Chapter 75 Actually, even without Third Brother, I wouldn't have been able to marry Jia Baoyu. "Call him..."
After lunch, Mu Chuan sighed, "It seems like nothing has changed from before."
Lin Daiyu smiled, revealing her dimples: "Third Brother is a good person."
"I really want to show you our storeroom," Mu Chuan said. "We have a lot of stuff; just take whatever you want."
"Third Brother used to put a lot of thought into giving me gifts, but now you don't want to put any thought into me at all?" Although Lin Daiyu's words had a hint of reproach, her voice was smiling and the corners of her mouth were still turned up.
“You’re the one who just said I’m a good person,” Mu Chuan emphasized.
Lin Daiyu glanced at him: "Third Brother, you're a little slow with your studies today. You haven't finished learning what you're supposed to learn yet."
Mu Chuan looked thoughtful, and Lin Daiyu quickly emphasized, "I can't pretend I don't know. I have to leave at Shenshi no matter what."
The two returned to the study, where Mu Chuan wrote two pieces of calligraphy and sighed, "I couldn't control my brush today; it kept going off-script." He then looked at Lin Daiyu's demonstration for him, "How come yours is fine? I can't be the only one who's feeling uneasy, can I?"
Lin Daiyu chuckled twice: "Actually, I have it too, but Third Brother's level isn't high enough to tell."
Mu Chuan then took the example she had just written and placed it on his side: "I have to keep it safe, I'll use it to laugh at you in the future."
Actually, today's progress was indeed touching. Lin Daiyu suddenly sighed and laughed, "It seems I've been trying to cover it up. Let's stop writing and have a good chat." She glanced at the grandfather clock in the room, "I can stay a little longer."
"Is there anything you want?" Mu Chuan asked again. "I always want to treat you better, but I don't know if you're just being polite. I sent people to the Rongguo Mansion to inquire, and they could find out everything, but they couldn't find out what you liked."
"I like sweets, and Third Brother knows that."
Mu Chuan gasped: "You forgot about that."
Lin Daiyu smiled, revealing two small dimples: "I won't stand on ceremony with Third Brother. If I want something, I will definitely ask."
Mu Chuan asked, "If I were to ask His Majesty to act as matchmaker, what day would you prefer?"
Lin Daiyu recalled his words, "Any time is a good day to worship ancestors," and she smiled and said, "Any time is a good day when I can be with Third Brother."
After saying that, she realized her face was burning again.
It's true, Third Brother is too frank. After spending a lot of time with him, you no longer need to weigh your words.
"Third Brother, don't look at me like that." Meeting Mu Chuan's gaze, Lin Daiyu felt a little flustered and quickly pulled the Emperor aside. "Besides, can't Your Majesty choose a date for a marriage?"
"Can't we choose?" Mu Chuan asked, "But you mentioned earlier that the parents' names came first—"
He got up, took a wooden stick, and tapped the drum hanging at the entrance of the study.
Lin Daiyu was taken aback, then laughed: "Is this a greeting?"
Mu Chuan replied, "That's how we got it back in the military. It's loud and has a strong penetrating power, much less effort than shouting yourself. Why don't you try it?"
Lin Daiyu's expression immediately became indescribable; she couldn't help but feel that it resembled the story of the princes playing with fire.
Before long, a subordinate came in from outside. Mu Chuan instructed, "Send someone to Linjia Village and tell them to return immediately after the wedding."
His subordinates, who had been held captive for a moment, immediately said, "Congratulations, General! Congratulations, Miss!"
Lin Daiyu blushed slightly, but nodded to him to indicate that she had heard him.
After the man left, Mu Chuan asked again, "Shall we go and offer incense to Lord Lin and Madam Lin?"
"Go to the Great Buddha Hall," Lin Daiyu said with a smile. "I'll go to the Green Bamboo Nunnery, the nunnery in the Grand View Garden. Last time I said I wanted to go with you to offer incense, my grandmother immediately ordered people to set up a nunnery in the Grand View Garden."
Lin Daiyu sighed, "Jia Baoyu also went to offer incense."
Mu Chuan immediately glared at her, while Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "Third Brother, come here—sit here, and I'll have a good talk with you."
Mu Chuan sat down next to her. Lin Daiyu thought for a moment and smiled, "I probably wouldn't have been able to marry Jia Baoyu even without Third Brother, so Third Brother doesn't need to care about him."
Her tone and expression made Mu Chuan's heart clench: "Tell me, and I'll go beat him up again after you've finished."
Lin Daiyu chuckled twice and said softly, "My father said we are engaged, and that my grandmother told him not to tell me. Didn't I tell you?"
Mu Chuan nodded: "You also said that it was because your maternal grandmother was afraid that if you found out, your relationship with Jia Baoyu would be different, and people would notice something was amiss, which would be bad for your reputation."
“Hmm.” Lin Daiyu nodded. “Later, when I returned to Rongguo Mansion, my maternal grandmother said that Jia Baoyu should not marry too early. At the time, I thought she was just trying to warn the Xue family, but… the Xue family was already staying at Rongguo Mansion. My maternal grandmother couldn’t be afraid of the Xue family, could she? If the Xue family had such power, why would they have gone to the capital to avoid trouble and stayed at Rongguo Mansion for seven or eight years?”
Lin Daiyu glanced at Mu Chuan, then smiled again upon seeing the expression on his face: "I know that Third Brother is powerful and influential, and a favorite of the Emperor, yet he doesn't even reply to the Xue family's invitation."
She chuckled twice, then sighed, "If Grandmother really wanted me to marry into the Rongguo Mansion, then there shouldn't be these rumors. Saying it's a warning to the Xue family is actually a subtle hint to me to plan for the future. Third Brother, my father is a third-place scholar and the Salt Commissioner of Lianghuai, and my mother is the eldest daughter of a Duke. My Lin family is a distinguished family with four generations of noble titles. I shouldn't be compared to a Xue woman."
She breathed a sigh of relief. Mu Chuan knew she hadn't finished speaking, so he didn't say anything, but simply refilled her teacup with hot water.
Lin Daiyu held the cup in her hands; it was warm and comfortable.
"Later... Jia Baoyu did say it—not as directly as his third brother, but always insinuations—but the rumors of a perfect match between Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu never stopped. My maid, the one who was dismissed, went to tell Jia Baoyu that I wanted to go back to Suzhou, and Jia Baoyu went crazy. Everyone in the Rongguo Mansion would say, 'Second Master Bao can't live without Miss Lin.' My maternal grandmother only said it was because the siblings were close, and she said it in front of Madam Xue."
"Third Brother," Lin Daiyu suddenly called out, "Do you know that there were marriages in the manor during that time? For example, Miss Xing and the young master of the Xue family. Miss Xue also came to the capital to get married. They were all about the same age, some even younger than me. There was also a Miss Shi from the Rongguo Mansion who was engaged at the age of thirteen."
"In recent years, besides the two Xue family daughters, there was also Miss Fu, Miss Shi was also mentioned in the past, as well as Miss Zhen, and an unnamed girl, who was mentioned by a Taoist priest from Qingxu Temple. All of this happened after we were engaged. There were connections with my maternal grandmother, my second maternal uncle, and my second maternal aunt. No one in the Jia family ever thought of me marrying Jia Baoyu."
She took another deep breath: "Third brother, you came to the manor to inquire about the news, and you found out, right? Master Bao and Miss Lin are a couple."
Mu Chuan nodded.
Lin Daiyu said, "Yes, Third Brother knows, and others can find out too. With such rumors, it's impossible for me to marry outside the family unless I become someone's concubine."
Mu Chuan's expression warmed Lin Daiyu's heart, and she smiled: "Third Brother, don't be sad. I'm telling you this not only to tell you that I can't marry Jia Baoyu, but also to tell you that I know everything."
Lin Daiyu originally wanted to say, "You don't need to be so careful with me." But for some reason, the words that came out of her mouth were, "I'm willing, Third Brother."
One sentence was enough to appease Mu Chuan: "Even if you say that, the Rongguo Mansion still deserves to die."
Lin Daiyu laughed: "Actually, Jia Baoyu just wants to have older sisters and his favorite maids with him, and to live in the Grand View Garden for the rest of his life."
Her words reminded Mu Chuan of the hymns he had seen at His Majesty's place last time. He said, "Then let's have him move out of the Grand View Garden first."
Lin Daiyu glanced at him but didn't ask any questions. She knew he was going to tell His Majesty. Besides, the Grand View Garden was a royal property, so the Emperor naturally had the authority to manage it.
But how can that be enough to make up for it?
Mu Chuan then said, "So, your maternal grandmother might have a letter written by your father in his own hand, mentioning your marriage?"
Lin Daiyu hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Actually, she thought the letter must have been burned long ago.
If my father were still alive, the Rongguo Mansion would be marrying above its station, and this letter would serve as a token of that honor.
But her father is dead. In the eyes of the Rongguo Mansion, she has climbed too high, and keeping this letter is a disaster.
"Don't worry," Mu Chuan comforted him softly. "Let me find someone to retrieve this letter first."
Which eye of yours saw that I was anxious?
However, Lin Daiyu nodded and said, "I will listen to Third Brother."
Mu Chuan had already decided on his choice—Li Chengwu, a third-rank commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, a professional at confiscating property, and who had even beaten up Jia Baoyu, so he could be considered to have a connection with the Rongguo Mansion.
Although he felt the letter must have been destroyed, it was actually a good thing that it was destroyed. If it couldn't be found... then he could search for it to his heart's content.
"Third Brother, you should take me back now." Lin Daiyu stood up.
Mu Chuan looked somewhat embarrassed, while Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "The Rongguo Mansion is so nice now. When I first came here, my father was still alive, and they served me so well. I want to experience it again."
Mu Chuan chuckled and walked a few steps outside with her. Suddenly, he said, "I feel like I haven't been serious enough. I asked you to be my wife, the wife of the Marquis of Zhongyong, and it was all just talk. Aren't you going to go to the storeroom and pick something out? I have a huge piece of red coral in my storeroom. It's translucent in the sunlight and very beautiful."
"You've already sent so many things," Lin Daiyu said with a smile. "Besides, shouldn't these things be presented to the Emperor?"
Mu Chuan laughed, "Presenting such things to His Majesty is beneath you. This isn't how you become a favored minister. What did your father ever present to His Majesty back then?"
"How would I remember? I was too young then. But... I don't think I had anything particularly valuable."
Mu Chuan chuckled. "That's right. Your father, my father-in-law, presented the emperor with a cloud-shaped cake that had been sitting out for a long time and was so choking that it was impossible to swallow. The emperor still remembers it fondly to this day."
The two of them walked to the front yard, and Mu Chuan suddenly said, "Wait a minute, I just remembered what to give you."
He took a long stride and started walking back. Lin Daiyu sighed as she watched his speed and pace, saying, "It's really a hardship for Third Brother to have to keep up with my pace when we walk together."
Mu Chuan returned quickly and gave Lin Daiyu a string of five copper coins tied with a red string: "Five Emperor Coins, which can ward off evil spirits, protect the home, bring good fortune, and also bring wealth."
"Then I'll accept it."
Mu Chuan escorted Lin Daiyu back to the Rongguo Mansion, and he was very reluctant to part with her. His behavior reassured Lin Daiyu, and she smiled and said, "In a couple of days, Her Majesty will summon me to the palace."
Mu Chuan nodded thoughtfully and said, "I will also be going to the palace in a couple of days." He suddenly chuckled, "There is a banquet in the West Garden. I was originally planning to take you there. You know, around the Qingming Festival, young ladies and young talents all go out for a spring outing."
Lin Daiyu laughed, "Can't we look now? Third Brother, Third Brother is worth two young talents."
After she finished speaking, she took two quick steps forward. Mu Chuan shook his head and sighed helplessly, "I can only watch."
Lin Daiyu smiled as she got into the sedan chair, then poked her head out and said, "Third Brother, go back early and be careful on the road."
Just as Mu Chuan turned around, Lin Daiyu suddenly called out to him again: "Third Brother!" She tossed out a purse, "For the cat at Third Brother's house that can do backflips to sharpen its claws."
How can she be so good?
Even after entering the Imperial Study, Mu Chuan still had a smile on his face.
"Your Majesty, the marriage can be granted. I spoke with Miss Lin, and she has agreed to become the wife of the Marquis of Zhongyong."
The emperor chuckled twice: "I knew my method would work, using the glass lamp to tell her the story of Journey to the West?"
Mu Chuan didn't mention this at all. To be honest, who would look at girls when there are monkeys around?
"I did tell you," Mu Chuan said with a smile. "Miss Lin likes the part where Pigsy carries his wife on his back."
The emperor smiled and said, "I remember that glass cup was a gift before the New Year?"
Mu Chuan nodded in agreement, and the emperor laughed again: "It's clear that Qiao Yue isn't quick-witted enough. Pigsy carrying his wife? This is clearly a sign that he has feelings for you. If you had told me earlier, you would have already married a wife."
After all, he was the emperor. Mu Chuan smiled again and said, "Thank you for acting as matchmaker, Your Majesty."
"What about the birth date and time?" The emperor smiled as soon as he saw the expression on Mu Chuan's face. "Qiao Yue, Qiao Yue, sigh... If you don't care, I'll have someone take care of it."
Doesn't this give the emperor a sense of involvement? Mu Chuan then made another request: "Don't stay out too late. The Rongguo Mansion is acting outrageously. I want to pick up Miss Lin as soon as possible."
Mu Chuan then complained with righteous indignation: "Your Majesty, I only learned today that the Grand View Garden is almost full. Jia Baoyu, who praised the Grand View Garden in the poem he wrote last time and expressed his wish to live there, is living in the Grand View Garden. Apart from him, who is the only man, all the others are young girls. There are more than forty people serving him in his room alone. I heard that it was the Empress who issued the decree that he should move in to study."
I specifically emphasized the word "reading".
The emperor's expression changed: "Issue an imperial edict? Who is she on some ancestral tablet? How dare she issue an imperial edict?"
As expected, the emperor grasped the key point; the complaint was indeed to the point.
The emperor instructed the eunuch serving in the imperial study: "Go and tell him to move out." The emperor glanced at Mu Chuan standing in front of him again and said, "Miss Lin, don't move. It's fine for the other girls to stay here."
The emperor didn't shy away from Mu Chuan and instructed, "Go and tell the empress to have Jia copy a few more copies of the palace rules."
Mu Chuan listened attentively. A few days ago, Zhong Jun had also hinted that he might be able to seize the opportunity to besiege and confiscate the property of these four kings and eight dukes in the future. So the emperor's current lack of restraint towards him was probably a hint to him.
After the eunuch left, the emperor smiled and said, "I remember you are nine years older than Miss Lin?"
“Your Majesty,” Mu Chuan argued, “Miss Lin just celebrated her seventeenth birthday on February 12th, while I haven’t even had my birthday yet. I’m only eight years older than her.”
The emperor burst into laughter: "Qiao Yue, Qiao Yue!"
Mu Chuan then complained, "The Rongguo Mansion is really good at bullying people. They compare Miss Lin to the daughter of a merchant family, and they even think that Miss Lin is inferior to her in many ways. I feel sorry for my father-in-law."
The emperor's expression changed, but before he could get angry, he laughed again: "So this is how you become a father-in-law? The Rongguo Mansion has indeed gone too far." The emperor thought for a moment and then instructed the eunuch, "The current head of the Rongguo Mansion should be a first-class general. How can he still be holding the property of a duke? Take back everything that is overstepping his bounds. Let's leave the duke's mansion for now and deal with it after their duke's wife dies. The same goes for the Ningguo Mansion."
The eunuch reminded him, "The head of the Ningguo Mansion is the Third-Rank General Weilie, so the Ningguo Mansion should rightfully be taken back. However, the Grand View Garden also occupies part of the Ningguo Mansion's land."
The emperor sneered, "They're quite the schemers. Tell them to move out."
The eunuch went to carry it out again, and Mu Chuan said, "Your Majesty is wise!"
"Marriage is a serious matter and cannot be taken lightly. Is your house ready? Miss Lin has no family to rely on; I must consult the Empress to see what to do."
"I am already twenty-seven."
"You're only twenty-five!" The emperor was both amused and exasperated. "Alright, it's already this late. Have some food before you leave." It would also save you from always having to eat at the Daming Palace.
Mu Chuan thoroughly enjoyed his meal, but the Jia family's meal was a complete disaster.
The emperor gave two orders: first, to order Jia Baoyu to move out of the Grand View Garden; and second, to take back all of the Jia family's possessions that exceeded the prescribed limits.
The specifics of how to proceed, who should go, and what to say were all controlled by the eunuchs.
If she were to speak out without considering the consequences, Miss Lin would likely face some criticism. Besides, the palace eunuchs are all very shrewd; they would never do such a thing.
Have they gone mad for offending the Marquis of Zhongyong for no reason?
The two eunuchs came out and discussed it, and realized that this matter could actually be accomplished. They went to Kunning Palace and respectfully reported to the Empress, saying, "The Virtuous Consort is indeed the most virtuous person in the palace. Knowing that her family has overstepped the bounds in many ways, she specifically requests Your Majesty and Her Majesty to withdraw the favor."
The Empress smiled and said, “In that case, you may proceed. Go to Consort Xiande’s palace and summon Baoqin. She was brought from the Jia family by Consort Xiande. Tell her to go back and visit her as well. Also, summon Xia Shouzhong. He is the chief eunuch of the six palaces. The concubines in the palace always have to go through him to send messages. Moreover, he was the one who went to the Jia family to deliver imperial edicts several times.”
Inside the Rongguo Mansion, Grandmother Jia was eating her meal.
Shi Xiangyun had already gone back, and Lin Daiyu was also not there, so it was a bit deserted. Grandmother Jia said with a smile, "Whenever Yu'er goes to the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion, she never comes back for dinner. It's clear that the food at the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion is not to her liking, which makes her unable to eat dinner."
These words were just a forced attempt to save face. Sanchun remembered the pastries Lin Daiyu had given them, which were so delicious that she wished she could swallow her tongue along with them.
Tan Chun laughed and said, "I've heard that meat is delicious in the southwest. It's either roasted or smoked, and one piece can keep you full for a long time."
"Exactly." Madam Wang finished eating, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and smiled. "Last time on her birthday, that Earl of Zhongyong even gave her a roast suckling pig. It was so greasy, who likes to eat that?"
This subtly satirized the Earl of Zhongyong for being uncouth, a primitive man who had never seen anything good, which pleased both Lady Wang and Grandmother Jia.
"Grandma! Something terrible has happened! Grandpa Xia and Aunt Baoqin are here! They're on their way."
"What's wrong with that!" Grandmother Jia said angrily. "The imperial decree that made the concubine was issued by Eunuch Xia, and Baoqin is from our household. How can it be wrong!"
Wang Xifeng frowned, looking very worried. The reason was simple: Eunuch Xia had taken nearly two thousand taels of silver from the Rongguo Mansion. Wang Xifeng didn't believe he had any good intentions.
She sat back slightly, rubbing her head. Anyway, she had a lot of troubles in her courtyard, especially since Second Sister You hadn't returned yet. It was normal that she couldn't pay attention to these things.
The old woman came running, still out of breath. Grandmother Jia scolded her coldly, "What kind of behavior is this? I can't stand seeing you all in such a panic! If it were a formal imperial decree, it would naturally be delivered in the front courtyard. The fact that you're coming to the back courtyard means that the Empress has something to say, especially with Baoqin in there."
"Exactly," Madam Wang echoed. "If I take away your monthly salary, would you accept it?"
"Awful? That old woman is almost out of breath."
She left dejectedly.
Although Grandmother Jia was putting on a show of force, she was actually quite flustered inside. She pulled Yuanyang up by the hand and said, "Let's go to the front hall. Go and prepare some red envelopes and the finest tea and snacks. What's the rush? What can we say at dinner?"
Just as Grandmother Jia and her entourage settled down, Xia Shouzhong and his party of six arrived.
"How has your father-in-law been these days?" Grandmother Jia asked with a smile.
Xia Shouzhong perfectly portrayed a sarcastic eunuch: "You're too kind, Duchess. Baoqin, you may speak."
Baoqin stepped forward, her tone gentle and her face smiling, and said, "Your Majesty says that Baoyu is getting old. Back then, Master Zhu passed the imperial examination at less than fourteen years old. He will be eighteen in less than two months. It's time for him to study hard. Your Majesty's idea is to have him move out."
Knowing that family members know their own situation, Baoqin added, "Move to the outer courtyard, don't keep living in the old lady's courtyard."
a bolt from the blue!
Grandmother Jia felt like the sky had fallen, and although Lady Wang was also saddened, she was mostly relieved that her wish had been fulfilled.
At least I can finally get away from that sickly guy.
After Baoqin finished speaking, she glanced at Xia Shouzhong.
Xia Shouzhong cleared his throat and continued, "Since the last time she visited her family, Consort Jia has been restless day and night in the palace because that garden is too luxurious. Consort Jia has already pleaded with His Majesty and the Empress to take back the items in her residence that exceed the prescribed limits. The Empress could not resist Consort Jia's pleas and has already agreed."
If what happened just now was a bolt from the blue, this is like being struck by lightning.
How is that possible?
Grandmother Jia's smile froze. Xia Shouzhong didn't care about her feelings. He continued, "Since it was Jia Fei who asked for this, I thought if we brought the Embroidered Uniform Guard with us, wouldn't that mean our property would be confiscated? So I came to inform you that if there's anything we shouldn't have, you should take care of it yourselves and send it to the Imperial Household Department."
The only sound inside was breathing; no one spoke. Xia Shouzhong continued.
"And the Ning family next door, since they are no longer the Duke, they should return the Duke's Mansion. Consort Jia knows that it is not easy for such a large family to move, but they have quite a few houses. Consort Jia has already informed His Majesty that they will definitely be able to move within three months."
Grandmother Jia unconsciously gasped for breath, her chest tightening: "Father-in-law—"
She didn't know what to ask, nor did she know what she could ask.
Baoqin suddenly sighed: "The Empress is having trouble sleeping and eating in the palace. She has already requested to close the palace and will not even see His Majesty."
Lady Wang couldn't stand this, so she immediately said, "Please ask your father-in-law to go to the Ning Mansion and tell them that the head of our Jia family is in the neighboring mansion. If we go and tell them, I'm afraid they won't believe us."
As she spoke, she took the thickest red envelope with both hands and handed it to Xia Shouzhong.
Xia Shouzhong sighed, scaring Madam Wang half to death.
"Very well, after all, I am the chief eunuch of the six palaces, so this is my job. But I'm thinking that since you all share the same surname, it will be easier for us to talk to each other."
To be fair, it was quite pleasing that she presented the red envelope so respectfully, but I'd rather test the skill of the Marquis of Zhongyong, who could make a red envelope fly over with just a cupped hand.
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