Chapter 15 The All-Powerful Gentle Elder "I have to congratulate her."...
Although Jia Baoyu felt that women were like water and men were like mud, and he only liked to play with girls, and was often praised for his girlish character, he felt only humiliation when he was actually treated like a girl.
Jia Lian hurriedly stepped forward, his smile somewhat unnatural: "This is my younger brother, Baoyu from the second branch of the family."
At this point, it was Jia Baoyu's turn to step forward and pay his respects. However, for some reason, or perhaps because he had never encountered such a situation before, he didn't think about anything and didn't react at all. He just stood there, frozen in place.
Mu Chuan did not press his advantage. His newly adopted Lin Daiyu was still watching from the side. Her relationship with Jia Baoyu was... good, so he couldn't do too much, lest he upset Lin Daiyu.
"This must be the young man born with a jade in his mouth?" Mu Chuan smiled, adopting the air of an elder. "Indeed, he is a dragon among men, a rare find in this world."
Jia Lian breathed a sigh of relief, and Lin Daiyu's anxiety also eased considerably.
Jia Lian pulled Jia Baoyu aside and whispered, "Don't move." Then he untied the collar around Jia Baoyu's neck, took off the jade, handed it to Mu Chuan, and said with a smile, "This is the jade."
Jia Lian was most skilled at undressing women, and he was naturally a bit rough with Jia Baoyu. However, this brought Jia Baoyu back to his senses.
He finally remembered to bow, and Jia Baoyu stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Lord Zhongyong."
Mu Chuan nodded and hummed in greeting, then looked at the jade in his hand.
It is made of high-quality material, with a hard texture, and is covered with tiny characters.
He took two steps to the side and beckoned to Lin Daiyu.
Although Lin Daiyu didn't understand what was going on, she still followed them.
Mu Chuan lowered his voice and asked, "What kind of font is this? What does it say?"
Lin Daiyu found it amusing, but also a little touching. Although it was the first time they had met, her third brother had undoubtedly treated her as one of his own.
Lin Daiyu took the jade and lowered her voice, saying, "It's ancient seal script, said to be a script used specifically for sacrificial rites during the time of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. It says on it—"
She suddenly stopped. She had been in the Rongguo Mansion for ten years, and this was the first time she had ever held this jade in her hand.
Lin Daiyu could never forget the scene when they first met, when Jia Baoyu smashed the jade. She was so frightened that she didn't dare to move. Everyone, including her maternal grandmother who called her her darling, went to comfort Jia Baoyu.
An impulse arose within her; she wanted to smash the jade against the bluestone slab to see if it would shatter without the thick carpet.
"...Are you trying to fool me?"
Mu Chuan's voice brought her back to reality. Lin Daiyu chuckled, "Never forget, may you live a long and prosperous life." She turned it over and read the words on the back again.
Meeting Mu Chuan's distrustful gaze, Lin Daiyu couldn't help but smile, even revealing her dimples: "You count the numbers yourself, what's there to lie about?"
"Auspicious words do sound nice." Mu Chuan coughed lightly and said, "Just give it back to him, and I'll find one for you later."
She was stunned; he didn't want the jade at all. Although this third brother wasn't very perceptive, he had a very kind heart.
"This was something I was born with," Lin Daiyu said with a smile as she went over to hang the jade pendant on Jia Baoyu's head.
She smiled, her movements were gentle, and when their eyes met, Jia Baoyu felt a strange sense of comfort and smiled back at his Lin sister.
It's an eyesore! It's so annoying!
Mu Chuan took off his waist-length sleeveless armor and handed it to Jia Baoyu, saying solemnly, "It is proper to have a gift when we first meet. Your ancestors were military generals who rose to prominence through military achievements. I am giving you this armor in the hope that you will inherit your family's legacy, make great contributions, and not disgrace it."
This kind of encouragement is exactly what Jia Baoyu hates most.
The smile on his face disappeared, and his expression stiffened.
Jia Lian couldn't tell, but Lin Daiyu, who was usually with him, could. Fortunately, this could be interpreted as seriousness. Lin Daiyu then looked at Mu Chuan's expression, and it seemed... he probably hadn't noticed.
Jia Baoyu took the Mingjia armor, and he felt himself being pulled down a little.
Mu Chuan laughed: "You still need to practice more." As he spoke, he patted Jia Baoyu's shoulder forcefully, clearly encouraging the younger generation.
That's about it. Mu Chuan then said to Lin Daiyu, "I'll send the gifts for your sisters this afternoon."
Jia Lian led the way, and Lin Daiyu followed, escorting him to the ceremonial gate. After a few more words of farewell, she turned back. Jia Lian exchanged a few more polite words and personally saw Mu Chuan out of the gate.
As she approached, Shi Xiangyun smiled and reached out her hand: "I've never seen this kind of nail before. Is it gilded?"
Xue Baochai also laughed and said, "Brother Bao is probably too weak to handle this, so let's help share the burden."
Looking at Yingchun next to her, she was hunched over and had a slightly stooped back.
Lin Daiyu sighed, then smiled and said, "It's time to pay my respects to the old lady."
Mu Chuan mounted his horse and left the Rongguo Mansion.
He felt that his words and actions just now were perfect.
Lin Daiyu... all the beautiful words seem to fall short when applied to her.
From the moment he first saw her, Mu Chuan had a guiding principle. Otherwise, he wouldn't have addressed her as "Third Brother" right away.
All-powerful and gentle elder → My best male friend who is attentive, tolerant, and can share all your troubles → My dear husband.
Of course, she inevitably had to use a "green tea" tactic to drive away that useless, good-for-nothing, still-childish, and annoying childhood sweetheart, Jia Baoyu, from her heart.
Then I moved in myself.
However… Mu Chuan touched his face and realized it was indeed a bit rough.
Whether he can smoothly transition from being an elder to a male best friend depends on how long it takes for the imperial beauty cream bestowed by the emperor to take effect.
Mu Chuan sighed and boasted, "Finding a girl you're compatible with is indeed quite troublesome, isn't it?"
Miao Zhenchuan, who was hit by the gunfire, rolled his eyes: "General, where are we going now?"
Mu Chuan took out his pocket watch and glanced at it: "There's still an hour and a half before the banquet. Let's go to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence first."
We need to prepare a gift for Miss Lin, and also find the beauty cream that the emperor bestowed upon her.
Now let's talk about the Rongguo Mansion.
Although Yuanyang packed Lin Daiyu's things, she didn't send them to Xiaoxiang Pavilion, but instead took them directly to Grandmother Jia's room.
When Lin Daiyu and the others arrived, Yuanyang had already told Grandmother Jia everything she had heard and seen.
"Go and tell Zijuan." Grandmother Jia's face was expressionless. "If they send charcoal again, tell her to keep it safe. It's cold in winter, and we can't let down the Earl of Zhongyong's kindness."
It's still unclear what the Earl of Zhongyong is up to. Grandmother Jia subconsciously felt that simply recognizing a younger sister... was impossible.
Besides, the claim that Uncle Zhongyong waited with him for his parents is still impossible.
A three- or four-year-old boy, which family would feel comfortable letting go of his responsibilities?
Besides, who remembers things from when they were three or four years old?
After thinking it over, Grandmother Jia decided to take another look at what this person had given to the other sisters that afternoon.
Gifts can reveal a lot. For example, a few years ago, Yuan Chun gave the same holiday gifts to Bao Yu and Xue Baochai.
It was only after she personally went to the palace to speak with Yuan Chun that she changed her mind.
Grandmother Jia's face turned cold. Her second daughter-in-law was both stupid and wicked. She instigated Yuan Chun to suppress her half-brother. On a festival, when everyone was sending gifts, she had to divide them into different classes.
Why bother? It's a thankless task. Giving a gift might just make you an enemy.
As Grandmother Jia was thinking, laughter came from the side hall outside. Grandmother Jia forced a smile and waited for Shi Xiangyun, who was at the front, to turn out from behind the screen. She laughed and said, "Just like a monkey, never honest."
Shi Xiangyun smiled and skipped as she walked. She sat down next to Grandmother Jia and said with a smile, "That general is so majestic. He's so tall and has such broad shoulders. He even gave his armor to my second brother."
Lin Daiyu was the second to enter. She didn't lift the nail, after all, Xue Baochai had considerately said, "Pin'er is not feeling well, so I won't ask you to do anything."
When she came in and heard her second brother, she couldn't help but sneer inwardly. If Yun was innocent and naive, she wasn't so innocent as to call her brother "I love you" in front of the old lady.
But then she felt a little guilty. She didn't want to be so sensitive. She wanted to be like Yun, either oblivious to things or just saying what she felt. But she couldn't.
Although the items were intended for Jia Baoyu, Xue Baochai probably contributed more effort than Jia Baoyu in carrying them back.
She smiled and directed everyone to place the items in front of Grandmother Jia, saying with a smile, "Grandmother, take a look at this."
Grandmother Jia reached out her hand, and a young maidservant handed her reading glasses. Grandmother Jia took them and put them on, then touched the nail with her hand, and tried to lift it—but couldn't. She looked down at the scales and the workmanship.
"This is a bestowed garment for military officers, worn during grand court assemblies and sacrificial ceremonies. One must at least be the Minister of War to receive such a gift from the emperor."
Grandmother Jia pointed to her grandchildren: "The fish-scale-like armor plates are made of iron, plated with gold, and the base is made of thick black gold forging, embroidered with gold python patterns. The edges are trimmed with fur, which can be removed in the summer."
Lin Daiyu was a little worried about her newly recognized third brother, and said, "If he gives his to Baoyu, what will he wear at the grand court assembly?"
Xue Baochai looked at Lin Daiyu with a subtle expression and an even more subtle smile, as if to say: I've got you figured out.
Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "He can make the Emperor Emeritus and the Emperor take turns burning charcoal, so you don't need to worry about that."
“Lin Daiyu is the kindest of all,” Jia Baoyu added.
Grandmother Jia looked at Jia Baoyu and sighed, "Your great-grandfather also had one like this, and it was buried with him later."
Xue Baochai hurriedly urged Jia Baoyu, "Hurry up and put it on so that the old lady can be happy."
"Oh." Jia Baoyu suddenly realized and struggled to put on the armor.
However... Jia Baoyu was a head shorter than Mu Chuan, his shoulders were more than three sizes narrower, not to mention his chest size.
Compared to Mu Chuan, he has no pectoral muscles and can't support himself at all.
It's wearable, but it looks a bit ridiculous.
Moreover, although this armor only covered half of his body, it was plated with gold and weighed almost thirty pounds without any reduction. Jia Baoyu had never even lifted anything weighing five pounds before, but now that he was wearing something weighing thirty pounds, his expression became ferocious, and he felt so heavy that he could hardly breathe.
When Jia Baoyu made a fool of himself, Shi Xiangyun, whose emotional intelligence depended on the occasion, naturally did not laugh loudly. She said, "Second Brother still needs to practice."
Grandmother Jia also said, "Take it off, and have them find a shelf for it in your outer study later."
On the other side, Jia Lian saw Mu Chuan off, then went back to wash up and change his clothes before heading to Grandmother Jia's room.
Grandmother Jia had already heard Yuanyang's account once, so she wasn't in a hurry. She also felt that Jia Lian's arrival was too late, which was disrespectful to her both openly and secretly. Therefore, she decided to deliberately delay him and said to the maid who brought the news, "I understand. Tell him to come again tonight."
The maidservant went out and told Jia Lian, adding, "The old lady is unhappy that you came too late."
Compared to Jia Baoyu, Jia Lian was the top choice among the Jia family's maids to become a concubine. If it weren't for Wang Xifeng keeping him in check, people would openly show their affection for him.
Jia Lian laughed and said, "Please put in a good word for me, Miss. The Marquis of Zhongyong is talking to me."
The maidservant said, "In my opinion, you should wait a little while. Sister Yuanyang went to Miss Lin's room to give some instructions and will be back soon. When she comes back, she can put in a good word for you. There's nothing that can't be done. Besides, at this time, the girls still need to go back to wash up before dinner. After they leave, you can go in naturally."
Jia Lian thanked them, but instead of resting in the warm pavilion, he waited in the courtyard to intercept Yuanyang.
Inside the room, Jia Baoyu took off his armor. Lin Daiyu, curious, went up and lifted it, inwardly marveling: How could he move around normally while wearing such heavy armor?
Xue Baochai noticed this and laughed, "When I saw you before, you were always indifferent. But today, the arrival of the Marquis of Zhongyong has piqued your curiosity."
Lin Daiyu used to be able to say anything, but in the last two years she has gradually found it boring and has stopped shedding tears. However, after meeting Mu Chuan, she called him "Third Brother" many times and heard many kind words.
Since someone is backing you up, you have to be a little more assertive.
"I'm not as good as Sister Bao. She carried the armor all the way back. No wonder those nannies always advise me to learn from Sister Bao and walk more every day. I've become much stronger."
Jia Baoyu was still a bit listless and didn't try to smooth things over. Shi Xiangyun, who couldn't stand anyone talking about her, said immediately, "What did the Marquis of Zhongyong send you? Let me see it too."
Yingchun was in a daze after falling, and when she came back, she was even more wooden and unresponsive.
Tan Chun, who shared the same surname as her, was furious and immediately said, "Since it was a gift from the Marquis of Zhongyong to Sister Lin, you should at least have some sense of propriety. Your Sister Bao is always talking about propriety and rules, and you two even live together—"
Xichun interrupted her, not letting her continue. She bowed to Grandmother Jia and said, "I'm tired. I want to go back and rest first."
Grandmother Jia was reluctant to let them leave. Yuanyang had just said that more gifts would be delivered soon, and if they left, the gifts might have to be sent directly to them. Although she could stay and check on things first, it wouldn't be very convenient.
After all, they've reached marriageable age and can no longer act like children, with their elders taking care of everything for them.
Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Come over as soon as you've rested. I'm craving something good today, so I asked them to make a lot of delicious food. Come over for dinner early tonight."
One by one, everyone took their leave. A maid from Grandmother Jia's room carried Lin Daiyu's two boxes and escorted her back to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.
Because she had said a few days ago that she would help write the invitations, Xue Baochai had a legitimate reason not to travel with Shi Xiangyun. She went to Aunt Xue's residence in the northeast corner.
As soon as she entered, Xue Baochai gave a wink to her maid to leave. She asked, "Have you found out anything? The Earl of Zhongyong sent two boxes to Miss Lin. They are extremely valuable, made of the finest Phoebe zhennan wood, inlaid with colorful mother-of-pearl, and even ivory with gold thread. I wonder what's inside, that they would put them in such boxes. Even Yun'er couldn't figure it out."
"I heard it was a child's toy," Aunt Xue said. "I also heard from the maid who went in to serve tea and water that they wanted to adopt her as their younger sister."
Xue Baochai's brows immediately furrowed.
younger sister?
Her older brother was absurd and illiterate, which ruined her future. She lived in the Jia family mansion and was looked down upon every day. She dared not make any mistakes in her words or actions and had to spend a lot of money just to avoid the scorn of the maids and servants.
The old lady herself said that the Lin family was all dead, so how could a first-class earl suddenly appear and want to be her brother?
If we really had such an older brother, wouldn't that mean... Bao Er's wife?
"I—" Xue Baochai heard footsteps outside and Ying'er's cough reminding her, and her worry turned into a smile: "I should congratulate her."
A note from the author:
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