Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 476 Outsiders at the Wedding
After Yue Ling and Yuanyang carefully explained what had gone wrong, Yuanyang finally realized what had happened and blushed deeply.

He was so easily swayed by rumors that he actually believed the Duke of Dingguo was as celibate as people said, and he even considered getting involved with him, which made Yuanyang lose face.

Even though she was in the mansion in the past, when Jia She came to ask Grandmother Jia for her, she would rather die than comply.

For some reason, standing in front of Yue Ling, I found myself falling for him without realizing it. I really don't know what kind of magic Yue Ling possesses.

As she regained her composure, the hazy atmosphere around her dissipated. Yuanyang took a few deep breaths to calm herself down, and then heard Yue Ling ask, "You came to the manor because of the funeral of the old lady of the Jia family. I know you have always been by her side to show filial piety and have been loyal to her. No matter what wrong things she has done or what punishments she has suffered, she is still your master in the end."

"Although you eventually fell out, it didn't really harm you that much. I can understand that you still miss your former master. If you are willing to observe mourning for her, I will not stop you. You can inform Lin Meimei when you want to return."

Yue Ling's army would never tolerate traitors; loyalty that isn't absolute is absolutely disloyal.

However, Yuanyang, born into the Jia family, had no personality; her value lay in faithfully serving Grandmother Jia.

How could being bound by such worldly dogma awaken anything in her?

Mingming's eventual awakening and her standing up to uphold the reputation of the Rongguo Mansion was a rare and commendable quality for a mere maid.

With such qualities remaining in the household, continuing to shine and contribute, one would surely become a capable person.

But these words deeply moved Yuanyang.

After standing there stunned for a moment, Yuanyang found herself unknowingly bursting into tears.

These two sentences, which struck a chord with her, finally made Yuanyang understand why Lin Daiyu, still a guard, preferred to live in a humble alley with Yue Ling rather than choose the Rongguo Mansion; why the three sisters of the Spring Festival changed so much after entering the Duke of Dingguo's Mansion and were unwilling to return; and why she herself, after only a few hours of entering this place and meeting Yue Ling, felt an overwhelming sense of loyalty and devotion.

Yue Ling is truly different.

Yue Ling's words not only affirmed Yuanyang's value, but also allowed her to fulfill her long-cherished wish, even though the other party was the Jia family, who had angered him time and time again.

Ask any high-ranking official or wealthy person, who would care about the thoughts of a maidservant?

Even though Jia She was exiled, he still wanted to take her with him on his journey.

Seeing her in such a sorry state, Jia Zhen and his son Jia Rong conceived the idea of ​​imprisoning her and keeping her as their plaything.

Compared to Yue Ling, the difference in their abilities is obvious.

She wiped the tears from her cheeks, but the more she wiped, the more tears flowed. In the end, Yuanyang cried out all the grievances she had suffered recently, sobbing uncontrollably.

Seeing the kind-hearted girl crying with tears streaming down her face, Yue Ling was truly at a loss.

He slipped on his casual shoes and came to Yuanyang's side, handing her a handkerchief to wipe away her tears.

"It's better to cry it out than to keep it inside." Patting Yuanyang's shoulder, Yue Ling added, "It's already night, and it's getting late. You should go back and rest early. When you go out tomorrow morning, tell Lin Meimei, and she will understand."

Yue Ling didn't want to say directly, "Staying in the room for too long might cause gossip," which would ruin the atmosphere, so he changed his words and urged Yuanyang to leave first.

Yuanyang, being perceptive, naturally understood the hidden meaning in Yue Ling's words. She rose with trembling hands, bowed deeply to Yue Ling once more, and took her leave.

Before she could even step out the door while wiping away her tears, she heard noises coming from outside.

"Where did this vixen come from? I just heard in my room that Lin Daiyu had gone back to rest today, so I went straight to Master's room. Why are the doors and windows all bolted and closed? I want to see who is idle in this mansion and manages to get there before me?"

The indignant voice was so clear that Yue Ling didn't even need to listen carefully to know that it was Qin Keqing who had come after smelling the scent.

Yuanyang glanced back at Yue Ling with great embarrassment, feeling somewhat caught in a dilemma.

Yue Ling shook his head helplessly, waved his hand, and told her not to worry about it and to go out as usual.

Taking a deep breath and putting on a stern face, Yuanyang removed the latch, gently pushed open the double door, and was greeted by Qin Keqing.

Yuanyang was also familiar with Qin Keqing.

They knew she was originally going to marry into the Ningguo Mansion, but ultimately regretted the engagement and came to the Dingguo Duke's Mansion.

He couldn't help but secretly admire her. It was extremely dangerous for her to do something so outrageous. She almost ended up in the Ningguo Mansion. Otherwise, she would probably have suffered inhuman torture there and died a violent death.

She was beautiful but had a short life, but now she is very healthy and radiant, with bright eyes and white teeth.

With her hands on her hips and eyes seemingly spitting fire, she still managed to frighten the mandarin ducks into taking a step back.

"Where are you from? Why haven't I seen you before?"

Qin Keqing frowned slightly. Seeing that the girl's eyes were red and swollen, as if she had just cried, she softened her tone.

Yuanyang replied in a low voice, "Miss Qin, the lights must be too dim. I am Yuanyang from the Rongguo Mansion. I was only allowed to enter the mansion by Miss Lin today."

Having just arrived today, seeing her crying with tears streaming down her face, Qin Keqing immediately made a very apt guess.

The maids in the manor who hadn't received their training didn't have any expectations of Yue Ling's skills in bed, so how could they not end up with such messy faces? That's not something an ordinary person could withstand; only she could barely manage to subdue them.

With a smug look on her head, Qin Keqing patted her shoulder and said, "It's alright. You don't have to suffer here. You can leave things you're not good at to people who are. You're new here and there are still many things you don't understand. Come to my room another day and I'll definitely teach you some essentials."

"However, be careful not to let Lin Daiyu see you when you come over."

Just moments ago she was acting so unrestrained, yet now she can say such considerate things. Yuanyang's opinion of Qin Keqing has changed somewhat. She just doesn't understand why such a good thing has to be kept away from Lin Daiyu.

"Alright, thank you very much, Miss Qin. I will definitely come to your door to seek your guidance another day."

After saying that, Yuanyang moved her body and walked out the door.

Qin Keqing smugly switched places with her and snorted, "You're quite sensible, but I'm not exaggerating. You still have a lot to learn!"

"It's getting windy, close the door."

Yue Ling called out from inside.

Qin Keqing immediately changed her expression, revealing a charming smile. She gently inhaled the fragrance from her hair, quite satisfied, and then swayed her hips as she entered the room.

Parting the curtain, Qin Keqing smiled radiantly, "Master, you've kept me waiting. I'll serve you now..."

Yue Ling stretched out his large hand and covered her mouth, pinching it hard, and whispered, "I've been feeling a bit down lately. A massage to relax my muscles and improve blood circulation will do the trick. Don't get any funny ideas."

Qin Keqing blinked pitifully, then nodded vigorously.

……

Thanks to the efforts of the civil service, the court assembly, which had been suspended for several months, was finally restarted in early October.

Emperor Longyou remained composed, showing no sign of feigned illness, which further confirmed that his earlier suspension of court was merely a silent protest against them.

Unlike in the past, the three princes also made their official appearance in the court, listening to the court assembly.

The outcome satisfied both sides, and the court meeting proceeded smoothly, with several important matters discussed.

First and foremost was the threat from the border. The Northern Barbarians' request for a marriage alliance was presented, and for a long time people were discussing the pros and cons, with all the princes looking ashen-faced.

After all, the reigning emperor had no princesses, so the only option for a marriage alliance was to choose from his daughters.

The civil officials talked grandly about the pros and cons, touting the benefits, but none of their daughters came from their own families.

This aroused resentment among the imperial relatives and clansmen.

However, the outcome was relatively smooth. The Prince of Nan'an agreed to the marriage alliance, and his daughter was sent from his residence to marry a foreign prince to the grasslands.

It's understandable that he would take full responsibility for his previous poor performance in the battle against the Northern Barbarians.

Secondly, there was the impact of the Jia family's property being confiscated. Many nobles were implicated and thoroughly investigated, and were convicted one by one, which made many civil officials in the court secretly happy.

Finally, the decision to hold the "Great Debate at the Imperial Lectures" was reached, just as the civil officials had been eagerly anticipating it.

Emperor Longyou not only granted the civil officials' request, but also planned to hold the meeting in the Wenhua Hall.

Not only were all civil and military officials required to attend, but the event was also expanded to include thousands of students and renowned scholars from the literary world.

Emperor Longyou would even bring his female relatives from the inner palace to listen in on the proceedings in the hall.

The significance of the Wenhua Hall to civil officials was extraordinary.

This was originally the place where the emperor held lectures on classical studies, where officials were invited to participate, listen to the emperor's recent insights into classical studies, and engage in debates.

The "Great Debate on the Classics" held in the Wenhua Hall was not only regarded by Emperor Longyou as a ritual of the classics, but the content of the debate was also to be recorded on the spot and displayed in the Wenyuan Pavilion opposite the Wenhua Hall.

If one can achieve lasting fame through this, it is something that scholars, especially noble officials, would seek.

Even when faced with such a grand occasion, Yue Ling's attitude in court was to agree without expressing his own opinions, leaving everything to Emperor Longyou to decide.

As a result, many civil officials began to regret that they had not tried to earn the right to take the stage.

They interpreted Yue Ling's indifferent attitude as self-abandonment, a complete resignation to her fate.

Wouldn't this mean that anyone who appears could defeat Yue Ling, who is not good at debating, and thus go down in history?
Even though it might displease Emperor Longyou, they were genuinely concerned for the country, which was perfectly legitimate. How was it any different from submitting a memorial to the emperor during the reign of Emperor Longyou?
Such a golden opportunity was wasted. While pounding his chest in frustration, he couldn't help but look at Mei Hanlin with envy, stroking his beard as if he had everything under control.

This court assembly was a complete victory for the civil officials, whose demands were all met, and it dealt a blow to the arrogance of the military officials brought about by Yue Ling, bringing their emotions to a climax.

After the news spread, the students of the entire capital were in an uproar, and they all sought various ways to gain the qualification to enter the Wenhua Hall. They even set up a procession at the foot of the imperial city as a second scene for the news of the Wenhua Hall.

Despite this background, the Duke of Dingguo's mansion remained orderly.

The young girls usually spend their days either accompanying their two aunts on strolls through the garden or busy with their own tasks, each fulfilling their respective duties.

Lin Daiyu returned from her mother's ancestral hall and hurried into her room, intending to sort out the various news she had recently received. She also instructed, "Qingwen, go and tell Sister Bao that Brother Yue wants to meet with the students from Qingfeng Academy before the 'Great Debate at the Imperial Academy'."

"Okay, I'll go right away, miss."

Sitting in the study, Lin Daiyu touched a letter and thought to herself, "This should be Father's reply. The reply came quickly, without delaying Brother Yue's important business."

With that thought in mind, Lin Daiyu opened the envelope, unfolded the letter, and began to read it carefully.

When he read the first few words, he realized that it was a letter he had sent to his father.

Lin Daiyu clearly remembered that the letter had been mailed by Xueyan many days ago, and she couldn't understand why it was now on her desk.

It was only after the search party came to inquire that they learned that the letter had been returned from the capital, because there was an error in the letter paper, and it was not a letter sent to the palace.

Lin Daiyu's expression faltered slightly. If this letter was sent to the capital, then what about the other letter...?

Coming to her senses, Lin Daiyu's face gradually flushed red, and her brows furrowed. She called out in a deep voice, "Xueyan! Aren't you coming to see what you've done!"

……

Yangzhou, the office of the Salt Commissioner.

It was already night when Lin Ruhai finally had a moment to look at his family letters after dealing with the complicated salt affairs.

Lin Ruhai eagerly awaited every letter from his family in the capital, whether it concerned the well-being of his two concubines or the unfilial children of Lin Daiyu.

As I chanted this, some of my fatigue disappeared without me even realizing it.

After taking a sip of tea, Lin Ruhai suppressed his longing and carefully unfolded the letter, afraid of damaging it or missing a few words.

After taking the letter out completely, he glanced at it and recognized it as Lin Daiyu's handwriting. He then perked up and read it carefully.

Lin Ruhai was stunned after just one glance.

"May Your Majesty be blessed with good health and peace? Is this a letter addressed to the Empress in the palace? When did Yu'er and the Empress become so familiar that they even exchange letters? But how did this letter end up in my hands?"

Slowly folding the letter, Lin Ruhai was puzzled and felt that he shouldn't have read this letter, which wasn't a family letter, to pry into his daughter's affairs.

The fact that it wasn't a letter from home suggests that Lin Daiyu was careless and sent the wrong letter instead.

Since there was a letter, it proves that Lin Daiyu must have encountered something, which is why she thought of sending a letter.

Moreover, every time a letter was sent before, something went wrong; otherwise, Lin Daiyu wouldn't have bothered to inquire about her well-being.

After much hesitation, Lin Ruhai took out the letter again, hoping to learn about his daughter's recent situation.

As expected, the document contained information about Lin Daiyu's recent situation, and it was good news: she was getting married.

Even more fortunately, it was the Empress herself who presided over the ceremony, which made things much easier for him as a father.

The word "husband" in the letter, though not in gold ink, was so glaring that it made Lin Ruhai's forehead veins bulge, and he gripped the teacup tightly as if he wanted to crush it into powder.

"Hahaha, what a father! He doesn't even dare to refuse! Good, good, truly good!"

Lin Ruhai, panting heavily, cursed angrily, "Yue Ling really raised a good daughter for me!"

Then, upon seeing the details of the so-called "Great Debate at the Imperial Academy," Lin Ruhai's brows furrowed again.

Even though he was far away in Jiangnan, he had heard that the emperor had recently suspended court sessions and that scholars from Jiangnan were flocking to the capital.

Considering that Yue Ling and Lin Daiyu were now of one mind, she had no choice but to suppress her anger and write a reply to offer Yue Ling advice.

However, the brushstrokes were messy and disorderly, like cursive script.

"Most of the upright officials in the court today are no longer Confucian scholars who 'establish virtue, merit, and words,' but rather corrupt scholars who are afraid of death but want to make a name for themselves..."

(End of this chapter)