Chapter 39 She complained to me, and I became her male best friend. "My name is..."

Zijuan poured out the water and carried the empty basin back. After all, they were outside, and it shouldn't have taken that long to pour out the water. Lin Daiyu asked, "Why are you back so late?"

"I met Lord Zhongyong," Zijuan said with a smile. "After I paid my respects, he asked me what I usually like to eat and what I enjoy, which is why I came back late."

Third Brother didn't know what she liked to eat. She liked sweets and wanted to try all kinds of cuisines, as she had mentioned. This thought flashed through her mind, but Lin Daiyu didn't forget it.

After resting for about fifteen minutes, Mu Chuan came to call Lin Daiyu. The maids and servants were all waiting in the side room, and the two went to the main hall to offer incense.

In the solemn hall, it was not appropriate to say much. The two silently followed the monk in charge of offering incense and then burned some paper money and other items in the large incense burner at the front.

As the wisps of smoke curled upwards, Lin Daiyu felt a sense of relief.

"Esteemed guests, would you like to have the vegetarian meal now or wait a moment?"

Mu Chuan looked at Lin Daiyu, who said, "I'm not hungry yet. How about we go for a walk in the back?"

The monk who was in charge of receiving guests bowed and withdrew.

"Shall we go check out the woods behind the mountain? Last time I came here, it looked like a maze, with tall and confusing trees, but I didn't go in."

Lin Daiyu's gaze immediately softened with a hint of pity.

Mu Chuan smiled and said, "No. I'm offering incense to Princess Mingxiu. It's a house bestowed by the Emperor Emeritus, originally belonging to Princess Mingxiu. The main courtyard is grand, the garden is exquisite, and there are several large trees that are clearly over a hundred years old. There's even a small racecourse. I like it very much, so I've come to offer her some incense."

Lin Daiyu breathed a sigh of relief and looked away: "The temples in the capital are a bit different from those in the south. Here, the eternal lamps are placed in front of the Buddha statues, while in our area, the eternal lamps are placed on both sides of the entrance."

"It's really hard to say it's a difference between the South and the North," Mu Chuan said. "Did you see the sign in front of that eternal lamp? I, a first-class earl, am not conspicuous at all when I'm in it. Such an eternal lamp is naturally closer to the Buddha."

“You certainly know how to make fun of Buddha.” Lin Daiyu laughed out loud: “Luckily, that guest monk wasn’t here—” She paused slightly, looked at Mu Chuan and laughed again: “Luckily, that guest monk wasn’t here.”

Although he wasn't wearing armor today, but rather a plain black round-necked robe with no decorations on his belt, he still looked tall and imposing, and very formidable.

Mu Chuan shook his head seriously, following her train of thought, and said, "No, it's not good to beat monks in a temple. Buddha is watching."

Two more dimples appeared on Lin Daiyu's face. She turned her head away and stopped talking to Mu Chuan.

Taking two steps forward, stepping on the dry leaves, the crisp crunching sound was quite pleasant. Mu Chuan asked, "Last time we went to the banquet, did you need to send some New Year's gifts to the girls you knew, since it's almost the New Year?"

"I did prepare two colors of needle and thread, but..." Lin Daiyu looked somewhat troubled.

Mu Chuan said considerately, "How about I deliver it for you? Everyone at the banquet that day was a prominent figure, and I was looking for an opportunity to make friends with them. I'll add a couple more items for you as a token of my gratitude."

Lin Daiyu accepted his kindness but didn't say anything to thank him: "Then I won't stand on ceremony with Third Brother. Three pairs of buttons for each of us, made of glass, coral, amber, or pearl, white jade, emerald, gold, silver, etc., are all fine."

Mu Chuan nodded: "I'll take you home tonight, and I'll pick up your needle and thread while I'm at it."

Lin Daiyu smiled: "Of course, I also have a thank-you gift for Third Brother. I just don't know what Third Brother likes? Whether it's a handkerchief or a purse, I feel that they don't quite match Third Brother. I also wanted to give you a pair of knee pads. It's not that I'm stingy, it's just... too much material."

Lin Daiyu laughed for a while before continuing, "A headband for tying hair at home... I always felt that Third Brother wasn't the type to get sick. Third Brother, what do you want?"

Actually, if you think about it, it's all the same: people.

Mu Chuan said, "Why don't you help me with a grand ceremony? I'll be attending court more often next year, and one isn't enough to replace it. I'll have them send the gifts over later."

Lin Daiyu nodded and smiled, "It doesn't take much effort. It's just threading the jade ring and tying the knot. What else?"

"You'll teach me to write?" As soon as he said it, Mu Chuan thought it was a great suggestion. What could be a better way to prolong the battle?

"You've seen how I write... Next year, when I become the chief official, I'll be writing memorials frequently. Besides, I'll be a high-ranking official, so it's inevitable that people will ask for my calligraphy." Mu Chuan stopped and looked at Lin Daiyu expectantly.

There was really no way to refuse. Lin Daiyu nodded and smiled, "Actually, Third Brother's handwriting is quite good. You can tell it's written by a great general."

Mu Chuan snorted twice: "You certainly know how to make fun of your third brother."

"I can write in any font," Lin Daiyu said proudly. "What would you like to learn, Third Brother?"

Before Mu Chuan could answer, she realized something: "We still need to start with regular script first. Only after mastering the basics can we practice other styles. You can't choose which one to use; we have to follow the plan step by step."

She spoke of this with great enthusiasm, which made Mu Chuan like her even more.

"Do you have any plans for the New Year?" Mu Chuan asked. "His Majesty said yesterday that from the first to the third day of the Lunar New Year, there will be fireworks on the city wall, and the lantern festival will run from the fifteenth day of the first lunar month to the second day of the second lunar month. We've talked about it before, shall we go see them together?"

“What arrangements do I have? It’s the same every year. It’s just that—” Lin Daiyu suddenly remembered Zhou Rui’s wife, and that her second uncle had been dismissed from his post. This year must be different.

Her maternal grandmother told her to ask her third brother, but she refused.

"I hate Zhou Rui's wife," Lin Daiyu suddenly blurted out. Then, feeling embarrassed, she was about to explain when her third brother added, "I hate Zhou Rui's wife too."

Lin Daiyu chuckled: "What do you dislike about Zhou Rui's wife? I don't even know what I dislike about her now. When I first came to Rongguo Mansion... things that others had left over were given to me last. I was unhappy about it, and ever since then, I've been a proud, petty, and disrespectful young lady to the old lady."

After Lin Daiyu finished speaking, she looked at Mu Chuan expectantly. She had heard too many "Miss, don't be angry," "Miss, don't take it to heart," "They didn't mean it that way, I apologize on their behalf," she thought... Maybe her third brother would stand by her side?

Mu Chuan answered quite seriously: "I don't know what kind of tricks the Rongguo Mansion has up its sleeve, but if this kind of thing happened in the military camp, the lightest punishment would be being demoted to the supply battalion to do hard labor, and in a slightly more serious case, you would lose your life. I think it's a problem with the Rongguo Mansion, and there must be someone behind it."

Lin Daiyu immediately felt a stinging sensation in her eyes.

"It's the same in the palace. Either you go to the Sinzheku to clean toilets, or you get fifty lashes and are thrown into the Anle Hall to die."

Lin Daiyu chuckled: "How do you even know about the palace?"

"I am a favored minister, the commander of the Northern Camp, and a general. Isn't it normal for me to know two eunuchs? If you don't believe me, I'll ask a eunuch to deliver something to you next time."

Lin Daiyu curled the corners of her lips and brought the topic back: "I don't believe she would dare to act like that when she delivers things to the old lady, the two ladies, or Second Madam Lian? But Third Brother... don't you think I'm petty? I've held a grudge for so many years."

Mu Chuan sighed: "It's right for you to remember when others treat you badly. Think about it carefully, they treat you badly and then tell you not to hold it against them, and even call you petty. Do you think that's reasonable? You suffer the injustice, and it's your responsibility to reflect on it, but what about them? Do they just continue to bully you? If it were me, I would remember it too. I hold grudges, and I don't just keep them in my heart, I write them down on paper."

Lin Daiyu quickly turned her head away: "I don't like my second aunt either."

"Yes, I also hate your second aunt."

The tears that had just welled up in my eyes were wiped away by laughter.

“When I first went to Rongguo Mansion, she talked a lot of big principles... but it wasn’t anything serious. Recently, Xueyan went to get ginseng for me and waited for half a day because my second aunt wanted to take a nap. I couldn’t possibly let the maid get it while she was sleeping, but if I say it, it would be me being paranoid, petty, and disrespectful to my elders.”

Mu Chuan sighed: "It's not your fault, they did it on purpose. Everything that made you uncomfortable, and then told you not to worry afterward, was intentional. You're fine, you don't need to change anything."

These words brought tears to Lin Daiyu's eyes again. She shook her head, not daring to utter a sound, for fear that if she opened her mouth, tears would fall first.

“I… Grandmother sometimes… I don’t know either. I eat well and dress well, and I can have whatever I want just by asking. But everyone in the mansion thinks I am not worthy. But Baoyu is not like that. Everyone thinks of him when they have something good and wants to give it to him. Everyone says he is the phoenix egg of the Rongguo Mansion.”

“That’s how it is when you stay at someone else’s house.” Mu Chuan first offered a word of comfort, then added, “You have to ask for it; it’s not real concern. But Baoyu… to have such a name is quite… tsk tsk.”

"What kind of adjective is 'tsk tsk'?" Lin Daiyu smiled and tilted her head. "This isn't meant to comfort people."

"You can feel it yourself, why would I lie to you?" Mu Chuan noticed that the tip of her nose was a little red, and asked again, "Are you cold?"

"It's not cold, there's not much wind." Lin Daiyu stopped, turned around and looked at Mu Chuan: "Are you hungry? Shall we go eat?"

The two returned to their room, washed their hands, and the monk who was in charge of the reception brought them a vegetarian meal.

A small bowl of noodles, two toppings, two side dishes, simply steaming hot.

"I've been walking in the woods for a long time and I'm actually a little hungry," Lin Daiyu said. Then she suddenly realized that although it wasn't often, she always seemed to have a particularly good appetite whenever she went out with her third brother.

"Is this enough for you?" Lin Daiyu asked. "It seems like you only have a little more noodles in your bowl than I do."

"We'll have a good meal this afternoon, so save some room."

Lin Daiyu, recalling his astonishing appetite, laughed and said, "This little bit is hardly enough to fill the gaps for you."

The two of them ate in the inner room, while the maids and servants ate outside.

With something in her stomach, Lin Daiyu felt a warmth spread through her heart. She said, "Third Brother doesn't know how to comfort people; he only knows how to coax them."

Regardless of whether Zijuan's incident happened today, Mu Chuan intended to tell the truth. Now that they had finished eating, it was the perfect time to discuss important matters.

The reason he didn't say it earlier was that he didn't want to interrupt Lin Daiyu's outpouring. He was extremely careful to say such things, because if it was even slightly inappropriate, he didn't know when he would be able to say it again.

If it were revealed that his family had suffered both death and injury, and that there were one and a half deaths on the surface but actually two and a half, Lin Daiyu would certainly be unable to express her grievances.

He said, "I'm not kidding you, I really have a grudge against the Rongguo Mansion. How do you think Zhou Rui got in? And why was Jia Zheng urgently summoned back to the capital? It was me."

Lin Daiyu was stunned.

Mu Chuan told her about his grievances with the Rongguo Mansion.

“My family used to be small landlords, doing quite well. We even had enough money to send my son to a private school… Later, Zhou Rui took a liking to our land—thirty-five mu of prime paddy fields—and forcibly bought them for thirty taels. My grandfather died, my second uncle had his leg broken, couldn't go to school, and had no money to pay his corvée labor. I was even conscripted into the army in Pingnan Town. How could I possibly let him get away with this? I've held this grudge for eleven years. Don't you think I hold grudges more than you do?”

Lin Daiyu didn't know what to say, and even her breathing became disordered. Especially his last sentence, which sounded like a joke, made people feel sad from the inside out.

"Third brother... third brother, I don't know—"

"Look at me now." Mu Chuan slid his hands down to show himself: "I'm fine."

“You’re not good.” Lin Daiyu recalled the scars on his arm she had seen last time, and the scar on his chest that he said made it difficult for him to get out of bed for a month. She stubbornly said, “You’re not good at all.”

Mu Chuan really wanted to call her name.

“I sent many people to the Rongguo Mansion to gather information. I know your name, I know your birth date, I know—”

"My name is Daiyu. Third Brother, my name is Lin Daiyu." Overwhelmed with emotion, Lin Daiyu dipped her finger in noodle soup and wrote her name on the table.

With a flick of the tongue, the name "Daiyu" was uttered.

"The Rongguo Mansion is not a good place. It's normal that you're not having a good time there."

Lin Daiyu had never felt this way before. She was perceptive, sensitive, and had a particularly strong capacity for empathy: "I shouldn't have complained to you. I... I don't know."

Mu Chuan called her name again: "Daiyu, I'm fine now. I have the ability to take revenge, and I am doing so. Zhou Rui won't be coming back. His family has already booked tickets to Pingnan Town... Of course, they'll have to pull their own train. Jia Zheng will definitely lose his official position. But... this morning I was all prepared to snatch you away. The Rongguo Mansion still doesn't know it was me who filed the complaint?"

“It is the Earl of Zhongyong,” Jia Lian said with certainty.

Inside Grandmother Jia's room, Jia She, Lady Wang, and Wang Xifeng all looked on in disbelief.

Grandmother Jia asked tremblingly, "Say it again? Who is it?"

“Lord Zhongyong,” Jia Lian repeated, “Last night I sent someone on horseback to Wanping County to inquire about the news. Lord Zhongyong accused Zhou Rui of having private property.”

"Absurd!" Even the most absurd Jia She thought this was too absurd. "What does it matter to the Earl of Zhongyong whether our Rongguo Mansion's servants have private property? It's like a dog catching a mouse; he's meddling way too much!"

Jia She had once broken Jia Lian's leg over a few fans, and now Jia Lian's leg started to hurt whenever he saw Jia She. He didn't dare to interrupt, and only after Jia She finished speaking did he add, "That private property originally belonged to the Zhongyong Earl's family. For this piece of land, one member of the Zhongyong Earl's family died and another was injured, and the Zhongyong Earl was also conscripted into the army in Pingnan Town."

"And what about the master?" Madam Wang asked, covering her mouth with her handkerchief in her grief.

"The Second Master was impeached by the Censor," Jia Lian answered honestly. "He was negligent in managing the household and allowed his servants to commit violence."

The people in the room fell silent, and Jia Lian then took the initiative to reveal the source of the information.

"I heard this from Jia Yucun. I went to his house last night, but I didn't see him. His steward came out and told me." Jia Lian was also a little afraid of Jia Yucun. He had his leg broken because of a few broken fans. It was because he couldn't get the fans back that Jia Yucun found a fault and ruined his family. After the fans were confiscated, they were sent to his father.

Jia She was still fixated on the idea that Jia Yucun was an appendage of the Rongguo Mansion. He pressed on, "Since Yucun was in court, why didn't he say a few words in defense of the Second Prince? Such a big matter as impeaching the Rongguo Mansion, how could there have been no warning beforehand? Didn't he notice anything at all?"

Jia Lian glanced at his father, wondering how to answer. The man was now a high-ranking official and had long since looked down on him. He simply lowered his head and pretended to be stupid, remaining silent.

Whether it's the Jia family or the Wang family, they've both done plenty of bullying and abusing their power. Who among them doesn't have a few lives on their hands? But this is the first time in so many years that they've run into a brick wall, and everyone fell silent.

After a moment of silence, Wang Xifeng suggested, "Why don't we ask Granny Zhou to come and ask her?"

Grandmother Jia nodded, and Jia Lian went outside to instruct Yuanyang. Before long, Zhou Rui's wife arrived.

Grandmother Jia pointed at her nose and scolded, "It's you spendthrift bastards who are ruining the reputation of the Rongguo Mansion!"

Zhou Rui's wife knelt down with a thud. She knew that something had happened, but she had already prepared herself mentally that she could not tell the truth.

Whether Zhou Rui can withstand it or not, she is innocent; she knows nothing.

"Madam, I don't know where I went wrong. Please enlighten me. But please don't be angry. I am just a servant and I am not worth your anger."

Zhou Rui's wife also started using the self-designation "slave" which she hadn't used for many years.

"Hmph!" Grandmother Jia sneered, "Lian'er, ask her!"

When Jia Lian recounted the matter, Zhou Rui's wife turned deathly pale and trembled: "Grandmother, please understand. I never go out. If I do go out, it's with Madam or the young ladies. How would I know about these things? Besides..."

Zhou Rui's wife kowtowed as she said, "From what Second Master is saying, it's thirty mu of land?"

“Thirty-five mu,” Jia Lian said.

“Grandma, Zhou Rui and I are both respectable servants in the Rongguo Mansion. To be honest, what would he do with those thirty-five acres of land? Can he even farm it or look after it? We can’t even keep an eye on our own estate. I don’t dare to speak up for him, but this matter seems suspicious. Perhaps someone is trying to frame our family.”

Zhou Rui's wife was very successful in the Rongguo Mansion. The young masters and young ladies all respectfully called her "Mama Zhou". The result of her stepping on Miss Lin was that Miss Lin disrespected the old madam, which proved that she had a clear understanding of the psychology of the masters in the Jia family.

Sure enough, as soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room showed a thoughtful expression.

Someone is trying to harm us! Someone is trying to harm the Rongguo Mansion!

Zhou Rui's wife knelt on the ground, waiting quietly.

After a while, Grandmother Jia asked Jia She, "Have you offended someone outside?"

Jia She was clearly taken aback: "I'm not going out."

Grandmother Jia's gaze then shifted to Jia Lian, who hurriedly said, "Grandmother, you are wise. I have always been honest and dutiful all these years. I have managed the household for so many years, when have I ever made a mistake?"

Grandmother Jia nodded. He was useless; all he did was be a bit lecherous, but he wouldn't cause any real trouble.

Grandmother Jia looked again and saw that Wang Xifeng had been sickly ever since her miscarriage. Besides, she had only taken in two concubines, and she was too busy worrying about anything else.

The second son's wife... although she's a bit slow-witted, she only goes to the homes of people she knows, so she probably won't offend anyone.

"Perhaps it's the second son?" Jia She said boldly. "Who knows who he might have offended while he's out there?"

Grandmother Jia frowned: "He went to be the educational commissioner, he..." Grandmother Jia suddenly had a guess. She was not completely ignorant about officialdom. "The educational commissioner is the most prestigious and respected official. He will be promoted when he returns... Perhaps he blocked someone's path? Otherwise, he would not have been impeached when his three-year term was about to expire."

Regardless of what others think, Zhou Rui's family felt it made a lot of sense.

"Your Majesty is wise. That Earl Zhongyong may have been manipulated. He accused Zhou Rui of having private property... But what can he do? Whether or not he has private property, isn't it all up to the masters to decide? Impeaching the Second Master is the real goal of the person behind him."

Grandmother Jia took a few deep breaths and instructed Lady Wang, "Go and bring the best ginseng from home. I'll drink ginseng soup for a few days. This year, I'll also go to the palace to pay my respects at the New Year and see the Empress again to ask what exactly happened."

Madam Wang quickly agreed, then added a few words of concern before asking, "And... about Lin's daughter, what about her relationship with Earl Zhongyong..."

Grandmother Jia frowned: "Let's wait until she comes back and see what happens." She stared intently at Lady Wang: "Not a single word is allowed to leak out of the house, and we mustn't let things fall apart. Before you do anything, think about the empress in the palace!"

Madam Wang quickly lowered her head and agreed.

Zhou Rui's wife came up with a new excuse: her master disliked Miss Lin and she had been trying to trip her up for years, so now she subconsciously wanted to push Miss Lin into it again.

“Grandma… Actually, I think that since the Earl of Zhongyong has come so many times… Our Madam has also discussed this with me privately. Even if he and Young Master Lin had a past relationship, he was so young that he wouldn’t remember. I suspect… the Earl of Zhongyong actually hinted at it, but Miss Lin—Miss Lin must not have understood.”

The Jia family members assumed the blame was paramount, and Lady Wang quickly said, "Daiyu is young, so it's understandable that she didn't understand. But Lian'er and Yuanyang..."

Grandmother Jia frowned and thought for a long time. She still had Daiyu's return gift in her hand: "I'll invite him over in a couple of days. Lian'er, you go with him, and also have a few clever servants and maids accompany him. Let's find out what he really means. Make sure they're a few who can hold their liquor."

After lunch, because the daytime was too short, the three of them didn't dare to take a nap. Instead, they agreed to go to Jia Baoyu's room to relieve their boredom.

To be honest, the others envied Lin Daiyu for being able to go out. Besides, Lin Daiyu hadn't been sick much all winter, which showed that going out meant she was in a good mood and her health was naturally good as well.

He was called the Marquis of Zhongyong, but Lin Daiyu called him Third Brother, so he was her brother. What about their brothers?

Yingchun's brother is Jia Lian, Tanchun's brother is Jia Baoyu, and Xichun's brother is Jia Zhen. Compared to them, Jia Baoyu truly stands out as an exceptional individual.

Tan Chun led the way, and as soon as she entered, she said with a smile, "We've come to sit in your room. Your room is spacious and lively."

Jia Baoyu, who had been lying listlessly on the couch in a daze, quickly got up and greeted his sisters with a smile when they came in: "Come and sit down, you can come every day. Xiren, pour some tea. It's cold, go and make some hot tea."

Xiren came up with a smile, bowed, and then called to Qingwen, "Shall we go pour some tea?"

Qingwen glanced at her. She found everything about Xiren displeasing and instinctively wanted to ask her: "There are so many maids in the room, why do you have to order me around?"

But in front of the girls, Qingwen held back. She put down what she was holding and went out with Xiren.

The two quickly brought over the teapot and teacups.

Just as the tea was poured, Xue Baochai and Shi Xiangyun arrived.

Shi Xiangyun called out "Brother Ai" first, and Xue Baochai laughed and said, "What a coincidence that everyone is here today! It's a pity that Daiyu isn't here."

Xiren hurriedly greeted her, "Miss Bao, please sit down. I'll pour you some tea."

As Xiren poured tea, she said with a smile, "Speaking of Miss Lin, has Miss Bao ever seen her two cashmere dolls? She treasures them so much that she won't even let our Second Master Bao touch them."

"How could I not have seen them?" Xue Baochai said with a smile, "Brother Bao, don't be sad, she wouldn't let me touch them either. But those two dolls are exquisitely made, and I liked them very much."

“I was just talking about those two dolls.” Xi Ren’s smile remained unchanged: “Normally, you wouldn’t see her touch a needle and thread for half a year, but with those two dolls, she’s never without a needle and thread. She’s even sorted through all the scraps of cloth here once. She’s probably been doing needlework for three years in the last few days. It’s really funny.”

Xue Baochai laughed and said, "It's clear she's close to Brother Bao; she's never come to my place to pick anything out."

The three sisters immediately felt disgusted. Each of them held a cup of tea and stopped talking.

Just as Xiren was about to continue speaking, Qingwen's voice suddenly came from outside: "Xiren, is this tea in the wrong jar? Come out and take a look."

Xiren smiled apologetically at Xue Baochai and said, "The maids in our courtyard are all spoiled by the Second Master and are careless. I'll go check on them and then come back to serve them."

Once Xiren was outside, Qingwen dragged her back to the side room.

"What do you mean by that?" Qingwen said irritably, "What do you mean by saying that Miss Lin only does needlework once every six months? For the birthdays of the Old Madam, the First Madam, the Second Madam, as well as Sister-in-law Zhu and Sister-in-law Lian, and several young ladies, when has she not sent two kinds of needlework? Even for the birthdays of the ladies and young ladies of the East Mansion next door and the Wang family, when has she not sent needlework? How come it's not needlework when it comes to you?"

Xi Ren's face was full of grievance: "I was just saying that. I was talking about those two children. Why did you pick on that and scold me? I know that Miss Lin asked you to do needlework and gave you a lot of good things, but there is no need to scold me for that. Just as you said, everyone in the mansion knows that she does a lot of needlework every year, and no one will blame her for a few words from me. I am just a maid."

"That's for the best." Qingwen sneered, "Miss Lin has given me a lot of good things. You can't be jealous of them, your skills are not good enough, and they don't even look at you."