Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 341 Forced Marriage
Yue Ling's powerful words shocked everyone in the hall, especially Lin Daiyu, whose cheeks quickly turned red. She held on to the table at the side and sat down tremblingly, her mind going blank.

She had no idea what Yue Ling was planning at the moment. He actually confessed these things to Lin Ruhai in front of everyone without telling anyone.

Once this was said, if we didn’t come to a conclusion today, it would be difficult to end the matter.

No matter whether it is Lin Ruhai, Yue Ling or her, they will all be embarrassed after this incident.

In fact, Lin Daiyu’s bravery last night had already been deeply imprinted in Yue Ling’s mind.

As a girl who has been poisoned by feudal ethics since childhood, even though she has lived with Yue Ling for a long time, the ideas that have been deeply rooted in her heart cannot be erased.

Despite this, Lin Daiyu still took the risk to ask Yue Ling what was really in her heart because of her emotions.

She disguised herself and walked several hundred steps from the side yard to the courtyard where she stayed. She was probably struggling with her heart with every step she took. How could Yue Ling not take another step forward?

Lin Daiyu grew up under his protection since she was a child.

So as soon as he entered the door, Yue Ling made up his mind to confess to Lin Ruhai today.

Just one sentence was not enough. When Lin Ruhai was stunned, he gave Yue Ling a chance to breathe. After taking a deep breath, Yue Ling continued to express his inner feelings. "Eight years have passed since I came to Beijing. During these eight years, Sister Lin and I have been together day and night, and we have been in harmony. I can no longer let go of this feeling and am deeply trapped in it."

"Even though we are different in status and age, I..."

Yue Ling bowed deeply and said in a deep voice: "Although it is difficult for me to say this, I don't want to let down this friendship any longer."

"I beg you to forgive me, brother. If you can help us, I will always protect Sister Lin and keep her safe for years to come."

As soon as he finished speaking, the whole room fell silent.

Lin Daiyu's pair of affectionate eyes were as big as copper bells. The emotions in her eyes were so strong that they seemed to melt water. Her heartbeat became faster and faster as Yue Ling's words echoed in her ears.

The two of them spent time together day and night, secretly developing feelings for each other. They had many exchanges of testing each other, but this was the first time he had heard such a formal confession in person.

People are born reserved, and young ladies are even more so. The most touching love words they have ever heard in their lives may be the vows in the marriage certificate. They are not worth listening to these.

Lin Daiyu really couldn't stand these blunt words, so she had to cover her burning cheek with one hand. However, she didn't want to miss Yue Ling's performance, so she showed half of her face and watched.

At first, the aunts on both sides were also shocked, but they slowly came to their senses after Yue Ling finished speaking.

The two of them froze and asked Lin Daiyu, "Yu'er, has the Marquis always been like this?"

Lin Daiyu was still stunned, not realizing what the two were talking about, "Ah?"

Aunt Zhou looked at Yue Ling, who was bowing, and leaned close to Lin Daiyu's ear, whispering, "Has the Marquis always been so straightforward?"

Lin Daiyu smiled awkwardly and said, "Uh... I don't think so."

The two concubines looked at each other and became more and more certain about what had happened to the young girl that made her so obsessed by the marquis that she didn't want to go back home.

The meticulous care on daily basis, coupled with the frank love words from the heart, was too much for the little girl, who had little experience, to resist these sugar-coated bombs.

Not to mention Lin Daiyu, even these middle-aged women have never seen such a scene.

When my master and mistress were alive, they also had a deep friendship, but compared to this, it was still a little bit short.

Women are the most emotional. While the aunts were able to empathize, Lin Daiyu was of course also re-examining every detail of the past.

Except when he was joking with her, Yue Ling was actually mostly reserved and would not easily reveal his thoughts. He was probably afraid of overstepping the boundaries. After all, Lin Daiyu was much younger than him. It was also for this reason that his words just now made Lin Daiyu even more moved.

Lin Daiyu looked at the two people in front of the hall with burning eyes, and finally set her gaze on Lin Ruhai, wanting to see how her father would respond.

The two concubines couldn't help but get nervous. They clenched the handkerchiefs in their hands and silently cheered for Yue Ling.

Lin Ruhai, who was closest to Yue Ling, was the most shocked person in the class. He had thought that Yue Ling would one day speak to him directly, but he did not expect this to happen.

Without any disguise, I told him the truth directly.

It was like swinging a sword, chopping down the mountains that stood between the two of them.

Lin Ruhai drank up the tea and unconsciously poured himself another cup. As he held the cup, he couldn't help but tremble slightly, causing a lot of tea to spill out.

"Um……"

With everyone present, Lin Ruhai was a little unsure of how to handle the situation. If he acted too serious and kicked Yue Ling out without any regard for the relationship, that would definitely not be acceptable.

Not to mention that he actually admired Yue Ling's abilities, and valued his sincere feelings for Lin Daiyu even more. Moreover, given Lin Daiyu's current reputation in the outside world, there would be no other choice except Yue Ling.

What's more, he really has the endorsement of His Majesty. Even if we don't follow his opinion, it's just a matter of an imperial edict.

When the imperial edict reaches Yangzhou Prefecture, will he still disobey it?

But if you act very warm, "I'm just waiting for you to say these words..."

Wouldn't that make his early reserve and pretentious attitude a joke?

While Lin Ruhai was hesitating about how to reply, Lin Daiyu became a little anxious.

Lin Daiyu made her choice between Daddy and Yue Ling without hesitation. She stood beside Yue Ling, put her arm around him, and said, "Dad, Brother Yue is right. I will only recognize Brother Yue in my life!"

Lin Ruhai frowned, looking at the trouble-making prospective son-in-law and the maid who was adding fuel to the fire with a headache, and was speechless.

"Yu'er, don't make trouble."

"I'm not kidding, I'm serious!"

Lin Daiyu also raised her eyebrows and refuted with firm words.

The room fell silent again, with only the crackling sound of the charcoal fire burning in the tea stove to be heard.

Lin Ruhai's fingers tapped the table unnaturally, his movements became more and more hurried, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and he sighed in his heart: "Why is this a marriage proposal? This is a forced marriage, a forced marriage."

"You two are indeed in a relationship, but Yu'er is only fourteen years old. How can I, as a father, bear to let her marry?"

"Look at the family tradition of the Anjing Marquis's Mansion. There are many beautiful maids everywhere. How can Yu'er, who is so simple-minded, control the inner house?"

"Marriage is a big deal, and it can't be settled with just words. Yu'er is still talking to outsiders. It really makes me angry!"

Lin Ruhai shook his head in distress. He had only one daughter, the apple of his eye. Now she had become someone else's after being lost for eight years.

At this moment, Lin Ruhai really regretted the decision he made eight years ago. He had to guess Emperor Longyou's thoughts and hold Lin Daiyu hostage in the capital. How could Emperor Longyou, a benevolent monarch, do such a thing?

If he hadn't made a wrong move, he wouldn't be in such an embarrassing situation today.

As soon as he closed his eyes, he thought about the day when he would return to the government and become an official in Beijing. His colleagues would stab him in the back, saying that he had gained many benefits by becoming an official as a son-in-law. He felt a chill down his spine and had a headache. Just when the two sides were deadlocked, there was a knock on the door, which eased the tense atmosphere.

Lin Ruhai immediately stood up and asked, "Who is it?"

Han Da, the steward of the Lin Mansion, responded loudly: "Master, the Salt Court found an error when checking the accounts today, and is waiting for you to preside over it in the classroom."

Lin Ruhai's eyes lit up, he lifted his leg and walked out, "Business cannot be neglected, I'll be right there."

Looking back at Yue Ling and Lin Daiyu, the two of them were so affectionate and loving that Lin Ruhai couldn't bear to watch.

If they were left alone, who knows what kind of sparks would be created because of what they just said.

Lin Ruhai quickly added, "Yue Ling, you have a lot of insights into the Salt Bureau. You are in charge of the salt affairs in the hall today. Since there is a problem, it must be related to your instructions. Come with me to take a look."

Lin Daiyu blinked, her watery eyes rolling around, looking reluctant, so Yue Ling had no choice but to pat her hand to comfort her.

But Lin Daiyu still didn't want to let go. After all, the salt business was her father's business. Asking Yue Ling to leave was obviously just to separate them.

Yue Ling lowered his head again and whispered to Lin Daiyu, "If love lasts forever, why should we be together day and night? Besides, when something goes wrong in the salt business, it's no small matter. It's a critical period for exams, so I might as well go and take a look."

"Since Lord Lin didn't refute my words to my face, it means that he has already wavered in his heart. If we can do everything to his liking during this New Year holiday, there will be no more problems in the future. Be good."

Lin Daiyu nodded eagerly, loosened her hand, and watched through the moon-shaped window as the two of them walked out of the courtyard together.

Dark clouds passed over the horizon, blocking out the sunlight, and the two figures gradually became blurred and disappeared.

There were so many things in her mind, and she had no time to express them. Lin Daiyu buried her feelings, held the handkerchief in her hand, and let out a sigh of relief silently.

After watching a scene that was more interesting than Kunqu Opera, the two concubines came to Lin Daiyu's side and comforted her with a smile: "Don't worry, young lady. You two are so sincere that even the ice will melt. The master just doesn't know how to agree now, but marriage is a matter of time."

Aunt Zhou was on the side, offering advice, "My Lord is still not prepared enough. If you send three letters and six engagement letters and sign them in court, won't everything be as it should be?"

Aunt Bai said, "It's only natural for a small family, but the Marquis can use the imperial sword. Once the imperial edict is issued, it will be much more prestigious than a marriage contract."

"My master would like this face the most. If His Majesty can really grant the marriage, the horoscope will be calculated by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory, and the wedding will be arranged by the Ministry of Rites. My master would be very happy."

The two concubines became more and more explicit in their conversation, and finally extended their discussion to the idea of ​​expanding the Anjing Marquis's mansion and continuing the family line.

Lin Daiyu was so embarrassed that she couldn't say a word.

"Hey, General Yue and the master are not here?"

A girl with two buns on her hair peeked in from behind the felt curtain.

"I just told you to have dinner, why are you all gone?"

Xueyan looked around in distress, and finally fixed her eyes on the tea table, which was the sixth time that Lin Daiyu had escaped from the disaster.

She put her nose close to it and smelled it. The smell was a bit strange, which made Xueyan frown.

But driven by curiosity, Xueyan still took the spoon and wanted to taste it.

"Girl, is this bowl of soup made by General Yue? It will get cold if you don't eat it."

Lin Daiyu was not sure how to handle this heavy fatherly love, and now someone who could share the burden came. Lin Daiyu nodded repeatedly, "Well, I'll give it to you."

The snow goose came over happily, scooped up a spoonful and put it happily into its mouth.

But as soon as the tip of her tongue touched the soup, she felt a tingling sensation. After swallowing the soup, Xueyan burst into tears, "Miss, are you using me to test poison? This soup is poisonous."

"I'm going to die. I haven't had dinner yet. Woo woo..."

Everyone present was laughing so hard that they couldn't stop. Aunt Zhou came forward and poured some water into Xueyan's mouth, saying with a smile, "The master believed your slander and insisted on going to the kitchen to cook the soup himself to compete with the Marquis. It just so happened that you got to enjoy it in the end, which can be considered reincarnation."

"You are also the young lady's personal maid, why do you only remember to eat? What will you do when the young lady marries into the Anjing Marquis's mansion tomorrow?"

"The soup at Anjing Marquis's Mansion tastes better than the soup at Lin Mansion."

Xueyan pursed her lips and responded in a low voice.

Aunt Zhou pinched her brows speechlessly...

……

Salt House Main Hall,

Everyone in the classroom was waiting anxiously.

After rechecking the accounts handed over by Marquis An Jing, they indeed found problems that had not been detected before.

At the turn of spring and summer, which is obviously the off-season for salt consumption, the salt warehouse unexpectedly allocated a lot more salt.

Looking back at the records from previous years, there were no such obvious differences.

Moreover, due to the influence of Changlu Salt, the Lianghuai salt industry has been getting less prosperous year by year.

At first, everyone just paid attention to whether the accounts were aligned, but did not take a macro approach to determine the source of these data.

After learning about the problem, everyone started to look through the accounts, trying to find any suspicion of account tampering, but the accounts were perfect and the clues ended, which was really puzzling.

"Master Lin, Lord Marquis."

Two people walked in front and behind the hall. The legal advisors and clerks stood up to greet them.

Yue Ling, who had a higher official rank, walked behind Lin Ruhai, which made everyone think that the father-in-law and son-in-law must have already reached an agreement. Even such a confidential matter was discussed by Yue Ling, so he must be one of the people from the Salt Court.

So there was no hiding anything and everyone told the whole story, including the strange phenomena.

Shaoxing's lawyer stood up and pondered, "According to the old practice, the sudden increase in sales is often due to salt merchants hoarding under false names and waiting for the right time to make a profit. Why not check all the salt merchants?"

After listening to everyone's description, some doubts appeared on Lin Ruhai's usually calm face.

After more than a decade of ups and downs in officialdom, Lin Ruhai knows very well that a seemingly trivial matter may very likely hide a huge wave.

The unseasonal sales surge, the missing salt, and the substandard salt tax are all very disadvantageous to Lin Ruhai at the time when the salt science examination is about to begin.

After taking a deep breath, Lin Ruhai asked, "Have you found out which salt depot produces the most salt, and who receives the most salt?"

Shaoxing's lawyer bowed and said, "My Lord, it's the Bao family."

(End of this chapter)