Chapter 443 Plans Can't Keep Up with Changes
She glanced around at the crowd and continued, "Gentlemen, if you have some free time, why don't you pay more attention to the affairs of the nation and the people's livelihood? Siam has been making trouble lately, and the northwest is suffering from a severe drought. Aren't these more important than my personal matters?"
His words made everyone blush and dare not say another word.
After the court session ended, the emperor specially kept Yuan Hongqu behind and said with a smile, "You've really given a lecture to all the civil and military officials today."
Yuan Hongqu bowed and said, "Your subject has overstepped his bounds."
The Emperor waved his hand: "Well said. It was the Empress and I who were meddling."
He pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Since you have no intention of getting married, I have an idea: how about I recognize you as my sworn sister and bestow upon you the title of Princess? That way, those idle people will stop gossiping about your marriage."
Yuan Hongqu was startled and quickly declined, saying, "Your Majesty's kindness is too much for me to accept. I only wish to do my duty well; I don't need any other empty titles."
Seeing her resolute attitude, the emperor had no choice but to give up.
When the news reached Suzhou, Daiyu was helping Qiu Hui try on her wedding dress. Upon hearing that the Emperor wanted to recognize Yuan Hongqu as his sworn sister, she laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight.
"If my nanny becomes the eldest princess, then wouldn't I have to call her aunt?"
Qiu Hui also laughed: "With Lord Yuan's personality, I'm afraid he would rather go to Siam to subdue a small country than be this princess."
After laughing, Daiyu said seriously, "But after this incident, I understand you even more, Granny. Women don't necessarily have to get married. Isn't it better to live freely and unrestrainedly like you, Granny?"
Qiu Hui nodded: "Yes. A woman like Lord Yuan should soar through the heavens, how could she be confined to an ordinary inner courtyard?"
The wedding date was set for the first month of the lunar calendar, which meant that Lin Ruhai's wedding was over and Daiyu had to rush back to the capital to participate in the imperial examinations.
Yuan Hongqu was really worried and concerned that Daiyu's health would suffer from all this traveling.
Therefore, she specially requested permission to go to Jiangnan to oversee the affairs of the girls' academy, which would allow her to spend the New Year with Daiyu. After the matter was settled, she would take Daiyu back to the capital with her.
However, plans can't keep up with changes.
With the year-end approaching, the Lin family is extremely busy.
Because Qiu Hui was of marriageable age, it was inconvenient for her to continue living at the Lin residence, so she moved back to the Qiu family's old house in Suzhou at the beginning of the twelfth lunar month.
As a result, all the affairs of the Lin family fell on Daiyu's shoulders again.
Ancestor worship, New Year's gifts, welcoming and sending off guests... Daiyu had to personally handle every single matter.
She had to handle the affairs of the academy during the day and check the accounts of the mansion at night, often keeping her busy until late at night.
That day, Daiyu was checking the list of New Year's gifts when she suddenly felt dizzy and almost fell to the ground.
"Young lady!" Xueyan quickly helped her up, her hands immediately feeling a burning heat. "You have a fever!"
Daiyu forced a smile: "It's alright, I probably caught a chill last night. Just a few more gift lists to check..."
Before he could finish speaking, the world spun around him again.
When I woke up, it was already the next morning.
Daiyu found herself lying in bed with a wet towel on her forehead.
Zijuan stayed by the bedside, her eyes red and swollen.
"What's wrong with me?" Daiyu tried to get up, but felt weak all over.
"The girl fainted last night and had a fever all night."
Zijuan pressed her down, "The imperial physician has come to see her and said she is overworked and needs to rest properly."
Daiyu said anxiously, "But there are so many things to do at the end of the year, how can I rest quietly..."
"Don't worry, young lady," Zijuan comforted her. "Master has already instructed the steward to take extra care of things. You should rest well."
However, the Lin family has many affairs to attend to at the end of the year, and the housekeeper alone cannot handle them all.
In just two days, a mountain of things piled up.
This request for instructions regarding the arrangements for the annual ancestral worship ceremony, that report on the preparations for the year-end gifts, and the many other matters concerning the academy at the end of the year...
Having no other choice, Daiyu could only set up a small table on the bed and manage to handle her affairs.
He often gets out of breath after speaking just a few words, and gets dizzy and lightheaded after looking at accounts for a while.
Xueyan saw this and was very worried. She secretly wrote a letter to Yuan Hongqu in the capital: "Miss is seriously ill, but she still refuses to rest and is preoccupied with affairs every day..."
When Yuan Hongqu received the letter, she was on her way south.
Upon reading the contents of the letter, he immediately ordered the driver to speed up the journey and travel day and night to Suzhou.
Meanwhile, Daiyu's illness worsened.
That day, she forced herself to get out of bed, wanting to personally check on the preparations for the ancestral worship. But as soon as she got out of bed, everything went black, and she collapsed to the ground.
When I woke up again, I found the room unusually quiet.
She barely opened her eyes and saw a familiar figure sitting in front of the bed, looking down at the account book.
"Granny?" Daiyu called out softly in disbelief.
Yuan Hongqu raised her head, her eyes showing faint dark circles, clearly indicating that she had been traveling a long way and had not had a proper rest.
She put down the ledger and reached out to check Daiyu's forehead temperature: "The fever has finally broken. How are you feeling?"
Daiyu's eyes welled up with tears: "Why is Granny here?"
"If I hadn't come, you might have lost your life."
"Yuan Hongqu's tone was stern, but her eyes were full of heartache,"
"I've only been divorced for a short time, and you've already ruined yourself like this?"
Daiyu said, feeling wronged, "There's so much to do at the end of the year, and Father is so busy..."
"Too many things to do and don't you know how to ask for help? Are all those student nannies in the academy just for show?" Yuan Hongqu rarely got angry. "Or do you think that without Granny Yuan, no one can help you?"
Daiyu lowered her head, not daring to reply.
Yuan Hongqu sighed, her tone softening: "Silly Yu'er, it's not that I'm blaming you. It's just that you don't take care of your health. What would I do if something happened to you?"
Just then, the steward's voice came from outside the door: "Master Yuan, the sacrificial offerings for the ancestral worship are ready, what do you think..."
Yuan Hongqu said loudly, "Just do it the old way. Also, tell the kitchen to reduce three meat dishes at tonight's banquet and add some vegetarian dishes. Lord Lin has been working hard lately, so it's better for him to eat something light."
The butler responded and left.
Then, people came one after another to ask for instructions on the arrangements for New Year's gifts and the reception of guests. Yuan Hongqu handled everything in an orderly manner, even more skillfully than Daiyu.
Although in the Lin family in the capital, Yuan Hongqu had long since handed over the reins of management to Daiyu, and she herself never interfered.
But at that time, Daiyu had a strong sense of self. When she encountered problems that she couldn't solve, she would go directly to ask Yuan Hongqu.
Unlike now, when everything is decided by Daiyu herself, she was afraid that she would not do well and would disgrace her father again.
Daiyu leaned against the headboard, watching Yuan Hongqu handle various matters with ease, and suddenly felt extremely at ease.
The heavy weight that had been pressing on my heart these past few days has finally been lifted.
After seeing off another group of people seeking instructions, Yuan Hongqu turned around and saw Daiyu staring at her expectantly. She couldn't help but chuckle, "What are you looking at? Is there something on your face, Granny?"
Daiyu said softly, "I just feel that it's really nice to have Granny here."
Yuan Hongqu sat down beside her bed and said seriously, "Yu'er, you must remember: nothing is more important than your health. The Lin family won't fall apart without you; but if Granny doesn't have you, Granny's world will collapse..."
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