Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 437 Sister Lin, is this you?
"Girls, stay."

Mrs. Wang came out later and quickly caught up with the girls from Dingguo Mansion.

Xue Baochai led the other girls to stop and wait, and asked, "Aunt, does the old lady have anything to say?"

Mrs. Wang looked very depressed. The Jia family had obviously reached this critical juncture, but no matter whether they were young or old, they were so restless and had to create complications, making her feel blocked on both ends.

When facing her own younger generations, Mrs. Wang no longer dared to act bossy as she did in the past and had to speak to them in a nice way.

Grandmother Jia wanted to save face, so she would not show her anger. It was Lady Wang who had to step in and say, "Bao girl, Miss Qin, the second girl, the third girl, and the fourth girl, you should not know. After you left the mansion, the old ancestor was invited to a Buddhist temple to recuperate. After the imperial physician examined him, he also said that the old ancestor had reached an age where he had lost his memory and did not know what had happened outside."

"I think I treated you harshly today because of that Lai Ma. If she hadn't whispered in my ear, how could the old ancestor have the heart to embarrass you?"

"What's more, the relationship between Rongguo Mansion and Dingguo Mansion is so close, why bother doing these thankless things? You don't have to take it to heart, and you don't have to argue with Lai Ma. When your elder sister returns, she will definitely give you an explanation."

After saying a lot of nice things, the key point is actually the last one, which is not to delay the Jia family’s important business, which is the visit of Princess Yuan.

Xue Baochai knew it very well, of course, but if she agreed, she could not lose the reputation of the Duke Dingguo's Mansion.

"We will spare no effort to help the Jia family manage this visit for the sake of your aunt's consideration and face. However, my third sister just said that the old lady not only insulted them, but also denounced Duke Dingguo. This is such a disrespectful attitude. I am afraid that my eldest sister will not dare to do so when she comes back."

Mrs. Wang nodded as she listened, her face looking bitter.

"If it is really as Aunt said, and Big Sister is going to come back to make the decision, I think Aunt should let the old lady prepare herself mentally in advance, so as to avoid any trouble that day."

"After all, Aunt has been planning and preparing for this for a long time. I have to work harder for her on this last night."

Every word Xue Baochai said made sense. She also put herself in Lady Wang's shoes and affirmed her efforts from the very beginning and supported her in doing things. How could Lady Wang not be moved?

She couldn't help but feel sad. If Xue Baochai had not met Yue Ling, but missed her in Cangzhou and went straight north to Rongguo Mansion, she would have had a great chance to become her assistant in the mansion and take over the management of Rongguo Mansion from Baoyu in the future.

But all these early ideas were ruined by Xue Pan's inability to control what was in his crotch.

Recently, Jia Lian made the same mistake again, which made Mrs. Wang secretly resentful.

There are vermin all around her, so even if the Jia family falls into decline, the blame cannot be placed on her.

"Yes, Baoyatou is right. Auntie thanks you here."

Xue Baochai shook her head and said, "Aunt, don't be so quick to thank me."

Looking at the horizon, the sun was just setting. Xue Baochai said warmly, "It's still early now. Aunt, why don't you choose a few plays according to your sister's preferences and let the maids rehearse them."

Mrs. Wang nodded repeatedly, "That's right, that's right."

Xue Baochai smiled and looked back, waved to Lingguan, Ruiguan and other girls, and called them over, "You should follow the madam first. You are the ones who are concerned about the reputation of the Duke Dingguo's Mansion, so you should be very concerned."

The girls said in unison, "Don't worry, Miss Bao. We have been learning for more than ten years, so it's no problem for us to perform some routine plays."

Seeing the enthusiasm of the girls, Mrs. Wang's heart seemed to be warmed by the warmth, moistening her almost dry heart. "Okay, okay, come back to the courtyard with me."

"Precious girl, I won't say anything more. After you go to Duke Dingguo's mansion and earn your status, I will help you hold a grand wedding."

Xue Baochai frowned slightly, and her originally stern expression was almost broken by Mrs. Wang.

With a twitch of her lips, Xue Baochai hurriedly sent Mrs. Wang away, "Aunt, you should worry about the affairs of the mansion first. Go ahead."

"it is good."

Mrs. Wang left happily, and the other girls who stayed behind couldn't help but focus their eyes on Xue Baochai.

Miaoyu endured for a long time, and finally when there were no more Jia family members around, she asked Xue Baochai, "Miss Bao, what are you planning? Why don't I understand? Didn't Miss Lin say that we must not alert the enemy? Why did you remind the old lady of the Jia family again and again in the hall, and give advice to the second lady so wholeheartedly?"

Xue Baochai would certainly not be a traitor, Miaoyu just didn't understand what the purpose of doing so was.

Xue Baochai chuckled and replied, "I thought that the old lady would be more quiet this time when I came to Rongguo Mansion again. After all, she has been imprisoned in the Buddhist temple and has lost her power as the housekeeper. But I didn't expect that she would still be so aggressive. I wanted to provoke her and let her think about whether she has any flaws."

"If there is, it must be what Sister Sanchun wants to find."

The girls suddenly realized what had happened, but Xue Baochai looked at Sanchun again and said softly, "But it's also my fault. I made arrangements on my own without asking the sisters for their opinions."

Holding Tanchun's hand, Xue Baochai blinked and asked, "Third sister, what do you think now? If you make a scene in front of the hall, I'm afraid there will be no turning back."

In recent days, the advice of Yue Ling, Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai seemed to echo in her ears, and Tanchun also understood that no matter what she did next, as long as she did not give up, the Duke Dingguo's Mansion would support her sisters.

In this case, and Yue Ling has set the stage, why not give it a try?

Even if I was branded as someone who betrayed my family, even if I made a bowl of failed sauce, so what? Isn't it better to have Yue Ling here?

Nodding solemnly, Tanchun looked around at Yingchun and Xichun and asked, "I want to listen to Sister Lin and Sister Bao. What about you?"

Xichun hesitated and said, "Although the Xifu has raised me, the elders' repeated slanders have really chilled my heart. I didn't want to be involved in so many disputes, but I am deeply involved in them and cannot extricate myself. Third sister may be right. Without destruction, there is no construction. No matter what, I will just follow Master Miaoyu to practice."

"Okay, where's the second sister?"

Yingchun stammered, "You decide... I have no objection."

Seeing this, the three sisters had made up their minds. Xue Baochai smiled and said, "Well, let's not waste time. Now we have two things to do."

"First, Tanchun, you and Sister Keqing go after the Second Madam. I have just been telling the old lady over and over again because I want her to be more alert. Then we can discuss tomorrow's affairs. When she leaves the hospital for the opera, you can take the opportunity to ask Sister Keqing to cover for you and go to her room to see if there is any place to hide anything."

"Secondly, there should be some movement in the Buddhist hall by now. Master Miaoyu, Sister Yan'er, the Marquis said that you are quite skilled. Can you go back to the Buddhist hall and check what's going on inside?"

The women looked at each other, as if they had received a military order, and nodded in agreement.

Qin Keqing asked, "Sister Bao, what about you?"

Xue Baochai pondered and said, "I'm afraid none of you can go outside the palace. I'll go and see if there's anything wrong with the Second Master..."

……

A sedan chair slowly moved into the Duke Dingguo's Mansion.

Seeing that it was the only sedan chair with gold and silver patterns on it, wrapped in moon-white silk floss, and with glazed bells hanging on the four corners, Jia Yun knew that it was Lin Daiyu who had returned.

He hurried forward and stood under the curtain of the sedan chair waiting for orders.

"Mrs. Lin...you are back?"

The sisters were all away, and there was only a foodie maid named Xueyan around. She didn't like the food in the Jia Mansion, and she disliked the Jia Mansion even more, so she followed him back. Now she was lying beside him and sleeping soundly.

At this moment, being called Madam is just an enjoyment, without any shyness.

Lin Daiyu was in a good mood. Didn't she go back home alone just to avoid the girls and enjoy this kind of treatment?

After coughing lightly, Lin Daiyu still asked in a reserved manner: "Thank you, brother Yun, is Brother Yue at home?" Hearing Lin Daiyu's gentle voice, Jia Yun knew that he had done nothing wrong this time, and he breathed a sigh of relief and replied: "Madam, the master is in the room, and he has not left the house today."

The words "Madam" and "Master" matched together so well that Lin Daiyu's cheeks couldn't help but feel slightly hot.

Clearly, these two people have not yet obtained a marriage certificate, yet they are so close to each other. Even the knowledgeable and talented Lin Daiyu finds it hard to describe the feeling.

"Okay, go ahead. It's the turn of spring and summer now. Go to the treasury and withdraw five taels of silver to make your mother some clothes for the new season."

"Thank you ma'am."

The sedan chair slowly entered the Chuihua Gate. Jia Yun diligently helped to carry it inside before saying goodbye and leaving.

Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Jia Yun secretly said, "I really don't know who started this. They are so obsessed with flattering the lady that they don't use their energy in the right way. They always do these crooked ways and make things difficult for us servants."

Lin Daiyu naturally had no idea what Jia Yun was thinking. She was helped down from the sedan chair and walked step by step down the corridor back to her room.

However, the servants and nannies they met, after seeing Jia Yun's flattering behavior, followed suit and no longer called her Miss Lin, but only called her Madam.

Lin Daiyu was so happy that she could hardly suppress a smile.

But when she pushed open the front door and searched inside and outside, she was dumbfounded.

"Eh? Girl, the Marquis is not in the room."

Lin Daiyu twitched her lips, "I can see it."

"Where can we go? I want the Marquis to make me something delicious."

From the beginning to the end, Lin Daiyu had forgotten someone, but now she remembered him.

It wasn't that there were no sisters staying in the mansion. Shi Xiangyun just stayed in her room because she drank too much last night and didn't get up this morning.

It was now meal time, and Yue Ling, who had a very good sleep schedule, would not be out strolling in the garden or practicing martial arts.

Thinking in this way, there is only one possibility, Yue Ling went to accompany Shi Xiangyun.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Daiyu tried her best to suppress the anger in her heart.

The lady who had been called all the way now seemed like a joke.

If you take away a group of vixens, a vixen will automatically appear in the room. How can Lin Daiyu not be angry?

"My Lord? My Lord? I'm back, I'm back, where are you?"

Lin Daiyu frowned slightly and called out in a cold voice: "Okay, stop looking, just follow me."

Xueyan pouted, "Where are you going?"

"Of course I'm going to find him!"

When she came out of the main courtyard again, Lin Daiyu's footsteps were no longer like when she entered the door just now, enjoying the calls of "Madam, Madam" from all around. Instead, her feet did not touch the ground, as if they could stir up a gust of wind.

Before entering Shi Xiangyun's yard, she saw Cuilu sitting bored on a stone pier by the roadside, with a dogtail grass stuck on her nose.

When she saw Lin Daiyu coming towards her with a stern face, she was so shocked that her eyes widened. She immediately shook her dress and stood up to bow.

"Ms. Lin... Miss Lin, why are you back?"

There are maids standing guard outside the door, so there is no need to tell what is happening inside.

Lin Daiyu then asked without being polite, "Why, has my return been a hindrance to your affairs?"

"Don't dare."

Cuilu felt guilty and did not dare to stop Lin Daiyu. She just watched her rush in and did not dare to follow her.

"Girl, you're on your own, this is really not my fault..."

When Lin Daiyu walked in angrily, walked around a screen and came to the blue and white tent, she saw Yue Ling sitting by the bed and reading a book.

A hand gently patted Shi Xiangyun's lower abdomen, as if trying to coax her to sleep.

"Eh?"

The situation was completely different from what she had expected. Lin Daiyu, who was originally furious, was now stunned where she stood.

"Brother Yue, why are you..."

Yue Ling closed the book and looked back. He saw Lin Daiyu's messy hair on her temples. He smiled from ear to ear, "Sister Lin, you are so impatient. It's really unlike you. Besides, what can I do in her room? Or what does Sister Lin think I am doing?"

The situation completely reversed, and now it was Lin Daiyu's turn to feel uneasy.

Lin Daiyu hesitated for a while with her hands folded in front of her, then raised her head and smiled awkwardly, "No...nothing, what happened to Sister Yun? Is she still feeling uncomfortable due to the hangover?"

Yue Ling waved his hand to ask her to come closer, and whispered: "She is really restless. She got drunk again at noon. She has been like this for many times. I am afraid that she is not feeling well, so I am guarding here."

"Do you still remember that when you were not feeling well, I stayed by your bedside for the whole night?"

Lin Daiyu pouted and looked up at the sky, "Remember, remember..."

Suddenly, Yue Ling put his arm around Lin Daiyu, who was completely defenseless, on his lap, and asked teasingly, "You haven't answered my last question yet."

Lin Daiyu panicked and covered her mouth with both hands to prevent herself from screaming, "What...what's the problem? Brother Yue, please don't do anything rash. What if you wake up Sister Yun?"

Yue Ling narrowed his eyes slightly and continued, "Sister Lin is well-informed and has a good memory. When did she become so forgetful? Let me guess, did she arrange for them all to stay at Rongguo Mansion and hurried back to look for me, but when she didn't see me, she got jealous again?"

As he spoke, Yue Ling hooked the tip of Lin Daiyu's red nose.

Lin Daiyu hid aside and stammered, "I didn't. Hurry and put me down. Sister Yun will wake up soon!"

Yue Ling would certainly not let her get what she wanted. He could sense that Lin Daiyu had been avoiding him these days. Now that this was an opportunity, it was difficult for Lin Daiyu to make a sound or struggle too much. How could Yue Ling let her go so easily?

He stroked Lin Daiyu's cheek with one hand and then pressed his lips against hers, hitting the center of the target.

Lin Daiyu just moaned, kicked her embroidered shoes, and then closed her eyes tightly, not daring to open them again.

On the bed, Shi Xiangyun was lying on her side, her eyes were gleaming, but she was so embarrassed that she dug her toes into the quilt, "Sister Lin, is this you?"

"Should I wake up now or not?"

(End of this chapter)