Chapter 35 (Continued)
With tears in her eyes, Zijuan said, "Grandma, our young lady is all alone here. You are her only support. You must stand up for her!"
Daiyu immediately said, "I don't need anyone to make decisions for me, I just want to leave this place!"
Grandmother Jia was unaware of what had happened, but seeing Daiyu's resolute attitude, she knew that Daiyu wanted her to make her own statement. Therefore, she hurriedly got up and grabbed Daiyu's hand, almost causing Yuanyang to fall behind.
“Good child, don’t say such things. Is there anything you can’t tell your grandmother?” Grandmother Jia tried her best to soften her tone. “No matter what it is, your grandmother can make a decision for you!”
Daiyu's expression softened a bit, but she remained silent.
Seeing this, Grandmother Jia knew that there was still a chance to resolve the situation, so she took Daiyu's hand and led her to sit on the couch. She gently asked Zijuan, "Tell me slowly. Whatever it is, just tell me. No one will blame you."
Zijuan glanced cautiously at her young mistress, who lowered her head and dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, looking even more aggrieved. "Grandma, it's been getting colder every day since September. Our young mistress is frail, so she hasn't dared to go out much, but who would have thought she'd still hear so much gossip..."
Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia frowned, while the maids and servants beside her exchanged alarmed glances.
Zijuan continued, "They say our young lady is unfilial. She is clearly a junior, yet she doesn't know how to respect her uncle and aunt, and she doesn't even respect her cousins and sisters-in-law. She no longer associates with her sisters. It's clear she has climbed the social ladder and will never see anyone from this household again."
"Grandma, we've heard such nasty gossip even in this courtyard. If we leave here, who knows what they'll say about our young lady!" Zijuan cried as she spoke. "Grandma, since the marriage was bestowed in June, our young lady has received the Emperor and Empress Dowager's gifts. She dared not keep them to herself, and carefully arranged everything, personally delivering them to each household. Everyone in the mansion saw it, and yet they still say she's unfilial and has no respect for others. Our young lady is truly suffering a great injustice, like snow falling in June!"
Hearing Zijuan's words, the servants in the room lowered their heads even further, because they had also said that Miss Lin was stingy. Even though they relayed messages to the old lady, Miss Lin never skimped on the rewards. But... who would complain about having too much stuff?
Otherwise, there wouldn't be the saying "a little kindness is appreciated, but too much kindness breeds resentment." They saw that Miss Lin had many good things, and each of them wanted to get more from her. It was clearly not what they deserved, but they couldn't get what they wanted, so they thought Miss Lin was stingy.
Grandmother Jia didn't react for a moment, because she didn't expect Daiyu to be unhappy about this matter. She had heard the rumors before, and there had been constant gossip about Daiyu in the mansion over the years, but she had never paid any attention to it. This time, Grandmother Jia didn't take it to heart either, but she didn't expect Daiyu to be so petty now.
Perhaps it's because they have Prince Duan as their backer...
Thinking of Prince Duan, Grandmother Jia felt both unhappy and afraid. She really didn't know what kind of bewitching potion he had been given, that he was protecting a fiancée with whom he had little affection!
Now, however, Grandmother Jia hopes that Prince Duan will pay less attention to his fiancée.
"I thought it was a big deal. It's normal for servants to gossip..." Grandmother Jia forced a smile. "Yu'er, don't pay attention to those petty people. I'll call your sister-in-law over later and tell her to keep an eye on the gossips among the servants. I'll make sure you don't hear such idle talk again."
Daiyu lowered her hand, shook her head, and said, "Grandma, I don't care about gossip, but I don't know where I have been unfilial, or how I have not been kind to my sisters-in-law?"
Just because Daiyu grew up in the Jia family, it is clear that those so-called elders never gave her any care, yet they wanted to use this name to throw the word "filial piety" at her in an attempt to control her. It was utterly despicable!
As for her sisters-in-law and sisters, Yingchun and Xichun went out even less than Daiyu. Tanchun was too embarrassed to see Daiyu because of Lady Wang's matter, and she also had to manage the household with Li Wan. Wang Xifeng was currently recuperating, and Daiyu had visited her there.
Daiyu asked herself if she had done anything wrong, but some people kept finding fault with her, taking it as if she were easy to bully.
Grandmother Jia's heart skipped a beat, and she finally understood Daiyu's purpose. Of course, she wouldn't bother with the servants; she wanted to...
Who was the first to smear Daiyu this time? It was Aunt Zhao. Who first mentioned that Daiyu was disrespectful to her elders? It was Jia She and his wife.
With the Wang family's example still fresh in everyone's mind, Grandmother Jia couldn't help but feel a chill in her heart. How could there be so many fools in her own household!
Wang Shi wanted to harm Daiyu, but before she could even make the trip, she lost her imperial title and even implicated the Imperial Concubine. Given how petty Prince Duan was, even a few idle words would be enough for him to take action!
Aunt Zhao is connected to Jia Zheng, the son favored by Grandmother Jia, who also holds a fifth-rank official position. Jia She, on the other hand, carries the family's noble title. Neither of them can afford to lose anything.
Grandmother Jia closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, she had already made up her mind: "Yu'er, you are the most filial child imaginable, how could your maternal grandmother not know that? Don't worry, I will send someone to investigate right away and see who dares to make up such a lie, and they will be severely punished!"
Daiyu bowed her head and said, "Thank you, old lady."
...
"Your Highness, Your Highness..." Zhao Qingcai rushed over to see Chu Heng as soon as he returned from the Jia family. "This servant heard something from the Jia family."
Because Chu Heng was always concerned about the grievances Daiyu suffered in the Jia family, he sent Zhao Qing to deliver things to the Jia family every time he went there for the past two months, and it always took several carriages to carry them all.
With so many cars and people, everyone except Zhao Qing who went to see Daiyu was entertained by the Jia family's stewards. Knowing that his master was concerned about Miss Lin, Zhao Qing instructed them to deliberately inquire about things in the mansion from the Jia family's servants, fearing that Miss Lin might suffer any more grievances and have no one to stand up for her.
Chu Heng's fingers tumbled over the strings of his zither. He raised his hand to press them down, frowning as he asked, "What is it? Has someone in the Jia family treated Miss Lin badly?"
"Someone has been slandering Miss Lin, Your Highness. Don't worry, Miss Lin has already vented her anger!" Zhao Qing hurriedly said.
"Tell me in detail," Chu Heng said, still uneasy.
Zhao Qing then recounted all the slanderous things people had said about Daiyu, and said that she had gone to see Grandmother Jia: "Later, Grandmother Jia sent people to investigate in detail, and found out that a concubine from the second branch was jealous of Miss Lin and told everyone that Miss Lin was stingy. The wife of the first branch coveted Miss Lin's money and rewards, so she said that Miss Lin was unfilial to her elders. Grandmother Jia called the two of them over and scolded them in front of all the servants and juniors in the room. She cut off their monthly wages and their clothes, cosmetics and jewelry for all four seasons, and ordered them to go back and stay at home. They were required to kneel and recite scriptures for six hours every day and were only provided with one vegetarian meal."
After listening, Chu Heng asked, "And then?"
Zhao Qing knew his master felt the punishment was too lenient, so he quickly said, "Your Highness, being scolded in front of junior servants has already caused them to lose all face. The ladies and concubines in high-ranking families have lost their monthly allowances, their clothes and jewelry, and apart from their dowries, they have nothing left. Moreover, they may not even be able to control their dowries. Besides, although they are not noble ladies, they have never suffered before. Kneeling for six hours a day and only being able to eat a simple meal is enough for them to endure!"
“The culprit…” Chu Heng stroked the strings of his zither, “After all, he is her own uncle, so I can’t act rashly.”
"Wait here." Chu Heng got up, took the sheet music he had just tried playing to his desk, copied it down, handed the original to Zhao Qing, and then wrote a letter.
“You told Miss Lin that this musical score is incomplete. I tried to fill in the gaps, but I still feel that something is missing. Please ask her to correct it.”
Zhao Qing pointed to the candle he had just lit and said, "Your Highness, it's getting late. It's not good to disturb Miss Lin. Perhaps I should go tomorrow."
Chu Heng looked out the window; the sky was overcast, and it looked like it was going to snow. He then asked, "When you saw Miss Lin, did you ask her if she needed charcoal, if the underfloor heating was working, if her winter clothes were warm, or if she needed anything else for the winter?"
Zhao Qing bowed and smiled, "This servant asked, and Miss Lin said she has everything. Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness. Miss Lin asks Your Highness to take good care of yourself. The room is inevitably dry with the underfloor heating and incense burning, so please drink more water."
"Hmm!" Upon hearing that it was Daiyu's instruction, Chu Heng immediately smiled.
Zhao Qing almost burst out laughing. In the end, this marriage did change the prince, bringing him vitality and life.
Imagine the lively scene of the Prince's Mansion when a few more little masters are added in the future; Zhao Qing could laugh himself awake in his sleep.
The next day, when Zhao Qing visited the Jia family again, Daiyu was discussing with her maids about having mutton hot pot—using the very fresh mutton that Chu Heng had sent Zhao Qing to deliver the day before.
These days, Zhao Qing has become a frequent visitor. Grandmother Jia is too lazy to receive him each time, so she says it's cold and she doesn't want Miss Lin to walk around in the cold wind. She tells Zhao Qing to go directly to Daiyu's room to see her, which means Zhao Qing no longer has to hide his identity when delivering messages.
Daiyu carefully put away the sheet music and letter, then smiled and said, "Please stay for dinner, Father-in-law. We'll have mutton hot pot today."
Zhao Qing smiled and said, "Thank you, Miss Lin. But the Prince said it was urgent. Please read the letter, Miss Lin, so I can go back and report."
When Daiyu heard this, she thought it was something urgent and hurriedly opened the letter to read it. It was Chu Heng asking her if she wanted to investigate Jia She and Jia Zheng. He then added that he had learned the reason from Zhao Qing, which showed that he was indeed in a hurry when he wrote the letter.
After reading the letter carefully twice, Daiyu smiled gently, feeling quite comforted. Firstly, Chu Heng's concern and worry were evident on the page, and secondly, Chu Heng had not acted on his own initiative.
Looking at Miss Lin's expression, Zhao Qing felt much more at ease, realizing that his wonderful plan from yesterday was getting closer and closer to reality.
Daiyu smiled and said, "Please tell His Highness that I won't say thank you. Let's leave things as they are for now. As for matters of the court, I urge His Highness to be cautious."
Daiyu knew perfectly well who the real culprit was. Jia She and Jia Zheng had their own reasons for their dissatisfaction with Daiyu, but right now she and Chu Heng couldn't touch them.
She could only temporarily deter them from making any rash moves or statements, and wait until later.
Zhao Qing bowed and agreed.
Daiyu took the embroidered purse and said with a smile, "I made this. My skills are not very good, please don't mind, Your Highness."
Zhao Qing hurriedly accepted the needlework with both hands, and said with a smile, "His Highness said that the young lady's needlework is the best."
Daiyu smiled and tried to persuade Zhao Qing to stay, but he bowed and politely declined, then took his leave.
Daiyu stood by the window, watching the snowflakes fluttering outside. She thought to herself that although she and Chuheng could not be a loving couple, they could at least accompany and care for each other. It was already very good that she had met such a supportive person.
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