Chapter 31 Lin Yatou's tongue is too sharp! "Why don't we hurry up..."

Having just been caught making a mistake, Lin Daiyu said many things to beg for forgiveness in her haste. Her face was flushed and her heart was pounding.

She quickly changed to a more serious topic: "The two Miss Songs, the Empress's nieces, are actually quite nice. I don't think Third Brother has ever had any contact with them; he's only heard about them through hearsay. Perhaps there's been some misunderstanding."

Who told him that?

Oh, it's the emperor.

Mu Chuan nodded and said, "You're right. I shouldn't have believed the rumors. Thank goodness you reminded me."

"It's nothing serious." Lin Daiyu was a little embarrassed by Mu Chuan's serious attitude and didn't know what to say for a moment.

"I saw the painting you gave me," Mu Chuan said with a smile. "I really like it. I'll take you hunting later, but not now, it's too cold, the prey are all hiding. Let's wait until spring, then I'll make you two sets of hunting clothes."

Then I'll show you how I hunt, and then I'll draw a full-body picture of you later.

Lin Daiyu smiled again and asked, "I've heard that prey is fiercer in spring because it's been starving all winter. In autumn, it's alright; they can't even run fast."

Mu Chuan thought back carefully. In Pingnan Town, they hunted all year round, especially to guard against wild beasts that would come down from the mountains to steal livestock from the town.

"It's alright. Maybe it's just the difference between how you handle a kitten with its nails trimmed and one with its nails untrimmed?"

Lin Daiyu burst out laughing, her face full of disbelief. She then asked, "What about the other one?"

"I was just about to ask you that. Who is that white-bearded old man? He looks cheerful, but he doesn't look like a god of longevity or a god of wealth."

"What is it?" Lin Daiyu said in a light tone, "This is a famous woodblock print from Peach Blossom Village in our Suzhou, depicting a harmonious family. I learned it when I was a child, and I was very good at it, exactly like the real woodblock prints. Even though I've been gone for more than ten years, the old man may have changed a bit—not an old man, but a harmonious family."

The emphasized tone is also very pleasing.

Mu Chuan thought to himself that it was only the third day of the twelfth lunar month, and the journey to Suzhou was smooth and he could take a boat. He would send someone to find a New Year's picture and return before the Lunar New Year.

"What other specialties does Suzhou have?" Mu Chuan asked, thinking that since he was going there anyway, he might as well bring back some things.

"There are so many." Lin Daiyu said with a nostalgic look, "Snacks... well, cloud cake won't do. If you don't make it well, it'll turn into glutinous rice flour. Especially in the dry north, it'll turn into powder as soon as you pick it up."

Mu Chuan noted it down: he wanted everything except the cloud cake.

"And... honey-glazed dried tofu, osmanthus-scented lotus root. Whitefish, shrimp, and silverfish from Taihu Lake are only available this summer. Water caltrop, which used to be a tribute item. Osmanthus syrup is also good; I like to dip everything in it."

All she talks about is food, and she loves sweets. Now that she's so thin, it's obvious whose fault it is.

Mu Chuan didn't bring up this topic, and listened attentively to her recounting her childhood memories.

"Suzhou embroidery is also famous; you should have heard of it."

Mu Chuan nodded.

"There's also Kunqu Opera, gardens, silk, Song brocade, and you know about woodblock prints. Biluochun tea is also called 'frighteningly fragrant,' but I don't like strong tea; I prefer light tea."

Meeting Mu Chuan's encouraging gaze, Lin Daiyu added, "As for other things... there's pine nut candy. Deng Dechun!"

She called out with a bit of excitement, so Mu Chuan deliberately said, "Deng Dechun? That should be a person's name... A person can't, or at least shouldn't."

Lin Daiyu was amused by him and couldn't stop smiling: "Deng Dechun Candied Fruit is an old brand, the largest candied fruit shop in the old town. I have eaten all of their candied fruit."

The little guy looks quite proud.

Mu Chuan breathed a sigh of relief: "I knew it! You can't just eat pine nut candy with such a delicate and beautiful girl—"

"Congratulations, General."

As the two were talking, Eunuch Quan was about to leave, but the emperor had a few more instructions to give, so he had to interrupt him.

"Eunuch Quan," Mu Chuan greeted. Before he could speak, Lin Daiyu curtsied and also addressed him as Eunuch Quan, then said, "Third Brother, I'll be going back now."

Granny Shen, who was pretending to be invisible, also came over from not far away and said with a smile, "I'll escort Miss Lin."

After Lin Daiyu left, Mu Chuan and Eunuch Quan went to a slightly secluded spot. Eunuch Quan relayed the Emperor's instructions, which were nothing more than "Just do your job well" and "Come to me if you have any difficulties."

Mu Chuan listened patiently, then quietly slipped another red envelope into Eunuch Quan's hand: "Eunuch, you've worked hard all day, and you still have to serve His Majesty when you get back tonight. It's too tiring."

The red envelope, you can tell how thick it is just by squeezing it. Although Eunuch Quan wasn't a particularly ambitious eunuch, he had no reason to refuse the red envelope that was being handed to him. He smiled and said, "I'll take my leave now. This banquet was very good. I'll talk to His Majesty about it when I get back."

After seeing off Eunuch Quan and Eunuch Dai, followed by King Zhongshun and King Anshun, the sky turned somewhat gray after these four officials left.

As Mu Chuan turned his head, he saw Lin Daiyu smiling at him not far away.

He walked over quickly, somewhat startled: "It's getting dark, why aren't you going home yet?"

Lin Daiyu was afraid of the cold, so she was holding a hand warmer in her hands and wearing her bright red cloak with a white fox fur trim.

Her snow-white face, bright red clothes, and the gray sky made her even more captivating.

"There's one more thing I haven't said," Lin Daiyu said with a smile. "Thank you, Third Brother, for finding me the cordyceps. I've been eating it and it's made me very well. I haven't been sick at all this winter, and I don't cough anymore."

"So that's what it is." Mu Chuan pretended to be nonchalant. He didn't want Miss Lin to develop any inappropriate emotions out of gratitude. He hoped that there would only be simple liking, without gratitude, but he also couldn't be too relaxed, as if he didn't take her seriously.

"This stuff is nothing special in Pingnan Town. I eat it often. It's really good for your health. Whether you're sick or not, having a couple will prolong your life." However, after saying that, he seemed unwilling to give up. Mu Chuan then put down his tea and smacked Rongguo Mansion, "Although it's quite precious in the capital, Rongguo Mansion should have some, right?"

“The Rongguo Mansion doesn’t have this,” Lin Daiyu said. The Rongguo Mansion was declining and they could barely afford ginseng anymore.

Her answer was so straightforward that Mu Chuan immediately regretted it: "It's alright, there are these things on the mountain next to Pingnan Town. Since you like them, then eat them often."

"Third Brother," Lin Daiyu called softly, in a very good mood, "I'm really leaving this time."

Mu Chuan saw Lin Daiyu off onto the carriage, and then came over to see off the guests.

Lin Daiyu, after getting into the carriage, couldn't help but sigh, "If only this were really my own brother."

Granny Shen pretended not to hear and asked, "The Master Jia who brought you here this morning is nowhere to be found. Should we wait for him?"

Lin Daiyu shook her head: "Let's go back. He's a few years older than Third Brother. We don't need to worry about him."

In winter, it gets dark very quickly. When we left the Marquis of Dingnan's residence, the sky was still gray, but by the time we arrived at the Rongguo Mansion, it was already quite dark.

Granny Shen got down first, and just like her general, she loudly called out, "Where's the sedan chair? Are you telling the young lady to walk by herself?"

Granny Shen was strong and healthy with a loud voice. She showed no sign of timidity. As a servant of the Rongguo Mansion, she usually appeared arrogant, but in reality, just like the Rongguo Mansion itself, she was all empty inside.

Just then, an old woman carried the sedan chair over and bowed and scraped as she asked Granny Shen, "Mother, do you think this is alright?"

Granny Shen accompanied her all the way into the second gate before leaving.

When Lin Daiyu returned, someone had already gone to inform Grandmother Jia. Grandmother Jia had already finished dinner, and the whole room was filled with talk about Lin Daiyu, all of it ironically.

To put it bluntly, Madam Wang said, "I'm not trying to criticize her, but she should be back by now."

There were also those who offered advice openly but were subtly sarcastic, such as Aunt Xue: "Sigh, it was a banquet at the Marquis of Dingnan's mansion. She's just a young girl, and she had to go with the adults, didn't she? Don't blame her for coming back late."

Xue Baochai remained silent, pondering what principles she should impart later—should she begin with filial piety, or with the concept of being oblivious to others?

Jia Baoyu was genuinely worried, but he couldn't help adding his own thoughts: "In this cold weather, I've stayed with her in the house every day, chatting with her to keep her company and relieve her boredom. I finally managed to get her back to health, but she went out and got cold, which has betrayed my efforts."

Upon hearing the news of her return, Grandmother Jia's smile froze: "Quickly call her over to wash up."

Lin Daiyu didn't delay and quickly arrived at Grandmother Jia's room after getting ready. By then, it was already completely dark.

"Come sit down next to me," Grandmother Jia said, then took Lin Daiyu's hand and asked, "Are you cold? You must be freezing."

Lin Daiyu went out and found the weather to be fine and pleasant. Her third brother was also... she said everything was fine, so what was there to be afraid of?

Her third brother was good to her, not so that she would be bullied.

"It's not cold. The Marquis of Dingnan's residence is wonderful. They have underfloor heating, and the walls of their main hall are hollow. It's so warm that even a high-sleeved jacket can't keep up. Shall we build something like that? It's much more comfortable than using a brazier, and there's no ash."

She spoke excitedly, looking at Grandmother Jia with expectant eyes. This sudden change of heart left Grandmother Jia speechless.

"Hmm..." Grandmother Jia coaxed for a moment, "It's probably too late this year. Let them come and take a look next year and come up with a plan." Then she quickly changed the subject, "Is the Empress's niece easy to get along with? She hasn't bullied you, has she?"

Lin Daiyu still smiled brightly: "I was a little impolite, but she is the Empress's niece, so it's normal to speak like that."

Grandmother Jia nodded at first, then smiled with a hint of satisfaction at having guessed the outcome, saying, "That's only right. We just need to talk things out properly; we can't control what others do."

At this point, Wang Xifeng already sensed something was wrong. In addition, since Master Lian had not returned, and Lin Daiyu gave her a wink, it meant that Master Lian had not only failed to infiltrate, but had also run away halfway.

Wang Xifeng had no intention of revealing her family's shortcomings in front of Grandmother Jia, so she simply pretended to have a headache—not entirely pretending, though. She sat back slightly, leaned against the cushion, and began to rub her temples.

However, there was also the straightforward Shi Xiangyun, who laughed and said, "Sister Lin has such a sharp tongue, does she not dare to speak when she meets the Empress's niece?"

She laughed loudly as she spoke.

Xue Baochai quickly advised, "That's the Empress's niece. You wouldn't dare to do that even if I let you."

Lin Daiyu is so comfortable now. Stepping back and looking at them from a different perspective, they're actually not that difficult to deal with.

"Hey, why should I talk about them? They've been really nice to me, and they even said they'd invite me to their house in a couple of days."

It wasn't exactly completely silent, but it was quiet for at least three breaths.

"That's great," Madam Wang quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "You don't usually like to be active, unlike your sisters who love to play. You're a bit too quiet. It's good that someone has invited you."

"It's not that I don't like to move around," Lin Daiyu smiled. "Winter is too cold. You see, I go for a stroll in the garden every other day in spring, summer, and autumn. It's clear that my second aunt really cares about me; she noticed that I don't like to go out in winter."

Madam Wang smiled and said nothing more.

Lin Daiyu handed a small box to Xichun: "This is for you."

"What is this?" Xichun asked as she opened the box. "Is it a Buddhist rosary?" She took it out and saw that it was a rather large sandalwood rosary with Amitabha Buddha engraved on it. The engraving was still a bit rough to the touch, so it was obviously brand new and hadn't been handled by anyone. "Thank you, Sister Lin."

Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "This is a prize for playing games. I only won once, but the daughter of the General of the Southern Camp won three times. I saw that the others were all things like coral, agate, pearls, and jade pendants, which were quite boring. This one is more novel, so I chose it and it's perfect for you."

After Lin Daiyu finished speaking, she sat back down: "Speaking of which, the Marquis of Zhongyong has been appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Camp, which I heard is a second-rank official."

She chattered away, her little mouth never stopping. If Mu Chuan were there, she would be quite happy, but the only one in the Jia family who was happy... was probably Xi Chun, who had just received a gift. But it wasn't for that reason; she was planning to wait until the little nuns from Mantou Nunnery came to visit so they could see her too.

The Jia family was very familiar with the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Camp. In the early years, before the Ningguo Mansion declined, their official position was Commander-in-Chief of the Central Camp. Of course, at that time, this official position was called the Military Governor of the Capital Camp, which was Wang Ziteng's original official position.

Madam Wang chuckled twice: "If we're talking about the generals of these five battalions in the capital, the Central Battalion commands the most troops. The former Commander of the Nine Gates was this one, in charge of the nine inner gates of the capital."

The silence was somewhat awkward, so Grandmother Jia spoke up, laughing, "Why bring this up? Who talks about this with young girls?"

Lin Daiyu then said to Shi Xiangyun, "The Princess Dowager of Nan'an didn't go. Speaking of which, you always talk about how great the Princess Dowager of Nan'an is, but why didn't she invite you to stay for a couple of days to keep you company and relieve your boredom?"

Shi Xiangyun's face immediately turned red: "It's a big holiday, today is the third day of the twelfth lunar month, who invites guests over for the New Year?"

Lin Daiyu chuckled twice and then fell silent, but Shi Xiangyun, following her train of thought, blushed even more deeply: "Those two Miss Songs are nothing more than—"

Xue Baochai was terrified and quickly pulled her back. She usually thought she was useful, but when she really lost her temper, she could kill her own people first.

The room fell silent again. Lin Daiyu looked around and suddenly felt that it was quite interesting.

Her maternal grandmother was right beside her but out of sight, while her second aunt and Aunt Xue both avoided her view.

Shi Xiangyun looked like she was about to rush forward, while Xue Baochai smiled apologetically, showing no embarrassment whatsoever.

Lin Daiyu suddenly laughed again and called out, "Sister Bao."

Xue Baochai's heart skipped a beat, and then she heard Lin Daiyu say, "I also saw Eunuch Quan today. You know Eunuch Quan, right? He's His Majesty's chief steward. I just forgot to ask for you. Didn't you say you were here to choose a companion for the princess? I wonder if there are any princesses of suitable age in the palace who would like you to accompany them?"

Xue Baochai could no longer laugh, but Xichun responded, "I remember that when my eldest sister was selected to enter the palace as a maid, she couldn't be older than fifteen."

Lin Daiyu immediately felt that the Buddhist prayer beads were worth a fortune, and she really dared to accept the challenge.

Xue Baochai followed this line of thought and, remembering her own age, she couldn't remain calm either.

However, she was better than Shi Xiangyun in one aspect: she could control herself and not speak.

Although Tan Chun didn't dare to be too presumptuous in front of Madam Wang, she couldn't help but burst out laughing. Seeing this, Lin Daiyu quickly added, "Actually, I'm not familiar with Eunuch Quan either."

It would be better not to say anything at all!

Tan Chun hid her head directly behind Ying Chun.

"Sigh." Grandmother Jia spoke up. To be honest, she was not as well off as before in recent years. She was suppressed by the Wang family, and even the old women and maids around her were somewhat disobedient. So she was a little happy to see the Wang family and the Xue family suffer.

But... my granddaughter is about to get out of control, and that won't do. This isn't just about a girl; it concerns the future of the Rongguo Mansion.

“Your sister Yun is engaged, so it’s not appropriate for her to go out and socialize. Girls should follow certain rules.”

“The Rongguo Mansion has the strictest rules,” Lin Daiyu continued in a naive tone. “I heard from Miss Song that after her brother got engaged, he and the bride’s family often visited each other. They’ll be relatives from now on, so there has to be some social interaction. They can’t treat each other like strangers, can they? They send her food and jewelry during festivals, and the bride’s family sends her a couple of sets of needlework. They can’t wait until the wedding banquet, and then the two families look at each other and think, ‘Who are these people? We don’t recognize them!’”

Grandmother Jia chuckled a few times: "You've certainly heard quite a few interesting things since you went out!"

"I just listened to their idle chatter," Lin Daiyu said modestly.

Jia Baoyu had been listening all night to how wonderful this girl was, how clever that girl was, and how they ate together, played games together, and listened to operas together. He couldn't hold back any longer.

"What kind of girl is she? Can she write poetry? Can she paint? Is she as good as ours?"

For the first time in her life, Madam Wang glared fiercely at her own son: "Old lady, it's too late, you should rest."

Grandmother Jia had also wanted to leave, and she stood up on her own without needing anyone's help: "To be honest, I am indeed sleepy. You may all go back."

Although it's not nice to describe her maternal grandmother as "leaving in a flash," this was the first time she had seen her grandmother leave so quickly in the more than ten years she had lived in the Rongguo Mansion.

Lin Daiyu also stood up: "Then I'll go back too?" Yuanyang helped Grandmother Jia inside, and she called to Amber: "Light the lamps, we need glass palace lanterns to block the wind."

Lin Daiyu went out carrying a palace lantern, and Jia Baoyu chased after her. To be honest, Lin Daiyu had a very enjoyable night. She was incredibly strong now, so she didn't let Jia Baoyu off the hook either.

"How's your stance training going? Can you shoot arrows while wearing half-armor? Can you hit a target ten zhang away while riding a horse? Lord Zhongyong said he'll test you next time."

Jia Baoyu, who had been standing quite upright, shrank back and followed silently behind. Of course, he wasn't the only one in the group who remained silent; the others didn't dare to speak either.

Lin Daiyu's face was full of smiles, so much so that her cheeks ached from laughing.

That felt great! That felt so good!

It turns out that as long as she changes her mindset and makes a move to overturn the table, they won't dare to do it.

Aunt Xue accompanied Madam Wang eastward, watching the group of silent young ladies and gentlemen head towards the Grand View Garden. She sighed and said to Madam Wang, "That Lin girl is too quick-witted."

Madam Wang sneered twice: "I thought I had taught her a lesson, but I didn't expect her to be just like my sister-in-law! Like a rat's offspring, she knows how to dig a hole!"

Hearing her sisters say this, Aunt Xue became happy again. Although the invitation sent to the Marquis of Zhongyong’s residence had disappeared without a trace, things were progressing very smoothly here.

If Lin girl continues like this, how can she ever be Bao Er's wife?

When Wang Xifeng returned to the room, she saw that Jia Lian had already come back. There was a faint smell of wine and osmanthus dew in the room.

She scoffed, "Second Master knows he's back? The banquet must have been quite good tonight, and he even drank some wine?"

Jia Lian frowned: "He didn't go in at all. Prince Zhongshun was there too. A few years ago, Baoyu abducted someone's beloved actress. That matter hasn't been settled yet."

To be honest, Jia Lian didn't have good intentions in this matter either.

When the chief steward of Prince Zhongshun's mansion came to visit, Jia Zheng beat Baoyu afterward, and that was the end of it.

This isn't the end of it. We still need to prepare some gifts to apologize to Prince Zhongshun's residence. If the apology is well-deserved, we might be able to establish a relationship with Prince Zhongshun's residence.

However, Jia Lian was unwilling to clean up the mess left by the phoenix eggs in the house, so he simply didn't mention it. The second master usually didn't care about these things, so it was left unresolved.

Jia Baoyu was completely ignorant of worldly economics, and he would never go to apologize.

Prince Zhongshun was a prince, and he valued his reputation above all else, which is how the enmity was formed.

Hearing Jia Lian say this, Wang Xifeng sneered: "Second Master, it's no use telling me this. It's up to the Old Madam to believe you. You'd better hurry to the Old Madam's room and rinse your mouth with water. The osmanthus dew smells too strong. I'm warning you now, the Old Madam is not happy right now. You should think about it yourself."

Ever since You Erjie entered the house, the two of them hadn't had a proper conversation. Jia Lian, seething with anger, went to Grandmother Jia's room.

Grandmother Jia had already retired for the night. Jia Lian went inside and stood outside the screen. From inside, he could only vaguely see that Grandmother Jia had let her hair down.

Jia Lian used the same line he had just tried with Wang Xifeng, but in a more tactful way.

Grandmother Jia was also furious, as the Jia family was gradually slipping out of her control.

She smashed a glass and said, "My words have absolutely no effect!"

Jia Lian had no choice but to kneel down and said, "There are many people at the banquet, so it's all about appearances. I think the Marquis of Zhongyong will still take Lin Daiyu out. We'll definitely be able to find an opportunity to speak to him then."

Grandmother Jia was even angrier. Was that what angered her? That was merely her stated reason. What angered her was that her descendants were outwardly compliant but inwardly disobedient! Including the one kneeling before her.

"You can go now." Grandmother Jia closed her eyes. She was old and couldn't endure any more hardship. "I'll teach you again when I have time."

Jia Lian hurriedly backed out, and he gave Yuanyang a wink. Although Yuanyang knew everything, she couldn't say it, so she hinted, "Don't be evasive about what the old lady instructed."

"Did Lin Daiyu complain?"

Yuanyang said irritably, "No! Second Master, with so many people out there, do you need her to complain? You should go back now, I need to serve the Old Ancestor to bed."

In Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Lin Daiyu also lay down. The quilt was warm, and the charcoal fire was even warmer.

She recalled the day's events and was so excited that she couldn't sleep.

"Miss." Zijuan suddenly came in carrying a quilt.

The two of them used to sleep in the same bed. Lin Daiyu moved over a bit, and Zijuan lay down as well.

She was also thinking about her experiences today, as well as what the servants in the Rongguo Mansion had said.

...The Earl of Zhongyong has come to claim his younger sister...

She saw it today too, and the young lady was indeed treated with great courtesy. Although she was just staying in the courtyard and at most fetching some hot water, she could still tell that the young lady was much more distinguished than the other guests, and the same was true for the two maids.

Not to mention that the Earl of Zhongyong even came to see it off in person.

"Young lady, why don't you quickly acknowledge this brother as your brother? With someone to arrange the marriage, you'll have a better chance. The Rongguo Mansion is such a wonderful place, and you've grown up together since childhood. He's also very sincere towards you."

Lin Daiyu was having a good time today and didn't want to pay attention to this kind of topic. She ignored her and pretended to be asleep.

Zijuan continued, “I’ve been worrying about the young lady for years. I think the old lady would be happy, but someone has to speak up. I went to ask Aunt Xue, but Aunt Xue… Miss Bao is so grown up, and she doesn’t care, so she cares even less about the young lady. Now that she finally has an older brother who treats her well, and as the eldest brother, he’s like a father. If he just reveals a little bit about Bao Er’s character and appearance, no one would be unhappy. Besides, it was originally the elder brother who should have arranged the young lady’s marriage.”

"You've been busy all day and you're not tired at all?" Lin Daiyu sat up, took her quilt, and went to sleep on the soft couch under the window: "You're crazy! I'm going to sleep."

Zijuan quickly got up and said, "It's windy over there, Miss, come back quickly. I'll go sleep outside."

At this moment, Shi Xiangyun and Xue Baochai finally returned to Hengwu Garden.

Although both of them wanted to play with Lin Daiyu, they were simply too tired today. They started yawning halfway through washing up, and as soon as they sat on the bed, they couldn't help but want to lie down. They fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

The next morning, Mu Chuan first sent his men to the Wanping County government office.

Although we made an appointment yesterday, no eunuchs came to deliver the imperial decree at that time. Moreover, he was being appointed as a powerful second-rank military officer, so he had to go to the palace to express his gratitude in the morning.

Although Ke Yuanqing, being a member of the officialdom, certainly understood this, out of respect for his partner, Mu Chuan sent someone to inform him that the rescheduled meeting would be held in the afternoon.

At the end of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), Mu Chuan entered the imperial study. The emperor chuckled upon seeing him: "Qiao Yue, I heard that you invited a girl who looked like a celestial being yesterday? And she kept calling you 'Third Uncle' and 'Third Brother'?"