Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 495 The ceremony is completed
Dingguo Mansion, inner chambers

Red silk fluttered in the wind, and exquisitely cut "囍" (double happiness) characters were pasted everywhere. In the corridor, maids lined up, tiptoeing and craning their necks, trying to catch a glimpse of the bride inside.

"Alright, alright, stop blocking the way here. Today, Lin Daiyu isn't someone you can see first. There's a banquet for the ladies of various families in the inner chambers, so go help out and don't slack off."

Xue Baochai, dressed in a red dress, led the wedding attendant, who was adorned with flowers, through the maids, calling out to them and giving them instructions.

"Yes, Miss Bao, let's go then."

The young maids laughed and flew away like swallows, making way for the strong women carrying the bridal sedan chair.

"The auspicious time has arrived. Please, bride, get into the sedan chair."

As soon as the matchmaker finished chanting, the main gate was pushed open from the inside, and two maids, Zijuan and Xueyan, helped Lin Daiyu, who was already wearing a veil, to walk out slowly.

With the help of others, Lin Daiyu boarded the bridal sedan chair.

As the bridal sedan chair began to sway slightly, Lin Daiyu felt increasingly uneasy and couldn't help but clutch her red handkerchief tightly.

Although she had been waiting for this day for far too long, and had rehearsed the scene countless times in her mind, when the day finally arrived, she was still so nervous that her throat tightened and her hands and feet went weak.

"There must be many guests at the door; we must not make any mistakes later..."

As she pondered this in her heart, Lin Daiyu couldn't help but smile slightly, unable to hide her joy.

As the bridal sedan chair passed through the hanging flower gate, drums suddenly sounded and firecrackers exploded, bringing the atmosphere to a climax.

Yue Ling, who had been waiting there for a long time, dressed in a bright red wedding robe, came to greet the bride amidst a crowd of people.

At this moment, Yue Ling was so excited that he couldn't speak.

Having lived two lives, this was his first time experiencing marriage, and with Lin Daiyu, whom he had spent every day with, Yue Ling could only stare intently at the bridal sedan chair, unable to look away.

The matchmaker smiled and waved her hand, saying, "Lord Duke, why don't you come up and carry your bride out?"

Amidst cheers and jeers from the surroundings, Yue Ling chuckled sheepishly, lifted one side of the sedan curtain, and raised a hand, saying, "Yu'er, I've come to pick you up."

The maid following behind the bridal sedan chair cupped her hands into a megaphone shape and called out, "Your voice is too soft! The bride can't hear you!"

Yue Ling closed his eyes and called out loudly, "Yu'er, I've come to get you! Come with me!"

Then, a pair of cool but slightly damp hands were placed on Yue Ling's palms.

Yue Ling opened his eyes, his face beaming with joy. He helped Lin Daiyu up and carried her on his back.

Onlookers parted to make way for the newlyweds, escorting them to the white marble steps in front of the hall.

Lin Daiyu landed gracefully, and a red ribbon connected her and Yue Ling.

Suddenly, the palace doors opened, and the noisy conversation inside abruptly stopped. Even though Lin Daiyu had her head covered by a veil, she could still sense countless gazes directed at her.

Her arm trembled unnaturally, causing the ribbon to quiver slightly. Yue Ling, ever attentive, whispered to comfort her, "Yu'er, don't be afraid, I'm always here."

Lin Daiyu gave a soft "hmm," her cheeks burning as if on fire.

"Welcome newcomers!"

A loud shout came from inside, and music played from all sides. Yue Ling and Lin Daiyu stepped onto the red carpet and slowly entered the room.

The guests all stood up and applauded in celebration.

Even Emperor Longyou, accompanied by his empress, stood up and pointed with great satisfaction, saying, "He lacked my enthronement ceremony, but I do not lack his wedding banquet. That's right."

The Empress covered her mouth and chuckled, "Yue Ling started working in the Prince of Qin's residence before he was even twenty. His Majesty has watched him grow up. He has worked hard and made great contributions over the years. Even if His Majesty didn't care, I would have already regarded him as a nephew."

"Yu'er is my newly adopted daughter, how could she not come?"

Emperor Longyou nodded repeatedly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

After the newlyweds took the stage, he gave Xia Shouzhong a look and then went up on stage to announce the imperial decree.

Xia Shouzhong coughed lightly a few times, and then the surroundings fell silent again.

The golden imperial edict was taken out and unfolded. Apart from the newlyweds on the stage, Emperor Longyou, and the Empress, everyone else knelt on the ground.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: There is the adopted daughter of the Empress, Lin Daiyu, the Princess of Suzhou, who is exceptionally beautiful, gentle and kind, with talent that surpasses all others, and filial piety that deeply pleases the Emperor."

"Your father, Lord Lin, was a pillar of integrity and made great contributions to the country; your mother, Lady Jia, was virtuous and kind, but sadly passed away at a young age. The Empress and I always feel deep sorrow when we think of her."

"Fortunately, after I was a little over six years old, I entered the capital and was treated kindly by the Duke of Dingguo. Over the years, he has been a great help to me."

"By special grace, Lin Daiyu is hereby promoted to the title of 'Princess of Xiaoxiang,' and bestowed with a golden book and precious ribbon to honor her virtue and bring glory to her family."

“Princess Nian Xiaoxiang has reached marriageable age. Duke Dingguo, Yue Ling, is known for his loyalty and diligence, is handsome and outstanding, and has made outstanding contributions to the court. He is a pillar of the country and a bulwark of the nation. The two are well-matched in appearance and character, and their affection is deep. They are truly a match made in heaven.”

"I, the Emperor, bear the weighty responsibility of the ancestral temples and the state, and am delighted to witness this auspicious union."

"By special decree: Princess Lin Daiyu of Xiaoxiang is betrothed to Duke Yue Ling of Dingguo."

"I and the Empress have made a vow that you two will be a harmonious and loving couple. I hope that the Duke of Dingguo will fulfill his duties as a husband and cherish you, and that the Princess of Xiaoxiang will uphold the virtues of a wife, supporting her husband and raising her children. With one heart and one mind, we will secure our nation forever. May we inherit the virtues of our ancestors and usher in a prosperous future for generations to come."

"Announce it to the whole world, and let everyone know."

"Appreciate this!"

Everyone rose and spoke highly of Emperor Longyou's wisdom. Xia Shouzhong opened another book and read aloud: "The Empress's benevolence and virtue are widespread, and she is a model for the world. She deeply sympathizes with Princess Xiaoxiang, who lost her mother at an early age."

"The Empress treated the Princess as her own daughter. With the loving heart of a foster mother, she issued a special imperial decree: Originally, the Princess's dowry was prepared in the form of sixty tables. Now, by the grace of the Empress, the dowry funds have been increased and generously bestowed, bringing the total to one hundred and eight tables. The aim is to ensure that the dowry is abundant and complete, so as to reflect the dignity of the imperial family, comfort the heart of the deceased, and fulfill the love of a loving mother."

"This reflects the Empress's deep compassion and also demonstrates the Royal Family's sincere respect for meritorious officials."

As soon as he finished speaking, a commotion erupted all around.

The dowry left by Jia Min was prepared by Jia Daishan of the Rongguo Mansion back then. It was a grand wedding that caused a sensation in the capital.

Now, with a wave of her hand, the Empress has added sixty more units, whose value must be considerable.

The Empress was known for her frugality in managing the palace, so it seems that the royal family's favor towards Yue Ling was probably deeper than anyone had anticipated.

Even Chai Pu, Shui Rong, and the three princes, who were sitting at the head of the banquet, showed surprise on their faces.

Noticing the latte art swaying gently again, Yue Ling smiled and said, "Sister Lin, others might not be able to guess, but you certainly can. I've already said I'd give you the grandest and most magnificent wedding, and I won't go back on my word."

At this moment, Lin Daiyu couldn't even utter a soft "hmm," she could only tense her body in response.

Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes without my noticing.

Emperor Longyou smiled and said, "Indeed, when Lin Ruhai arrives in the capital and learns that I have arranged for his daughter to marry Yue Ling in such a grand manner, he will surely be pleased. No reward I could possibly give him would satisfy him more."

The Empress frowned and said, "How come I heard that Imperial Censor Lin is unwilling to facilitate this marriage and has repeatedly obstructed it?"

Emperor Longyou laughed and said, "Do you think I can't guess what he's thinking? He must be trying to avoid suspicion. He must have had the intention of befriending Yue Ling when he first handed Lin Yatou over to him, but he never expected Yue Ling to have come this far."

“I am delighted to see such a good match and to help him realize his wish. How could he possibly be dissatisfied? Unless he has lost his mind.”

The Empress nodded slightly, then suddenly looked up and asked, "The Imperial Censor Lin hasn't arrived yet for the ceremony. What should we do?"

Emperor Longyou slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Yes, how could I have neglected this matter? I completely forgot that Lin Ruhai had not yet arrived. No wonder I always felt like something was missing."

"Lin Ruhai is also flawed. He treats important matters concerning his children as child's play. He didn't come to the capital sooner and missed this important ceremony."

“The seat in the main hall shouldn’t be left empty. Since you’ve taken the Lin family girl as your goddaughter, let’s go sit in that chair.”

The Empress smiled and said with great satisfaction, "Very well, that's exactly what I was thinking."

Emperor Longyou and his empress walked hand in hand onto the stage, passing Yue Ling and Lin Daiyu, before taking their seats with beaming smiles, astonishing all the guests present. Suddenly, the Vice Minister of Rites rose, shooed away the master of ceremonies who was about to ascend the stage, and stepped forward himself, proclaiming, "The auspicious time has arrived; let us bow to Heaven and Earth!"

In response, the two bowed down together.

Lin Daiyu, with her eyes closed silently beneath the veil, thought of her mother who had died young and murmured in her heart, "If Mother's spirit in heaven can see this, I hope she can bless me and Brother Yue, just as we did when we paid our respects at her grave that day."

Suddenly, gasps of surprise rang out from the audience.

It was still early spring when a large swarm of butterflies flew in from the windowsills all around, rushed onto the stage, and hovered around Lin Daiyu.

"Lin Daiyu, beside you..."

Lin Daiyu nodded slowly. Even with her veil covering her face, she could feel many butterflies fluttering around her, and tears involuntarily streamed down her face.

If your wishes come true, it must be because your mother's spirit in heaven is protecting you.

Lin Daiyu silently repeated, "Thank you for witnessing, Mother. I will cherish this opportunity and continue on this path."

As if the butterflies could truly hear Lin Daiyu's innermost thoughts, after Lin Daiyu's emotions gradually stabilized, they once again flocked together and flew out of the window.

The Queen exclaimed in surprise, "What a bright and intelligent girl!"

Emperor Longyou nodded silently, astonished by what he had just witnessed.

After a long while, the Vice Minister of Rites finally came to his senses.

He cleared his throat lightly and then said, "Second bow to my parents!"

Yue Ling knelt down first, then used a red silk ribbon to guide Lin Daiyu to slowly prostrate herself on the ground.

The red dress fell to the ground, truly as beautiful as a large red butterfly, breathtakingly gorgeous.

The young couple performed a grand ceremony, and Emperor Longyou and Empress exchanged a glance, both beaming with smiles.

But at that moment, an unexpected incident occurred: the main gate was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

A man with disheveled hair and unkempt clothes rushed into the hall.

"Yue Ling, you!"

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Ruhai abruptly stopped after reassessing his surroundings.

The first banquet hosted by Grand Secretary Chai Pu, Prince Bei Jing Shui Rong, and Prince Zhong Shun was accompanied by three younger men, who could not possibly be their nephews or nieces, but rather princes of equally high status.

Even though he had never met Lin Ruhai, he could still guess what was going on.

Even the other cabinet ministers and several ministers were not qualified to sit at the main banquet.

The person officiating at the wedding on stage was none other than the Minister of Rites.

Seated in the main hall were Emperor Longyou and his empress.

Lin Ruhai's initial anger vanished in an instant.

Such a noisy display was disrespectful, and Emperor Longyou rose to ask, "Lord Lin, did I invite you to sit here? You've come at just the right time."

Yue Ling and Lin Daiyu turned around at the same time.

Even though Lin Daiyu was covered by a veil and couldn't see, she couldn't help but turn around.

Yue Ling was also embarrassed. After being glared at by Lin Ruhai, she shrugged and turned back, leaving the situation to others.

Lin Ruhai dared not compete with Emperor Longyou for the throne. He pulled the emperor down, prostrated himself, and said, "Your Majesty is joking. I will find a seat."

Emperor Longyou's glaring eyes gradually narrowed, and he snorted coldly, "At least you have some sense of propriety. You're late to your daughter's wedding day. You shouldn't be sitting here. You haven't fulfilled your duties as a parent at all."

"By barging into a wedding banquet without cause, you will be fined a year's salary."

Lin Ruhai smiled wryly and repeatedly agreed.

It's pitiful that he should have been seated in a high position, but in the end he had to make do with watching the ceremony at the end of the banquet.

When I touched the teacup, I felt so angry that I wanted to grind my teeth to pieces and crush the cup.

Isn't Yue Ling to blame for all of this?

In Lin Ruhai's eyes, Yue Ling must have planned all of this, and all her little schemes were used on him.

Lin Ruhai had never expected that Emperor Longyou, who had suspended court for many days, would actually come in person and seemed quite satisfied with the scale of the wedding.

But that couldn't make up for his disgust for Yue Ling.

"Couple greetings!"

Yue Ling and Lin Daiyu turned around together and bowed deeply to each other with utmost solemnity.

The moment Lin Daiyu bent down, her head swayed, as if she could feel the burning gaze from the other side.

Lin Daiyu smiled and bent her waist even deeper.

"It's done!"

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience, and guests rose to their feet to cheer and offer their blessings.

Yue Ling finally took the red silk ribbon and slowly took Lin Daiyu's hand.

Lin Daiyu familiarly took Yue Ling's arm, trusting him and moving with his steps.

We walked through the alleyway towards the bridal chamber.

"Congratulations, Lord Lin!"

"congratulations!"

After the young couple left, Lin Ruhai found himself in the center of the vortex.

Colleagues from all departments lined up to congratulate him, showering him with flattering words.

"Lord Lin didn't even have time to change his clothes, so he must have rushed to the capital day and night. It's really a good thing that he didn't miss the wedding ceremony."

Lin Ruhai's lips twitched, but he couldn't manage a smile.

Another person said, "I truly envy Lord Lin for having such a fine son-in-law as the Duke of Dingguo. I'm afraid every family in Dachang with daughters would envy Lord Lin. Dachang will never find another person like the Duke of Dingguo."

Lin Ruhai listened silently, still unable to laugh.

“Alas, that is incorrect,” someone corrected. “Lord Lin is farsighted. Would you entrust your young daughter to someone else’s care?”

"I may envy him, but no one has Lord Lin's abilities!"

Lin Ruhai could no longer laugh.

No one noticed Lin Ruhai's face, which was as black as charcoal, and continued talking to themselves.

"Lord Lin, you're probably going to get a promotion this time you return to the capital. Let's celebrate together today."

Lin Ruhai politely declined, saying, "I dare not accept such praise."

"Hey, with the Duke of Dingguo around, is getting a promotion really that difficult?"

Lin Ruhai: “…”

(End of this chapter)