Chapter 34 The Earl of Zhongyong abducted Miss Lin. "Strip him naked..."

Despite saying he was going to pick someone up, Mu Chuan first went back to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence. He had just returned from the imperial mausoleum, and although it was called the imperial mausoleum, it was still a mausoleum. He needed to wash up before going to pick up the young lady.

Upon hearing the news of her son's return, Huang Guihua hurriedly came out to greet him: "Look how busy you are! You used to just come home to take a nap, but now you don't even sleep at home anymore."

Mu Chuan ordered hot water to be prepared, and also ordered the carriage to be harnessed. He also instructed that a brazier be placed in the carriage to warm it up, so that the cold cushions wouldn't chill Miss Lin.

"What are you having for lunch?" Mu Chuan asked.

Huang Guihua sighed, "Yes, what should we eat for lunch? We used to worry about what to eat every day when life was tough. Now that life is so sweet, we still worry about what to eat. Do you want to eat noodles with soybean paste? There's still time to make the soybean paste."

Mu Chuan laughed and said, "Then tell them not to rush to cook. I have to go out at noon. I'll have someone bring back a table of food in a bit. It's southern cuisine, you can try it out."

"No, no." Mu Dazhuang, hands behind his back and carrying a pipe, strolled over, shaking his head. "You've only been an official for a few days? How can you be so wasteful? Is Southern food really that good? I—"

Huang Guihua slapped Mu Dazhuang on the back: "Your dad's such a spoilsport, ignore him. I heard that the emperor of our Great Wei Dynasty started his reign in Jinling, and there are many authentic Jinling restaurants in the capital. Let me think... Osmanthus Duck?"

Mu Chuan laughed and said, "Ducks taste better when they're plump, and that thing is a cold dish, especially in the dead of winter... It's not a big problem. I'll just have them prepare a table full of it. If it's not good, don't force yourself."

Mu Dazhuang muttered under his breath, "Even if your mother forces me, she wouldn't force herself!"

After exchanging a few words, hot water was brought over, and Huang Guihua left with Mu Dazhuang. She sighed again, "Look at the scars on his body, it breaks my heart to see them."

"Sigh... I'll just have to let it heal slowly."

Mu Chuan quickly finished washing up, dried his hair with an ancient version of a dryer—a heated stone—and dressed smartly before heading to the Rongguo Mansion.

The Rongguo Mansion is quite lively today.

And it will be even more lively.

After everyone paid their respects to Grandmother Jia in the morning, they didn't leave. Even Wang Xifeng did the same: "I'll take a break today and enjoy the old lady's favor, and also taste Brother Bao's filial piety."

Lady Wang was the happiest, because of her filial piety... Why couldn't the eldest son's family move into Rongxi Hall? It was because they were not filial.

"It's not easy for him to come up with this excuse. The food outside is all about the novelty. If he doesn't like anything, please, for my sake, don't blame him. He's still a child. He'll get used to it after a few more times."

Grandmother Jia smiled brightly, "It's no wonder I've always doted on him." She put her arm around Jia Baoyu and then smiled at Lady Wang, "Here, you don't have as much face as he does."

The room was filled with praise. Although Jia Baoyu had grown up in this kind of environment, he was still a little flattered by the sudden burst of praise. He smiled at Lin Daiyu and said, "I also ordered your favorite dishes."

Upon seeing this, Xue Baochai asked him, "Since we grew up together, do you remember what your second sister, third sister, and fourth sister like to eat?"

Lin Daiyu interrupted, her smile carrying a profound meaning: "I know that Sister Bao loves to eat crabs."

These words made Shi Xiangyun's expression change. Clearly, she remembered the grand crab feast last time, which was unprepared and she was practically clueless the whole time, acting as a mascot.

Of course, there's more to it than that, but this one is most relevant to Shi Xiangyun.

"That mouth of Daiyu's." Xue Baochai shook her head and smiled faintly, her face full of indifference, but she didn't dare to ask any more questions and turned to talk to Aunt Xue.

Yuanyang and the old women waited at the West Corner Gate for the food from the Jinling Guild Hall, but instead of food, they were greeted by constables from Wanping County.

Ke Yuanqing tried to catch the magistrate of Daxing County for several days, but failed. He even tried to linger in front of Zhu Siqi during the morning court session, but the magistrate pretended not to see him.

People's hearts are not what they used to be... Ke Yuanqing simply took action directly. If he couldn't catch the magistrate of Daxing County, there were others. When he discussed with his mentor, he even prepared a contingency plan for the retired emperor to speak out.

Of course, even if you can't catch a single fish, you can still put on a solo performance.

Therefore, today, this warrant must be delivered to Zhou Rui, and he must put his fingerprint on it. Then it will be easy to guess who the constable who came today is.

The soldiers recommended by the Earl of Zhongyong were strong and capable former soldiers who had returned from Pingnan Town and had been on the battlefield.

The old woman waiting at the door saw a group of menacing men in green robes approaching and quickly shielded Yuanyang behind her, then loudly called for the guards.

"Who are you! What are you doing here at Rongguo Mansion! This is Rongguo Mansion!"

The head constable said coldly, "You sent a warrant to Zhou Rui? Where is Zhou Rui?!"

Those who have been on the battlefield are naturally different; his cold face and sharp voice already made some people's legs tremble.

"This is the Rongguo Mansion, the Rongguo Mansion built by imperial decree. Even if you can't read, you should recognize that big golden seal!" The old woman's voice was no longer so strong: "Even if the Censorate's clerk came, he would have to wait respectfully."

The head constable sneered. Everyone recognized the golden seal; his family had two generals. "Go in and search."

The soldiers Mu Chuan led were known for their strict discipline, unwavering obedience, and absolute authority. The six men in the first group pushed aside the old women and went inside.

The guards of Rongguo Mansion did surround them, but... firstly, Rongguo Mansion is located in the inner city and is close to the palace, so the security is good and unauthorized people cannot enter. They were very relaxed psychologically. To be honest, the guards... probably only played a decorative role and were not as effective as the dogs that patrolled at night.

Secondly, that's just the style of the Rongguo Mansion. The guards eat, drink, gamble, and whore every day, so while they're not completely incapable of fighting, they're no match for professionals.

The guards came up wielding sticks, and the constables drew their knives. The guards tripped over their own feet and fell to the ground, also pulling down their drinking buddies in the process: "Tell them to charge, we brothers will hide first."

So the guards didn't do much to stop them. Someone even muttered, "Zhou Rui's family is the middle one in the row of courtyards that are right next to the north wall on the west side of the back gate. It's a two-courtyard, three-room house, and both he and his wife are home."

"Let's go." The head constable sheathed his sword, led his men out of the west corner gate, and circled around to the back gate.

The remaining old women and guards all stared at Yuanyang.

Yuanyang was also in a dilemma, but... once the ticket was delivered, everything would be fine. Anyway... they still knew to leave from the outside. If they were to cross the entire Rongguo Mansion, she would have no choice but to atone with her death.

"I'm still waiting here for the food that Master Bao ordered. Send two people to the back to tell him."

No matter what, Yuanyang didn't give any explicit instructions. As for the old women, they were there to fetch food. As for the guards... the Rongguo Mansion had strict rules. Even if the guards in the front yard wanted to go to the back yard, they had to go around from the outside.

The leader immediately pointed to two people: "You two go and report the news!"

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, those who frequently played cards and drank together could understand the unspoken message: Don't walk too fast, have them deliver the money, and that'll get by.

Yuanyang waited for a moment. She had never encountered such a thing before, so she couldn't help but think about it. She pulled out another old woman and said, "We have to tell the Second Madam. The Second Madam is in the Old Madam's room. Be careful not to let the Old Madam know. Just say that someone has come to deliver the red paper money again, and don't say anything else."

Before long, the carriage from the Jinling Guild Hall arrived. The waiter, all smiles, ordered the food boxes to be brought down one by one and placed in the old woman's hands. Yuanyang then gave the waiter the remaining silver.

How could we ask Master Bao to spend his money? The old lady herself said he only has a few taels of silver. He only gets two taels a month, and even that requires the old lady and madam to help him out. He should keep the little money he has managed to save for himself; he has done his filial duty.

After collecting the food, Yuanyang led the servants to Grandmother Jia's courtyard.

After the crab feast last time, Yuanyang was still wary of the young masters and ladies' "I've prepared everything" attitude, so she instructed the cook at home to prepare two small stoves and several semi-finished dishes in the side room. She would process what needed to be processed, and if necessary, she would use dishes from her own home.

However, when the box was opened, the item was in fairly good condition. Although it was a little cold, it wasn't a big problem.

Soon, the dishes were reheated, and Yuanyang led the people to serve them.

As soon as Yuanyang entered the room, she saw the old woman who had been sent to deliver the message standing timidly in the corner, looking anxious when she saw her come in. This was obviously because she hadn't found an opportunity. Yuanyang didn't care too much. The main thing was that she was back in the safest place, Grandmother Jia's courtyard, and she relaxed. Anyway, it wouldn't matter if she ate first or later. Besides, it wasn't the first time she had sent a red note.

Grandmother Jia was very pleased with the exquisite plating and praised Lady Wang, saying, "With Master not at home, it's all up to you to teach Baoyu. You've taught him very well."

How could Madam Xing be happy to hear this? She deliberately smiled and said, "Grandmother, please stop praising me. Otherwise the food will get cold and we will disappoint Baoyu's filial piety."

As the dishes were served one by one, Jia Baoyu smiled at Lin Daiyu and said, "There's also your favorite red date stewed pork ribs."

Lin Daiyu actually felt that the red date and pork rib stew was not quite right, and it was very different from the one served at the Wuyue Guild Hall.

The ribs at Wu Yue Guild Hall all had cartilage, and the one in front of her... looked like ribs too, but the size and shape were wrong. The red dates also looked strange, as if they had been cooked for too long and had become mushy.

The maidservant ladled a bowl of food and placed it in front of her. The aroma wafted into Lin Daiyu's nose, which made things even stranger.

The point of red date stewed pork ribs is to enjoy the original flavor of the pork ribs, while the red dates add a touch of sweetness. If the ingredients are not good, or if there is too much oil, the soup will be greasy and the pork ribs will taste fishy.

Lin Daiyu casually picked up a spoon and gently stirred the bowl twice: "This isn't from the Wu-Yue Guild Hall, is it?"

“It’s the Jinling Guild Hall,” Shi Xiangyun said with a smile. “There are words on the box. Ancestor, our family is from Jinling. Second brother really knows how to pick a good one.”

Grandmother Jia chuckled twice; at this moment, she no longer adhered to the rules of not speaking while eating or sleeping.

Shi Xiangyun pointed to the red date and pork rib stew and laughed, "I'll also try what Sister Lin likes to eat. Ugh! What kind of taste is this? Sister Lin, you like this? This is too awful."

Lin Daiyu tilted her head, covered her face with her handkerchief, and spat out the spare rib she had bitten.

She remembered the spare ribs her third brother had sent her, and then she thought of her third brother again.

...Just push all the blame onto me...

Yes, it doesn't make sense for them to overturn the table, yet tell you to endure it and consider the bigger picture.

"Who ordered this? Don't order it again next time." She glanced at Jia Baoyu, then looked at Shi Xiangyun: "You're such a grown-up, don't be so rude, wipe your mouth."

Xue Baochai naturally had to speak up for Shi Xiangyun, especially since Lin Daiyu had just mentioned a crab feast, and she couldn't let Shi Xiangyun harbor any resentment.

"Sister Yun's mistake was unintentional. She called you 'elder sister,' why are you making such a fuss about it?"

Lin Daiyu smiled faintly: "Another unintentional mistake. Ever since she moved in with you, yesterday was an unintentional mistake, today is an unintentional mistake, and tomorrow will be another unintentional mistake. What about her heart? What is it called—"

Lin Daiyu smiled with utmost elegance, and only after everyone had connected the phrase "the dog ate it" did she speak again: "Did I tell you to eat it?"

Even Grandmother Jia found these words too harsh. Just as she was about to speak up to make amends, a commotion and crying came from outside. Zhou Rui's wife, disheveled and sobbing, ran in and threw herself at Madam Wang's feet, hugging her legs and wailing.

"Madam! Madam! Zhou Rui was beaten by those lowly servants from Wanping County. They stormed into our house and beat him, and even forced him to put his fingerprint on a document! Madam! Madam! Is there no law in this world?! We've been bullied like this! This is the Rongguo Mansion! Those lowly servants aren't even qualified to be our servants!"

Every single member of the Rongguo Mansion, including the neighboring Ningguo Mansion, had never encountered anything like this before; they were always the ones abusing their power.

"Ah—!" Madam Wang suddenly stood up with a start, then felt dizzy again and collapsed back into the chair.

The women in the room panicked.

Startled, Jia Baoyu kept calling out "Madam," "Old Madam," and "Sister" repeatedly, his own eyes welling up with tears.

Just then, another old woman came into the house, but seeing the chaotic scene inside, she didn't know what to do.

The old woman looked left and right, found Lin Daiyu, and whispered, "Miss Lin, the Marquis of Zhongyong has arrived and is waiting in the front hall."

Lin Daiyu subconsciously looked at her maternal grandmother, only to see that Grandmother Jia was furious, pointing at Wang Xifeng and asking, "Is this what you did! You didn't even listen to my orders?"

Lin Daiyu whispered, "Grandmother, the Marquis of Zhongyong has arrived and says he wants to see me."

Not to mention Grandmother Jia, no one heard it. Even those who were nearby heard it, but they only let it go in one ear and out the other, their minds were all on Zhou Rui's wife, and no one cared.

"Go find him now! How dare a mere county magistrate, the magistrate of Wanping County, cause trouble in our Rongguo Mansion! Go to the Censorate and impeach him! I'll strip him of his official robes!"

Zhou Rui's wife was still sobbing: "...As soon as they came in, they threatened us with a knife, grabbed Zhou Rui without saying a word, and made him put his fingerprint on the document. We didn't know anything. Zhou Rui and I are both servants born into the Wang family. We came to Rongguo Mansion with the mistress as maids. Even if we have a thousand faults, we are punished by our masters. What are they!"

Lin Daiyu had a detached, spectator-like feeling, and she said again, "The Earl of Zhongyong wants to see me." This time her voice was a little louder, but still no one paid any attention.

Lin Daiyu smiled and gently lifted her skirt to make it easier to move: "I'm going to see my third brother."

She turned and left the house, while Zhou Rui's wife was still sobbing, "Look at my arm, it's swollen from being hit with the back of a knife. I've always been a respectable person, whether in the Wang family or the Rongguo Mansion. I've never made a mistake in serving my masters, and they've never punished me. Today, I was beaten by two lowly commoners, I—waaaaaah!"

After that, I couldn't hear anything anymore.

After leaving Grandmother Jia's courtyard, Lin Daiyu's steps became lighter and lighter. No one followed her, and even if someone saw her, no one dared to ask. Who would have thought that she had made the decision to come out on her own?

The further she walked, the more genuine Lin Daiyu's smile became. When she saw Mu Chuan, she burst out laughing and called out, "Third Brother!"

Mu Chuan laughed, but when he saw who it was, he panicked a little: "Why are you dressed so lightly? You came out without a cloak?"

Lin Daiyu ignored him: "It's not cold, it's really not cold. Someone just came to the manor to deliver some red paper money to Zhou Rui's wife... She's not good to me, I don't like her."

Mu Chuan was almost in tears, not because Ke Yuanqing had lost his patience and was getting serious after only a few days, but because Miss Lin had started to talk to him about more profound topics.

"Let's go celebrate! Wu Yue Guild Hall has fresh mandarin fish today, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, would you like some?"

"Yes!" Lin Daiyu replied without hesitation. "I haven't eaten fish in a long time. I can barely taste a bit of fish flavor in the broth."

This "long time" was clearly measured in years. Mu Chuan said, "Let's go, the carriage is waiting ahead."

The two walked forward together. When they stepped through the second gate, Lin Daiyu hesitated for a moment. However, this was not the first time she had gone out through the second gate. A few days ago, she had also gone out through this gate to take a carriage to a banquet.

After walking a little further, they arrived at the place to board the carriage. Mu Chuan easily placed the mounting stool in one hand, then put his arm around Lin Daiyu and helped her up.

Lin Daiyu then said with a smile, "Why isn't Shen Mama here today?"

That's because it was a first, unexpected date, and I didn't want to bring anyone else along as a third wheel.

"Let her rest for a couple of days," Mu Chuan said. "We'll be busy again after the New Year."

Lin Daiyu sat in the carriage, with Mu Chuan riding beside her on horseback. The carriage was warm, and the cushions were soft, giving one a sense of security that felt like being enveloped in a blanket.

"I told them to prepare the dishes according to the squirrel mandarin fish recipe, and we'll order the fried fish when we get there."

Lin Daiyu slightly lifted the curtain and replied, "I will follow Third Brother's arrangements."

Suddenly, the carriage lurched – it had left the Rongguo Mansion.

Lin Daiyu froze, and instinctively she lifted all the curtains and peeked out to look back.

It's really out.

It's really out?

It's really out!

Lin Daiyu's eyes welled up with tears as she looked at Mu Chuan and said, "Third Brother."

Mu Chuan turned to look at her. Lin Daiyu was smiling beautifully. He had no idea what leaving the Rongguo Mansion would mean for him.

Lin Daiyu lowered the curtain: "Third Brother, you'll have to go buy me a cloak or a jacket later, it's a bit cold."

Mu Chuan chuckled twice, and Lin Daiyu blushed, explaining, "That's how young girls are."

"The Wu-Yue Guild Hall has everything. Let's eat, and we'll just ask them to find it."

The carriage made its way to the Wu-Yue Guild Hall, and Jia Mu's room became quiet. This quietness was not without its significance.

Where is Lin Daiyu?

Lady Wang was in a bad mood. Her maid had been beaten. Even if she was beaten, the servants were a reflection of their masters' reputation. She didn't care about "treating her better" or "telling Baoyu to spend more time with her." Instead, she said directly, "You only care about your Lin sister. Your Zhou mother took care of you since you were little, and you don't care about her at all?"

Jia Baoyu fell silent. The old woman who had just brought the news said tremblingly, "The Marquis of Zhongyong has arrived. Tell Miss Lin to go see him."

"She went by herself?" Madam Wang retorted with a stern face. "She's been in our house for so many years, how could she—"

Madam Wang knew she could only say half of what she was saying, so she stopped.

Of course, the old woman couldn't let Madam Wang pin this crime on her. Miss Lin was worthy of it, but she wasn't. Without her master's permission, if she watched Miss Lin leave, would she get away with it?

The old woman quickly replied, "Miss Lin asked several times, and the old lady nodded in response before Miss Lin went out."

Grandmother Jia didn't remember at all, and besides, she hadn't agreed to it, so it was normal that she couldn't remember. It was just that there was a commotion earlier, and she was old, so perhaps she hadn't paid much attention in the heat of the moment. Grandmother Jia hummed and said, "It would be good to see her." She then glared at Wang Xifeng, "It'll give you more options."

Wang Xifeng didn't dare to linger and quickly got up, saying, "I'll send someone to deliver a letter to the Censorate."

Grandmother Jia also stood up. To be honest, the food today wasn't very good. She tried two pieces and could only say that... although Baoyu had the intention, he was still a bit naive and couldn't distinguish between good and bad.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Grandmother Jia said, "Hmph! If he doesn't give the Rongguo Mansion any face, he can forget about having a New Year!"

Grandmother Jia pushed the table aside and left. Lady Wang, however, gave her face and ate some food with the three sisters, the two Xue sisters, and Shi Xiangyun. Li Wan didn't dare to leave in front of her mother-in-law and managed to get through it.

Jia Baoyu was still regretful, and he also hated Mu Chuan: "That Marquis Zhongyong is despicable! How could he come at this hour without even inviting his sister to eat? He has no heart to cherish a beautiful woman. It shows that being a high-ranking official does not necessarily mean that a person is a good person."

Mu Chuan's carriage had arrived at the Wu-Yue Guild Hall and only stopped in the backyard.

This small courtyard is specially used to entertain distinguished guests. It doesn't have to share staircases and corridors with others, so it's not only quiet but also has some scenery.

Mu Chuan led Lin Daiyu into the inner room and then instructed the shop assistant: "Are there any good clothing shops nearby? Call an old woman here. I need a jacket and a cloak or cape for a young girl. Don't look for anything fancy, just something warm."

But after saying that, he felt it wasn't quite right, so he added, "It should have some flair, not too plain, for young girls to wear."

Hearing this, Lin Daiyu could only laugh.

Now that Mu Chuan had arrived, the kitchen started frying fish, and the waiter brought out a fruit platter, saying with a smile, "Please try this; it's something young girls love to eat."

The fruit platter had eight different kinds of snacks and nuts. Mu Chuan asked, "Which one would you like to eat? I'll peel it for you."

"Why would I need you? See that little hammer on the side? It'll be more fun if you crack it open yourself."

Lin Daiyu picked up two torreya nuts and tapped them with a small hammer: "There's a black skin inside. If you can peel it off easily, it's good. Otherwise, it's just... Their torreya nuts are really good."

Mu Chuan also picked up two, gently pinched them, and then rubbed them together: "You mean like this?"

"How did you grow such strong hands?" Lin Daiyu subconsciously pulled at his hands to look at them, finding them warm, dry, and powerful: "You're really strong."

Lin Daiyu released him and said, "Actually, the original flavor is very delicious. Now, adding salt, sugar, five-spice powder, and milk flavoring are not very good."

With just a few words, Mu Chuan had already rubbed out seven or eight pills for her.

Lin Daiyu smiled and nudged him, saying, "That won't do. Eating fruit like that isn't fun; it's just eating it for the sake of eating."

Mu Chuan didn't quite understand: "If we're not eating the fruit, what's the point?"

"Sigh, I can't explain it to you," Lin Daiyu said with a hint of disdain. "You think you can crack a walnut with your hands?"

Surely it can't be harder to clean than the main gate of the Ministry of Revenue?

Mu Chuan also picked up two, which he easily cracked open with a pinch of his hand.

Lin Daiyu opened it to check and laughed, "This one is no good, the little walnuts inside are all crushed."

"What's so difficult about that? It's just a matter of controlling the force so that the outer shell breaks but the contents inside remain intact." Mu Chuan's competitive spirit didn't just appear out of nowhere; after all, he wanted to satisfy Miss Lin in every way.

He picked a few more walnuts to practice with, and he was able to make very complete small walnut kernels from about four or five walnuts.

Mu Chuan picked up the items, placed them on a small white porcelain dish, and pushed it in front of Lin Daiyu: "Want to try some?"

"I never imagined that Third Brother was so good at cracking fruit."

Mu Chuan wiped his hands with a hot towel, then pretended to be serious and instructed, "Don't eat too much, we still have to eat later."

"I'll eat as much as Third Brother makes." But seeing Mu Chuan's eager look, Lin Daiyu was a little scared and quickly said, "No, no, no, dear Third Brother, I haven't eaten squirrel fish in a long time. I can't eat fruit first to fill my stomach."

As the two were talking, the waiter brought four plates of cold dishes to the large round table outside.

The two then went to sit down in the formal hall.

The waiter smiled and said, "Osmanthus-flavored lotus root, honey-glazed tofu, a platter of pickled lotus root, pickled mustard greens, and pickled pear, plus poached chicken. Please enjoy your meal."

The waiter who delivered the food went out, and the waiter who delivered the drinks came. Because the Earl of Zhongyong was with a delicate and beautiful young woman, the waiter did not dare to recommend the wine, but only asked about the tea.

"What kind of tea would you two like to drink?"

Lin Daiyu asked, "Is there any ginger and jujube drink?"

The waiter's eyes lit up, and he quickly replied with a smile, "Yes, yes."

Lin Daiyu instructed: "Use apples as the base, and only add three slices of ginger."

The waiter went to prepare tea, and Lin Daiyu looked at Mu Chuan again. She saw that he was staring at the dishes on the table in a daze. Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "Third Brother, are you hungry?"

"I can't say I'm not hungry," Mu Chuan said. "Three out of the four dishes are sweet? I even asked them to prepare the dishes according to the squirrel fish recipe. Isn't squirrel fish sweet too?"

Lin Daiyu chuckled: "Try the sauce for the poached chicken, it's sweet too. Third Brother, don't bother with me, just order what you like."

Mu Chuan hesitated for a moment: "Actually, it's not that I can't eat sweets." Then he gave in to Lin Daiyu's smiling eyes.

"And another braised platter, with a sour and spicy sauce."