend of your Uncle Lin, go and say hello."

Jia Baoyu accompanied Lin Daiyu out listlessly.

Lin Daiyu was somewhat expectant. Yesterday's red date and pork rib stew was delicious, and today she felt no weakness or fatigue from her illness at all. She had to thank her third brother.

However, after taking only a few steps, Lin Daiyu felt something was wrong. Where was Baoyu? She turned around and saw that the Second Master Bao was moving behind her.

His appearance was so funny that it made people want to laugh. Lin Daiyu waved her hand and said, "The old lady didn't ask you to come along. Think about it carefully."

One sentence made Jia Baoyu's eyebrows dance with joy again. He took two steps to Lin Daiyu's side and said, "I know that the old lady asked you to meet the guests because it was difficult for you. Sister, I'll wait outside for you. After you finish speaking, we'll go back together."

Judging from his tone, he wasn't even willing to go in and say hello.

But this is not surprising, since the Marquis of Zhongyong would not tell Grandmother Jia, and neither would the maids and servants in the outer courtyard.

As for herself... Lin Daiyu met Jia Baoyu's pleading eyes and nodded involuntarily.

The two walked to the front yard. Jia Baoyu wasn't stupid; he stopped far away and didn't go towards the main hall, not giving Mu Chuan a chance to see him: "Good sister, I'll wait for you here."

Lin Daiyu walked into the main hall, and as soon as she saw what Mu Chuan was wearing, she laughed again: "Third Brother, have you brought Baoyu another set of armor?"

Mu Chuan stood up to greet her: "Today you are entering the palace, this is the winter cotton armor worn by a second-rank military officer."

After Lin Daiyu sat down, Mu Chuan slightly lifted the shoulder guard to show her: "The nail plate is inside, and it's fixed with copper nails on the outside. The inside is padded, and the outer layer of cotton cloth has been specially treated to block the wind and prevent it from burning. I can't give this to him; if I do, I'll be disheveled."

At this moment, the maid who was standing in the corner of the room suddenly saw her companion outside waving at her. Although she didn't know why, she knew that something was wrong. She pressed herself against the wall and quietly went out.

Inside the room, Mu Chuan glanced around and thought to himself that it was good that he left, so that he wouldn't have to scare the person out before he said anything.

Once outside, her companion pulled the maid aside and pointed. She saw Master Bao standing not far away, surrounded by maids and servants from the front courtyard, and even the steward was there.

She immediately understood what her companion had asked her to do.

We need to keep an eye on Master Bao.

The maid walked over and heard Master Bao say with a bitter smile, "I'm not leaving. I'll stay here. Why don't you believe me? When have I ever lied to you?"

In the main hall, Lin Daiyu changed the subject.

"The red date and pork rib stew I had yesterday was really good. I ate two bowls, and today I feel warm and full of energy."

The sun is indeed shining brightly today, but of course Mu Chuan wouldn't say something so tactless.

He said, "This is the signature dish of Wuyue Guild Hall. I saw on their menu that they added some warming and nourishing medicinal herbs."

"I can't taste any medicinal herbs at all, no wonder it's a signature dish," Lin Daiyu praised.

Mu Chuan pushed the small wooden box next to him over there and said, "This is a gift I brought for you; it's a small piece of jewelry."

Lin Daiyu smiled, revealing two small dimples: "I saw it as soon as I came in, but I didn't want to ask."

She opened the wooden box, inside was a bracelet, and then another bracelet.

Gold, along with richly colored rubies and green jade, are polished into smooth, bean-sized beads, then gathered together to form small spherical flower clusters, and finally strung together.

Under the sun's rays, it shines brightly with a golden luster, the kind of jewelry that exudes a sense of peace and prosperity.

Mu Chuan said, "The golden ball is hollow; a solid one would be too heavy to carry around."

"Thank you, Third Brother." Lin Daiyu put on the bracelet and gently shook it twice, the sound of which was quite clear.

The smile was particularly genuine, and Mu Chuan was satisfied.

He had originally planned to give something first, since if he had mentioned the gift and letter first, then giving this would seem like he was trying to make up for it.

He hoped that Ms. Lin would be happy to receive the gift, and that would be simple happiness.

“This is called a Plain Light Sphere.” Lin Daiyu shook her wrist again, clearly quite fond of it.

"I'm glad you like it." Mu Chuan cleared his throat and asked, "What exactly did you send me? I received a plaque that read 'Gold and Jade Abundance,' and a polite letter. Although it was signed with your name, it wasn't written by you. I was a little worried, so I came back directly."

It turns out that even being extremely moved can feel bittersweet.

"Third Brother." Lin Daiyu lowered her head, somewhat hesitant to look at him. "I'm just thanking you; I didn't say I wanted Baoyu to attend your banquet."

"Ahem." Mu Chuan chuckled. "He can't go. My banquet is for all the common folk. Will he sit at the women's table or the children's table?"

Lin Daiyu chuckled: "That's not how you use the phrase 'no ordinary people come and go.' I—" Her emotions hadn't diminished at all, and Lin Daiyu blurted out: "If only you were my own brother."

Mu Chuan froze, staring intently at the girl sitting beside him, her head bowed, fiddling with her bracelet.

Oops!

Am I being too good to you?

Did I use too much force?

How come they became brothers after only meeting for the third time?

What is this? It means that the gentle yet powerful elder has succeeded, but is drifting further and further away from her beloved husband.

"I also..." The sudden "friend zone" treatment left Mu Chuan speechless. He stammered, "When I left, I already had a younger sister. When I came back... her child is already running and jumping—"

That's not a good excuse!

Mu Chuan realized what he meant and said, "I didn't mean that I saw my sister's shadow in you." After all, his sister was quite like the Mu family, although she was a girl, she was much stronger than Jia Baoyu.

Wait a minute, Mu Chuan suddenly realized something was wrong. Why was his sister still living at home? It wasn't that she couldn't live there, and he should have a brother-in-law, right? He hadn't seen him at all.

"Third Brother?" Lin Daiyu called out, and Mu Chuan suddenly lost his confidence. As a first-class earl, young and getting married for the first time, he should be a hot commodity in the marriage market, so why...?

"I'll send you a formal invitation in a couple of days. The Marquis of Dingnan's family has quite a few girls, and the Empress's niece will also be coming. However, the Empress's niece is bound to be a bit arrogant. I'll have Granny Shen accompany you; she's the one who delivered the invitation to you yesterday. She's definitely from Pingnan Town; she's one of our own."

Lin Daiyu nodded. She really wanted to go out. Back in her hometown, even when her mother was sick, she could go to the temple to offer incense and pray for blessings. But after arriving in the capital, she had been stuck in the Rongguo Mansion ever since.

Lin Daiyu then asked, "Do girls in the capital go out to burn incense? Are they allowed to go out for a stroll on ordinary days?"

Mu Chuan thought for a moment and said, "The girls in our village often go to the market on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month, and they also go to the temple. The noble ladies in the capital... I heard from the girls in the Dingnan Marquis's family that they go to see the lanterns on the fifteenth of the first lunar month, and they release river lanterns on the fifteenth of the eighth lunar month. They also have activities for the Flower Festival, Qingming Festival, and spring outings. They went to see the dragon boat races on the Dragon Boat Festival, and there are activities on the evening of the Qixi Festival. They also climb mountains on the Double Ninth Festival, and so on. There should be quite a lot."

Flower Festival is my birthday.

Lin Daiyu raised her head, but still didn't say anything.

Mu Chuan misunderstood: "The closest one is the Lantern Festival. I'll take you to see the lanterns then. The lanterns in our countryside are very lively, let alone those in the capital. Hmm... I'll take you to the city gate so you can see them clearly."

Lin Daiyu was captivated by the scene he described. Although they had only known each other for a short time and had met three times, this third brother was incredibly trustworthy. If he said he would see lanterns, then he would definitely be able to.

If he says he can go out, then he definitely can.

"I don't want to watch from the city wall, I want to watch from a place with lots of people." A crowded and lively scene must be very heartwarming.

Mu Chuan laughed and said, "That's fine too, no one can squeeze past me anyway."

Lin Daiyu smiled and was about to speak when a servant from the Jia family came in to refill her tea. She instantly turned cold and subconsciously glanced at the clock in the room.

Time flies, and it's lunchtime in the blink of an eye.

Mu Chuan followed her gaze and saw the clock: "I'll take my leave now."

I didn't mean to see them out. It's just that with the Jia family present, Lin Daiyu found it difficult to say such things.

She wasn't happy at the Jia family's house, and subconsciously she didn't want her third brother to stay in such a place any longer.

"I'll see my third brother off."

Seeing Lin Daiyu fall silent in an instant, Mu Chuan sighed silently. He stood up, and Lin Daiyu followed half a step behind him. The two of them went to the ceremonial gate together.

Mu Chuan said, "I may not be able to come as often in the next few days. I need to move, build a new house in my hometown, and there will be a banquet when I come back for the housewarming celebration."

Lin Daiyu hummed in agreement, and Mu Chuan added, "Someone will bring you food tomorrow."

"Can you deliver it at noon?" Lin Daiyu asked. "I think I ate a bit too much last night, and I had a nightmare about feeling bloated."

Mu Chuan chuckled twice: "Alright, then I won't send you any fancy dishes tomorrow."

As they approached the Yimen Gate, Lin Daiyu felt a pang of reluctance. However, the scenery outside the gate seemed less alluring. She longed to venture further out, to leave the Rongguo Kingdom.

Mu Chuan turned to look at her, remaining silent for a long time. Only after attracting Miss Lin's attention did he say, "You said you wanted to go into the crowd to see the lanterns, but your height... is a bit too short. I'm afraid you'll only be able to see heads."

Lin Daiyu was not convinced. Among the girls in the Jia family, and even compared to the girls in the Wang family, her height was in the middle: "Then how do they watch the lanterns? I don't believe that all the girls outside are taller than me."

Miss Lin's glaring, angry, and somewhat resentful expression was exceptionally vivid.

Mu Chuan laughed and said, "No problem, you can sit on my shoulders."

It was as if the pufferfish had been stabbed in the stomach, and its breath immediately dissipated.

Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "I also sat on my father's shoulders when I was a child."

The little voice in Mu Chuan's mind froze, then stabbed him repeatedly with a big knife: "Serves you right for bringing up random topics, going from 'brother' to 'father' now! Are you happy or not?"

"It's a pity that Father isn't very strong, so he only sat for a very short while." Lin Daiyu sighed regretfully, her face filled with a nostalgic smile.

Ever since she cried in front of her third brother last time, she seems to no longer avoid talking about her past at home, because the past was warm and comforting, and each recollection doesn't diminish that warmth.

In the future, there will be people who care about her and comfort her.

Genuine care is also genuine comfort.

Lin Daiyu glanced at Mu Chuan, wondering when she would have the chance to eat with him. She was very curious about Mu Chuan's appetite.

"Take care, Third Brother."

After seeing Mu Chuan off at the ceremonial gate, Lin Daiyu stood for a while longer until he was out of sight before turning back.

Jia Baoyu was getting impatient. When he saw Lin Daiyu coming over, he called out loudly, "Sister, let's hurry back, don't keep Grandmother waiting."

Lin Daiyu hummed in agreement, then suddenly realized that although she had said that the letter was not written by her and the gift was not sent by her, she had not told her third brother what she had sent.

She couldn't help but feel a little dejected.

Jia Baoyu, unaware of the situation, asked, "Sister, are you hungry? I heard from Zijuan that your appetite has been increasing these past two days, so you're probably getting better. Just be careful not to overeat."

Lin Daiyu had heard these words more than once, but... if she ate too little, Baoyu would say something; if she ate too much, Baoyu would say something; even if she drank half a cup more water than usual today, he would remember.

The concern is genuine.

"I am—"

"Miss Lin!" The steward of the outer courtyard suddenly ran back: "Lord Zhongyong said he has one more thing to say to you, Miss Lin."

Lin Daiyu turned her head, but did not see the Earl of Zhongyong. The steward said again, "He is still at the ceremonial gate."

Jia Baoyu didn't know why he felt uneasy whenever he thought of the Marquis of Zhongyong. He said, "Sister, go quickly, I'll wait for you here."

Lin Daiyu quickly walked to the open space in front of the main hall and saw Mu Chuan waiting for her.

As Lin Daiyu drew closer, she heard Mu Chuan ask, "I forgot to ask, what did you send me?"

She had just thought of this, and they were now on the same page, but neither of them had thought to mention it. Lin Daiyu suddenly found it amusing, yet also a little embarrassed: "It's nothing valuable. It's just a small three-sided table screen that I brought from home."

Now that you mention it, I feel even more embarrassed. I was a bit impulsive when I gave her this gift, and now when I compare it to what Mu Chuan gave me, it all feels... weird.

"I need to think of a way to get it back." Mu Chuan said thoughtfully, "Alright, you can go back now. Tomorrow—I won't tell you what dishes to send tomorrow."

ah?

Seeing Lin Daiyu's questioning look, Mu Chuan instructed, "If they ask you in a couple of days, just pin it on me. Say whatever you want."

Lin Daiyu thought he was referring to the small table screen, and smiled as she walked back, wondering what to eat the next day; she loved surprises.

Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu returned to Grandmother Jia's courtyard, where they happened to run into Ping'er and Yuanyang.

Because it was around a corner, the mandarin ducks didn't notice them at first.

“I didn’t realize it before, but after going with you to get my monthly pay today, I realized how tired Second Grandma is every day, and how she manages to do so much.”

"Don't even mention it," Ping'er sighed. "I get up before dawn every day and don't go to sleep until midnight. Sometimes I even talk in my sleep about all sorts of errands. That's why I'm so sick. I can't seem to get better even when I'm ill."

"Sister Yuanyang, Sister Ping'er." Lin Daiyu greeted Jia Baoyu first. Lin Daiyu thought: No wonder no one accompanied her today, it turns out Yuanyang has other business to attend to.

Yuanyang said goodbye to Ping'er and added, "Hurry back and eat." Then she went with the two of them to the main hall where Grandmother Jia usually ate: "You go in first, I'll go wash my hands and then come back to serve the old lady. I just handled quite a few copper coins."

When Lin Daiyu went in, she saw that half of the food had already been served, and Xue Baochai was looking at her and smiling.

This was clearly what she wanted to say. Lin Daiyu stretched out her wrist and preemptively asked, "Grandmother, look what I got today?"

Sure enough, Xue Baochai missed the best opportunity to educate people.

A maid brought over a basin of water, and Lin Daiyu took off her bracelet to wash her hands. Grandmother Jia took something to look at.

It uses only the finest materials, such as gold, rubies, and jade, which are materials that are more suitable for mature women. However, it wins in terms of novel designs, small beads, and sparkling appearance, which is more in line with the aesthetics of young girls.

Lin Daiyu didn't think that much about it, nor did Mu Chuan, but Grandmother Jia did.

Giving her this kind of gift isn't expensive, and she might accept it. It's not a traditional gift to express affection, so it probably doesn't mean he wants to marry her.

For a moment, Grandmother Jia felt both relieved and regretful.

Could it be that he really has a past relationship with Lin Ruhai?

After washing her hands and taking the bracelet from Grandmother Jia, Lin Daiyu sat down to eat.

Xue Baochai laughed and said, "It looks heavy, let's take it off, or your wrist will hurt."

“It’s hollow, and it’s quite comfortable to wear,” Lin Daiyu retorted. She had eaten light hometown dishes yesterday, and today, seeing this table full of Beijing dishes with a lot of pickles, she had a great appetite.

"What a clever idea!" Xue Baochai praised. "Such a brightly colored ruby ​​and such a deep green jadeite, cut into small pieces, shows that the Earl of Zhongyong's family has many fine things."

"If Sister Bao likes it, I'll ask your brother to find one for you," Lin Daiyu said with a sidelong glance and a smile. "You were praising your brother to me last time, can't he even find you such a small trinket?"

"Well, you know I've never liked these things."

"I don't know," Lin Daiyu said. "How could I know? Every time we talk about these things, you speak so eloquently, as if you have experience, have seen the actual objects, or perhaps you even have one at home. Then when I ask, you say you don't like it. You can be so concerned about things you don't like? What about the things you like—"

Lin Daiyu tilted her head and thought for a moment in a cute way: "I really can't think of anything you like."

Xue Baochai maintained her usual polite smile, as if Lin Daiyu were being unreasonable. She said gently, "Let's eat. It's cold in winter, and the food will get cold and upset your stomach."