Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 483 My Brother-in-Law's Little Sweetheart
Duzheng Hall,
In the government office, Yue Ling was bent over his desk, reviewing the documents and carefully outlining every step of the new policy's progress.

Even in the dead of winter, beads of sweat still condensed on Yue Ling's forehead. He was so focused that he didn't even raise his hand to wipe them away, until his hair twisted into strands.

Now he holds a superior position, being a powerful duke who also holds military power. In addition to being able to advance one rank in his title, he will become the fifth non-royal prince of Dachang.

In reality, Yue Ling's influence in the court now surpasses that of the four princes of different surnames.

Even Yue Ling's weakest point, his lack of influence in the court, was transformed after the "Great Debate at the Imperial Academy".

Students of Qingfeng Academy answered the call and entered officialdom, starting from the grassroots level in government offices such as grain transport and waterway administration, and immersing themselves in practical work.

Presumably, many years later, most of them, having implemented the new policy guidelines, will be able to steadily advance their official careers based on their achievements.

At that time, Yue Ling's influence on the court would be even more self-evident.

Looking back, when Lin Daiyu was first brought to the capital, the two of them lived in a small courtyard in an alley with ancient locust trees, sitting side by side at the desk.

The two continued their discussion about reading, which led to the topic of entering officialdom. Lin Daiyu had asked Yue Ling about his aspirations.

At that time, Yue Ling never imagined that this day would come, and even after transmigrating, he was not prepared to change the world.

Looking at it now, it's clear that he's already doing just that.

It was as if the tide of the times pushed him out, allowing him to avoid the bitter history of the past century, instead of simply immersing himself in the happiness of his small family.

"Have you heard? Today His Majesty issued an edict ordering the three princes to each establish their own residences outside the capital."

"I've heard about it. Those royal gardens in the East City have all been renovated. I suppose they're for the same purpose."

"The princes are all not yet of legal age. Isn't it a bit too early?"

"This... But His Majesty, at the age of twenty, is already galloping across the battlefield, while the princes are mostly confined to the palace, unaware of external affairs, and should..."

Under the back corridor, officials were discussing important matters in the capital, which Yue Ling found unsurprising.

Not long ago, Emperor Longyou was perhaps unwell, and he had streamlined his administration considerably, handing over many memorials to the cabinet ministers before personally reviewing them.

One day, Emperor Longyou summoned Yue Ling to the palace and asked him about his biggest concerns: the studies of his sons and how the newly established dynasty should continue.

Yue Ling also opened up and poured out her heart without reservation her innermost thoughts.

The dynastic cycle is something that is very difficult to escape, and for Emperor Longyou, this may have been very cruel.

Yue Ling simply argued with him, stating bluntly that none of the three princes could be as wise as His Majesty as the crown prince, and the continuation of the dynasty would be a very difficult task.

Emperor Longyou then asked Yue Ling how to remedy the situation.

Yue Ling said frankly, "They have been in the inner palace for many years and know very little about what is happening outside. It would be better for them to leave the palace sooner rather than later."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Longyou remained silent for a long time.

The past with his elder brother seems to have made Emperor Longyou very sensitive about the upbringing of his sons. He was reluctant to mention the matter of establishing his own residence, fearing that his brothers might pick up bad ideas outside and eventually follow the old path of fratricide.

But royal family ties are hard to express.

Those born into noble families rarely encounter difficulties and thus cannot grow in terms of human nature. Even the most outstanding Confucian scholars cannot make up for the lessons learned from a life filled with hardships.

This is often the main reason why it is difficult for subsequent generations of wise and capable rulers to match the talents of the first generation.

Carrying a golden hoe, tilling the fields in the backyard, one cannot comprehend the hardships of ordinary people.

Practicing martial arts on the training ground with golden spears and silver swords, one will never know the cruelty of the battlefield.

If they cannot cultivate an outstanding successor, they can only settle for second best and witness the most capable prince ascend to the throne in the struggle for succession, at least ensuring that the successor of the dynasty will not be an incompetent person.

Perhaps thinking of this, Emperor Longyou did not reply for a long time this time, but instead let Yue Ling leave the palace first.

This was the last time Yue Ling saw Emperor Longyou recently.

"Reporting to the Duke of Dingguo, Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding's term of service on the border has expired, and he requests to enter the capital. I wonder if this request can be granted."

A minor official entered the hall to deliver documents.

Yue Ling glanced at it briefly, then asked, "What did the Ministry of War say?"

"The Ministry of War said that according to regulations, he could return to the capital to report on his duties, and that someone else should be found to fill the vacancy."

"Then let's leave it here for now and submit it to His Majesty after the cabinet has discussed it. The mobilization of troops in the nine border regions is no small matter."

"Yes."

The minor official slowly withdrew, and then someone else rushed in.

Yue Ling raised an eyebrow, then looked up again after lowering his head to look at the documents. "What's the urgent matter?"

The clerk who entered was panting heavily. He bowed and said, "Duke Dingguo, this is an urgent report from your family. It says that the two ladies of the Lin family gave birth to children today, and they want to inform you to go back and see them as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Yue Ling's expression froze, then his eyes widened, and he slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

“Alright, have Lord Su take this stack of documents off my desk and tell him that I’m going back to my residence to rest today.”

After giving the final instructions, Yue Ling hurriedly rushed into the manor.

Although they are not his own children, they will be considered related in some way from now on. The young ladies in the mansion are taking care of them, and he cannot afford to be careless if anything goes wrong.

Especially in this era, childbirth is like walking through the gates of hell, and medical conditions are not yet perfect.

Yue Ling also considered drawing on the experience of modern Western medicine to design some sterile rooms as delivery rooms to provide more protection for the safety of mothers and children.

Unexpectedly, it was too late; both concubines had already given birth.

Moreover, his relationship with Lin Ruhai had always been bad, and the fact that he secretly took Lin Daiyu away from Yangzhou Prefecture may have further strained their relationship.

The two concubines also entered the mansion without permission. If anything goes wrong, Yue Ling will be severely punished.

With his horse spurred on, Yue Ling galloped all the way back to his residence.

He spurred his horse over the side gate, then leaped over and tossed the reins to the startled gatekeeper beside him, ordering, "Take him to the stable and feed him some fine feed!"

Then he quickly walked into the inner courtyard.

When he arrived at the courtyard of his two aunts, he saw that the gate was crowded with little girls, and everyone had a smile on their face. He breathed a deep sigh of relief.

After wiping the sweat from his forehead, Yue Ling finally calmed down and was able to ask questions slowly.

Due to their different statuses, Yue Ling couldn't directly enter the delivery room, so she grabbed the person in front of the door and asked them questions.

"Qingwen, how is the situation inside?"

"Oh? Master is back?"

Everyone's attention was focused on the two newborn babies in the mansion, and they all overlooked Yue Ling's presence.

Qingwen wiped her hands on her skirt and hurriedly said, "Everything is fine inside. The two concubines have both drunk nourishing soup and rested after giving birth. The two babies are being held by wet nurses who are feeding and soothing them to sleep."

Yue Ling nodded, then asked, "Boy or girl?" "They are two little girls, and they are very pretty. They have bright, sparkling eyes, but their features don't quite resemble a girl's; they look more like Master Lin."

"Both are girls..."

Yue Ling gasped.

He certainly doesn't mind having a son or a daughter, but given the Lin family's current situation, Lin Ruhai probably only wants a son to carry on the family line, especially with a girl like Lin Daiyu who is somewhat of an outsider...

"Having a girl is his own problem. Even if he dislikes it, he can't blame it on me, can he?"

Yue Ling's lips twitched, then she asked, "Is there anyone else inside?"

Qingwen nodded. "The young ladies are all inside talking with them. The two concubines have gone to rest in another room."

Therefore, Yue Ling walked into the door. As soon as he entered, he saw Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai, Qin Keqing and others sitting around the tea table on both sides, looking at the two little ones in the wet nurse's arms.

Xueyan was stopped by a midwife who patted her chest and pinched her buttocks.

"With that figure, you're definitely a woman who can give birth easily. When it comes to childbirth, it will be much easier than for the two concubines. She'll probably fall off with just a couple of stomps. And look at those two white flour pouches on your chest. It would be a waste if you didn't become a wet nurse. The child will definitely not go hungry."

Xueyan winced in pain from the slap, pushed the midwife's hand away, jumped aside and scolded, "What are you saying, old woman? You're just saying shameless things to tease others. This, this breastfeeding looks painful, I don't want to breastfeed."

"Why should I be the only one eating other things? How can I let others eat me?"

Upon hearing this, the entire room erupted in laughter.

Xueyan pouted, quite annoyed by the mockery she was being ridiculed. She looked around and happened to see Yue Ling walk in, so she ran to his side and started crying.

"Master, look, they're all bullying me."

He crashed headfirst into Yue Ling's arms. All Yue Ling could say was that dribbling and charging at someone should result in a red card and a dismissal.

Ruffled Xueyan's hair and smiled helplessly, "This can be considered a special talent. They can only be envious, not mocking you."

Stop joking with Xueyan and sit down next to Lin Daiyu. Yue Ling looked at the two little ones from afar and found that, just as Qingwen had said, they were exquisitely beautiful and very lovable.

And now, perhaps having finished feeding, the baby is neither crying nor fussing, but rather looking around with great curiosity, seemingly curious about everything around them.

Those bright, expressive eyes are sure to please anyone.

"Have you given them names yet?"

Yue Ling took the tea poured by Lin Daiyu, took a small sip, and asked.

This question stumped Lin Daiyu. She was so busy comforting her two aunts that she forgot all about naming the two little ones.

"Wouldn't it be better to ask Father first?"

Yue Ling smiled and said, "Lord Lin is far away in Yangzhou City. It takes more than half a month for him to send a letter back and forth. We can't not call them these days, can we? We'll give them two nicknames, and we'll ask Lord Lin for their real names later."

Lin Daiyu nodded repeatedly, thinking it made perfect sense, and began to consider it.

"Don't be fooled by their quietness now; they really had a good cry just now. The older sister cried fiercely, and her voice is a little hoarse. The younger sister cried softly, like flowing water, making a gurgling sound."

"This reminds me of a poem: 'A mountain shines because it contains jade, and a river is charming because it holds pearls.'"

"How about we name these two sisters, the elder sister Yunyu and the younger sister Huaizhu?"

Lin Daiyu looked around for the opinions of those around her, and everyone nodded in agreement, thinking it was just right; the personalities of the two young maids were perfect for this comparison.

Yue Ling nodded in agreement. “Since Sister Lin has made her decision, let’s use this name for now. We can ask Lord Lin for his opinion later and then make changes.”

It was a novel experience to name someone else for the first time.

Lin Daiyu was worried that her use of allusions was too common and would be rejected by others, but the fact that she received approval from those around her made her a little proud.

The two little ones in the swaddling clothes, tired from crying and full, seemed to understand what they were saying, staring intently at them.

Lin Daiyu was delighted and stepped forward to take the baby from the wet nurse's arms, wanting to hold it and get close to it.

After all, as the eldest sister, and having given her two younger sisters new names, she naturally had to introduce them to them.

"Girl, be careful, support the child's waist when you pick him up."

The wet nurse carefully placed the baby into Lin Daiyu's arms. The sight of such a vibrant little life against Lin Daiyu filled her with joy.

Before Lin Daiyu could even enjoy her happiness for a few seconds, her sister started crying again, as if she disliked her and didn't want her to hold her.

Lin Daiyu struggled to steady herself and handed her sister back to the wet nurse. She muttered in bewilderment, "What's going on? Could it be that you don't like the name I gave you?"

Lin Daiyu pouted, gently stroked her sister's cheek, and then went to hug her younger sister.

Perhaps it was because her older sister's personality was a bit too lively and didn't match her own. The little one next to her was crying softly. She was sure that when she grew up, she would be a quiet little girl, and would even resemble her in some ways. Lin Daiyu confidently went to take her over.

But to everyone's surprise, her younger sister also started crying and struggled, forcing Lin Daiyu to return the gift as well.

When Lin Daiyu returned to Yue Ling's side, she looked dejected.

She had never been so disliked since she was born.

From her father to her brother-in-law, and then to all the little maids around her, who didn't dote on her? Yet today, she was humiliated by these two little brats.

"Brother Yue, do you think they don't like me?"

Yue Ling couldn't bear to look at Xueyan in Lin Daiyu's arms. Compared to Xueyan, she looked like an undeveloped, immature fruit, so he dared not say anything more.

"Perhaps it will be better when Lin Daiyu is a little older?"

Lin Daiyu looked over blankly, completely baffled by Yue Ling's words. Shouldn't it be that things will get better when these two little ones grow up?
Lin Daiyu's failure to win over the two young girls sparked a secret competition among the others to see who could please them.

So they lined up and took turns holding him, but he cried every time he was held and could only stay in the arms of the two wet nurses.

This whole thing really baffled everyone. Some of the girls even cried out before the two little ones could even take it.

The wet nurse smiled and said, "It's because you two are too awkward in holding them, so they don't like them. Why don't you, sir, try holding them?"

As soon as he finished speaking, all the women turned to look at him.

Yue Ling was also quite interested. She went to the wet nurse and took her older sister in her arms first.

The process of taking her over was very smooth. Her older sister lay quietly in Yue Ling's arms, her thumb wrapped in one hand, while she stared at Yue Ling's face with her bright black eyes.

The girls chuckled to themselves, thinking that Yue Ling would suffer the same fate as Lin Daiyu, but to their surprise, after several breaths, the little guy still didn't make a sound.

Instead, the baby girl in the arms of another wet nurse started crying without warning.

This not only startled the girls in the room, but also caught the wet nurse completely off guard.

No matter how she tried to soothe her, she continued to cry and fuss, refusing to nurse. After a while, the wet nurse finally realized what was happening and said, quite embarrassed, "Master, this little girl seems to want you to hold her too..."

(End of this chapter)