Chapter 16 Can I ask Ji Yujing to come to my door...?

After Song Yunlan returned to her bedchamber, she washed her hands and changed into clean clothes when the eunuchs from the Empress's side came over.

The Empress asked him if he was free, and if so, if so, to come to her place for a cup of tea.

Song Yunlan had no reason to refuse.

There was nothing to prepare, so they followed the eunuchs to the Empress's Palace.

Upon arrival, we were led into the depths of the palace gardens by palace maids.

After wandering around, a hexagonal pavilion with green tiles came into view, and Empress Wu Ying was standing under the pavilion.

She sat leaning against a round stone table, on which were laid out various kinds of pastries and two pots of tea. Without actually tasting them, Song Yunlan was certain that one pot was Fufeng Xuecui and the other was Lanting Ning Shuang, both of which were as precious as gold—winter teas.

The Empress loved Fu Fengxue the most, and Song Yunlan always had the Frosty Orchid Pavilion by his side.

Bathed in the light reflected from the exquisite tableware, Song Yunlan approached the pavilion and respectfully bowed to Wu Ying, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty and wishes Your Majesty good health and longevity."

Wu Ying smiled at him and said, "Sit down."

Song Yunlan sat down and said, “Mother, you summoned me here today not just for tea, right?”

As he spoke, he poured himself some tea and then placed a piece of pastry on his plate. These were ordinary actions, but he performed them with such elegance and refinement that they exuded a noble air.

Upon hearing this, Wu Ying's smile began to fade. "You left the palace this morning?"

Song Yunlan never thought that she could keep her departure from the palace a secret from her mother, so when asked, she didn't show any surprise in her eyes. "Yes, I went to Baoshan Street."

Even Wu Ying, who had lived deep within the palace for a long time, knew the name Baoshan Street. "Have you seen Dai Dai yet?"

Upon hearing the mention of Lin Qingdai, Song Yunlan's aura suddenly turned cold, a fact that didn't escape Wu Ying's notice. "What's wrong? Did something upset you?"

Song Yunlan didn't elaborate, only saying, "Let her go if she wants. I want to see what kind of good ending she'll have in the end."

Wu Ying didn't take his words seriously. Instead, she laughed and said, "Are you willing to do that? Lingdong is a damp and cold place with scarce resources. Dai Dai is a pampered girl who was raised in a sweet environment. She is also weak. How can she withstand such a harsh environment?"

Song Yunlan remained silent.

Now he understands that nobody cares about his thoughts.

The Emperor knew he had feelings for Dai Dai, yet he so easily and hastily betrothed her to Ji Yujing. When his mother sent someone to plead with him, his reaction was even more resolute and cold.

Lin Qingdai grew up with him, and they were deeply connected.

In the end, he was no match for a peasant who only knew how to use brute force.

Wu Ying saw his dejection, a smile playing on her lips, seemingly gentle but actually cold. "Lan'er, do you still remember what your mother told you?"

Song Yunlan snapped out of her daze. "Who are you referring to as 'Empress Dowager'?"

Wu Ying: "Those who do great things must avoid being soft-hearted. Once on the battlefield, even your closest relatives are enemies, so you must be ruthless when necessary."

The gloom in Song Yunlan's heart was shattered by these words.

His mind was clear, and his gaze fixed on Wu Ying, he asked, "What are your thoughts, Mother?"

Wu Ying's smile was clearly visible: "Covered in red makeup."

The moment the words left his mouth, Song Yunlan's eyes widened in utter astonishment.

Born into the inner court, how could he not know about "covering up with red makeup"?

This is a forbidden drug in the palace. When a woman takes it, her mind becomes confused, her body becomes fragrant, and she becomes completely at the mercy of others.

"Hasn't this drug been banned for decades?"

Even Song Yunlan only knew about it from palace records; he had never seen it before and didn't know how he obtained it.

Wu Ying: "So what if it's banned? There are so many things in this world that are banned, yet people still do them."

"Lan'er, don't you think so?"

Song Yunlan was stunned by the question for a long time. When he came to his senses, he smiled and said, "Mother is right."

Wu Ying then asked him, "Did you give the jade pendant I gave you to Dai Dai?"

Song Yunlan replied, "I have already entrusted Qingwu to pass it on."

At the end of her sentence, Song Yunlan suddenly had a flash of inspiration, "Mother, is that jade pendant related to Fu Hongzhuang?"

A hint of approval appeared in Wu Ying's eyes. "That's right."

Everyone knows that "Fu Hongzhuang" is a forbidden drug, but few people know that its main ingredients are sour apricot wine and brown fruit, which are then used as a catalyst to produce its toxicity.

These three things are indispensable.

As long as they don't appear at the same time, they are all rare and precious items, and people love them.

"Who would have thought of this roundabout way? And how can we possibly investigate it?"

Wu Ying's tone of voice began to change, becoming higher and faster, completely out of control.

The shadowy figures hinted at a sense of madness.

“His Majesty values ​​Dai Dai highly. If this matter succeeds, he will betroth her to you as his principal wife, even if he is unwilling.”

"Lan'er, you may suffer some grievances, but it's okay."

"The ultimate beneficiary is you."

...

That night, Lin Qingwu went to Lin Qingdai's courtyard, carrying a small wooden box.

Rare, cold-resistant wood, naturally fragrant. The scent lingered wherever she went.

She carried it herself for quite a distance, unwilling to let anyone else do it.

"Sister, what brings you here?"

As the cool, woody scent filled Lin Qingdai's room and reached her nostrils, she couldn't help but look out from behind the beaded curtain. A moment later, a familiar figure came into view. She hurriedly got out of bed to greet him, disregarding her thin clothing.

At the same time, Lin Qingwu passed through the beaded curtain and entered the room. Seeing that Jiaojiao was only wearing her undergarments, she immediately frowned and said, "Nonsense! Go back to bed."

"Mingyue, give her some more clothes."

"promise."

Who would dare disobey their sister?

Lin Qingdai obediently returned to bed, wrapped herself tightly in the soft quilt, leaving only her little head sticking out.

Lin Qingwu was satisfied then, and sat down against the small round table, the small wooden box resting steadily on the tabletop.

"Sister, is there something you need to see me about so late?"

Lin Qingdai's gaze fell on the small wooden box. "A gift for me?"

Lin Qingwu was amused by her sister's choice of words, "I really did bring you a gift, but..."

"It's just that I wasn't the one who gave the gift."

The two sisters exchanged a few words, and Mingyue brought over a thick cloak.

After being properly wrapped up, Lin Qingdai got out of bed again and went to her sister's side.

As soon as she sat down, Lin Qingwu pushed the small wooden box closer to her, saying, "It was a gift from Young Master Su."

Lin Qingdai: "Oh, brother-in-law?"

Lin Qingwu: "..."

How is she supposed to respond?

Not knowing how to respond, I simply skipped the topic and said, "Open it and see if you like it."

Lin Qingdai opened the box, glanced inside, and then burst out laughing.

"Brother Yu is truly domineering."

This is no exaggeration; the box was filled with rare jewels and silver notes.

Lin Qingwu added, "Your brother Yu said he bought some land in Lingdong, but it's been lying fallow ever since he couldn't figure out what to do with it. If you need it when you go there, just use it; you don't need to inform him again."

Lin Qingdai could understand Su Yuhe's sister's thoughts, but these gifts were far too expensive.

What's more, she also had her own selfish motives this time.

With her thoughts racing, Lin Qingdai closed the wooden box and pushed it back to Lin Qingwu.

“Sister, you and Brother Yu don’t owe Dai Dai anything, so I can’t accept these things.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingwu grasped Jiao Jiao'er's hand and said, "Dai Dai, your sister and Brother Yu gave these gifts not because they felt guilty."

"Just think of them as your dowry from your sister and brother-in-law."

"This is love. No matter how rich or intelligent you are, if you marry far away, your family will worry about you and want to give you more things to rely on."

As Lin Qingdai listened to these words, she couldn't help but recall how her older sister would always ask her brother Yu to pick dates and fruit when she was little, and without exception, the best ones would be handed to her first.

My heart is warmed, and it's hard to hold back.

As a thin mist clouded her dark eyes, she suddenly lowered her head, resting her forehead on her sister's shoulder.

"Thank you, sister. Dai Dai will definitely take good care of herself."

"And everyone else too."

Lin Qingwu affectionately ruffled her hair, and only after the little girl had finished being affectionate and sat up straight did he take out the jade pendant that Song Yunlan had given him from his sleeve.

"This is a gift from the Second Prince for the Luhua Festival."

Lin Qingdai couldn't help but ask in surprise, "When did he give it to you?"

Lin Qingwu: "The day I went to Huaxi Temple."

Lin Qingdai took the jade pendant and examined it closely. "Did he go there specifically to wait for you?"

"That must be it, otherwise how could it be such a coincidence?"

"There's just one thing I don't understand."

"What is it?"

"Since he knew our whereabouts, why didn't he go directly to Mr. Yu-Ning?"

If you go directly to Mr. Yu Yong, he can even personally hand the jade pendant to Dai Dai.

Lin Qingdai chuckled softly upon hearing this.

"What are you laughing at, Dai Dai? Have you guessed the Second Prince's intentions?"

Lin Qingdai nodded slightly.

"The King of Weapons, one man can be worth ten million soldiers. If His Majesty finds out that the Second Prince went to find him, suspicion will be inevitable."

"The Second Prince dares not take this risk."

After listening, Lin Qingwu felt the fog in her heart dissipate and suddenly understand.

She couldn't help but exclaim, "Why is Dai Dai so intelligent, even though they were born to the same parents?"

Lin Qingdai was amused by her. She suddenly reached out and poked her sister's dimples. "Then why is it that we were born to the same parents, but you have dimples while I don't?"

Lin Qingwu feigned anger and slapped her sister's hand away, saying, "You have no manners."

However, the weight that landed on the back of her hand was gentle, as if she was afraid of hurting Jiao Jiao.

"It's getting late, go to sleep."

"Keep this jade here. Return it to the Second Prince when you see him at the Luhua Festival."

"Okay, sister, go to bed early too."

After Lin Qingwu left, Mingyue and Mingqian immediately gathered around Lin Qingdai and carefully examined the wooden box that Lin Qingwu had brought.

"As expected of the young lady, her skills are dazzling."

"With the powerful alliance of Young Master Su and Miss Su, they are bound to take the title of the richest man in the capital."

"Young Master Su has bought all the land in Lingdong..."

The two girls, who had been following Lin Qingdai around, had seen plenty of good things. But at this moment, they were still taken aback by the "casual gift" from Young Master Su and their own young lady.

Lin Qingdai let them make a fuss, her gaze fixed on the pink lotus on the jade surface amidst their laughter.

There was one thing my sister hadn't mentioned when we analyzed the Second Prince's behavior earlier.

Since this jade pendant was a gift for the Luhua Festival, the Second Prince could have easily waited until the night of the festival banquet when she entered the palace to give it to her.

Even if His Majesty finds out, he can explain it.

After all, in the past, during the Luhua Festival banquet, everyone would exchange gifts.

But he didn't.

He chose the most circuitous and roundabout way.

What exactly does he want to do?

Three days later, the Luhua Festival will arrive.

Every household gets up early to steam Luhua glutinous rice cakes; those with skill can even fry them. Topped with sweet Luhua sauce, they're a perfect way to welcome spring and fill your heart and mouth with sweetness.

That day, Lin Qingdai also got up very early.

She went to the small kitchen and made Luhua Ci (a type of glutinous rice cake) with the head chef of the mansion.

While others' grains are round and plump, hers can be rabbits, birds, or fish—the variety is endless.

"It has to be the Second Miss, she did a really good job."

"It's just for show; Master Gu's skill is far superior. But kids will definitely like these. You can take some home with you today."

"You too."

"Thank you, Miss."

Amidst the thick, hot smoke, laughter and cheerful voices filled the air.

Everyone was relaxed and genuinely happy.

While it was still warm, Lin Qingdai sent some over to her grandfather.

The quiet study is brightened and warmed by the spring breeze.

They got to eat freshly baked Luhua glutinous rice cakes again, made by their little darling. In the past, Lin Zhenwei would have been overjoyed and called Xiao Ming to fetch the Luhua Festival gifts he had prepared in advance for her.

But today, it was not possible.

He was just thinking that he was destined not to be able to eat the Luhua Ci (a type of rice cake) made by Dai Dai herself during next year's Luhua Festival.

The taste of the Luhua flower, sweet at first, turns bitter at the end.

Lin Qingdai seemed to read her grandfather's mind, and said to him with a smile, "Grandpa, I promise you: no matter how the situation changes, I will come home every year for the Luhua Festival to make Luhua rice cakes for you."

What do you think?

Lin Zhenwei knew that this sentence was easy to say but extremely difficult to put into practice.

But at that moment, he didn't spoil the mood. He smiled at his precious child and said, "What does Grandpa think?"

After calming her father-in-law down, Lin Qingdai prepared to go back to her room for some sleep. She had gotten up too early today, and she had to attend a banquet at the palace that evening; she worried she wouldn't be able to stay awake if she didn't get some rest. Unexpectedly, halfway there, she was stopped by Lord Lin, in a very loud voice:

“Dai Dai”.

Lin Qingdai jogged over to her father's side, her dark eyes sparkling.

"Father, why are you up so early today?"

The Luhua Festival was a fixed holiday in the Xun Kingdom.

On his days off, Lord Lin would sleep two hours longer than usual.

Unwavering.

It is quite rare for him to get up so soon after mealtime, as is the case today.

Lin Yansen reached out and patted his daughter's head. "Aren't we going to the palace today to attend the Luhua Festival banquet?"

"Yes, but that was at night."

"Your father is a first-rank nobleman, extremely intelligent, how could he not know that the Luhua Festival banquet is in the evening?"

Lin Qingdai smiled, her eyes crinkling, "Yes, yes, Father is right."

Lin Yansen took in his daughter's adorable appearance, his heart aching, but he did not show his emotions.

"Your father commissioned some gold jewelry for you and your sister a while ago, and we can pick it up today. Since you're already up, come with your father to get it."

Lin Qingdai: "What kind of gold jewelry? Where was it custom-made?"

Lin Yansen: "You'll find out soon enough."

Lin Qingdai's plan to catch up on sleep was completely ruined, but she didn't care at all; in fact, she was happy about it.

She has loved going out of the mansion to play since she was little, and now she can not only go out but also have her father accompany her. What a wonderful thing!

Today is the Luhua Festival, and the capital city has been bustling since morning.

After a quick tidying up, Lin Qingdai followed Lin Yansen out of the mansion. The journey was smooth, and the carriage approached Luxiu Street in the heart of the capital. This street was lined with various shops offering a wide variety of goods, including Huibao Store, a favorite among the capital's noble ladies.

"As expected of Luxiu Street, it's already so lively so early in the morning."

"What's going on up there? Are they preparing for a martial arts contest to find a husband?"

The carriage stopped at the entrance of Luxiu Street. Lin Yansen and Lin Qingdai got out of the carriage, followed by Chen Qing and several guards.

The group slowly walked into Luxiu Street and strolled around, taking in the sights.

Unexpectedly, Lin Yansen's attention was drawn to the towering arena several dozen feet away. The arena was still empty at the moment, but the crowd below it had already surrounded it in layers.

Chen Qing: "Yes."

"Does Your Excellency know the Zou family in the north of the city? The one that owns more than a dozen clothing shops in the capital."

Lin Yansen vaguely remembered, "I heard Madam mention that their clothes have unique patterns."

Chen Qing nodded. "This is the family. They only have one daughter in the new generation, Miss Zou Yunxian. This arena is set up for her today; the Zou family is looking for a son-in-law."

"Is that so?"

After remaining silent for several breaths, the "extremely intelligent" Marquis Lin suddenly blurted out, "My Lin family is much richer than the Zou family. Can I ask Ji Yujing and Su Si to come and become my sons-in-law?"

Chen Qing: "..." He dared not answer that question.

Chen Qing dared not answer, and the other guards dared even less.

The atmosphere froze for a moment, creating an eerie feeling.

Upon seeing this, Lin Qingdai burst out laughing.

Lin Yansen glanced at her, and she immediately said, "If Father wants, he can talk to Brother Yu, or perhaps write a letter to Ji Yujing. Maybe that will work?"

"But that's all after the Luhua Festival. Now let's see the martial arts contest for marriage."

"Will there be many martial arts masters?"

Lin Yansen felt that his daughter's words made sense, so he temporarily put the matter aside.

The group headed towards the marriage contest arena.