Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 515 Lin Ruhai: Yue Ling, you bastard, die!
"What if he's not here?"

Chai Pu's brief words seemed to contain a wealth of information, which made the First Prince think for a long time before he murmured, "If it weren't for the Duke of Dingguo in the capital, I'm afraid it would be difficult to find someone who could keep these arrogant and fierce soldiers in check."

The eldest prince was well aware of his own disadvantages, and couldn't help but turn his attention back to Chai Pu.

Chai Pu said calmly, "Your Highness need not be anxious. Chaos is also an opportunity. As long as we are fully prepared, no matter how others stir up trouble in the capital, we will have a way to deal with it."

The eldest prince nodded slightly and cupped his hands, saying, "It's all thanks to Advisor Chai."

The two sat facing each other drinking tea. After a while, Chai Pu was about to get up and take his leave when the eldest prince suddenly spoke up and asked, "Grand Secretary Chai, I have another question to ask you."

Chai Pu stopped, straightened his slightly hunched body, placed his hands naturally on his knees, and looked more relaxed.

"Your Highness, please speak frankly."

The eldest prince changed his tone and asked bluntly, "Just now, Grand Secretary Chai analyzed the purposes and interests of Prince Bei Jing, the Imperial Uncle, and Prince Teng. So, what does Grand Secretary Chai want?"

Chai Pu's body suddenly trembled, his pupils contracted slightly, and he tried his best to suppress his body's reaction, taking a deep breath.

Seeing this, the eldest prince naturally realized something was wrong and tried to smooth things over, saying, "Elder Chai, please don't take it to heart. I'm just afraid that if Elder Chai is so eager to help me, I won't be able to treat him well in the future."

"Old Chai doesn't like to wield power, lives a simple life, and only has his wife at home. I really don't know how to repay him."

With the composure of a veteran actor, Chai Pu, in this embarrassing situation, actually shifted his position back and bowed deeply to the ground, changing from sitting on the prayer mat to kneeling on the ground.

The eldest prince quickly stood up and reached out to help him, "Elder Chai, why did you have to go to this?"

Chai Pu did not rise, but spoke earnestly: "What this old minister seeks is neither power nor wealth. The greatest wish is for the stability of the country, and the smallest wish is for Your Highness to protect your clan after you ascend the throne."

"None of my descendants have achieved anything of note, and I do not expect them to enter officialdom."

After a pause, Chai Pu, tears streaming down his face, sobbed, "In the past, Zhang Liang resigned his post as a marquis and Fan Li scattered his boat worth a thousand gold pieces. This old minister wishes to emulate the wise ministers of the past... When the new emperor ascends the throne, it will be the time for this old minister to retire from office."

The eldest prince was deeply moved and knelt down beside Chai Pu, comforting him, "Elder Chai, you have devoted yourself to the cause. How could I not appreciate your kindness? Rest assured, Elder Chai, if I successfully ascend the throne, I will certainly not treat you unfairly."

"I will treat Elder Chai the way my father treats the Duke of Dingguo!"

Chai Pu wiped his face with his sleeve, then cupped his hands and said, "This old minister dares not have such extravagant hopes. Your Highness should be careful in everything you do now. Both you and this old minister are walking on thin ice!"

The eldest prince nodded repeatedly, helped Chai Pu to his feet, and slipped the secret letter into Chai Pu's hand.

"Thank you for your trouble, Elder Chai."

Chai Pu nodded emphatically, “Your Highness, rest assured, I will certainly not fail in my mission.”

……

Dingguo Mansion, the concubine's courtyard.

After having breakfast early in the morning, the women gathered here to greet each other.

The people who came today were all present. Even the young girls from the opera troupe had neglected their usual singing practice to come here first to participate in the grand event.

The event, though called a grand celebration, was actually a "first birthday celebration" for the two little girls, Yunyu and Huaizhu.

According to custom, when a child turns one year old, new clothes are made for him, he is bathed and cleaned, and bows and arrows, paper and pens, swords, needles and thread, as well as food, treasures and toys are placed in front of him.

The act of observing a child's choice of what to take is used to determine their greed, integrity, foolishness, or wisdom; this practice is also known as "testing the child's mind."

This is a custom in Jiangnan, valued by elders, and especially important to patriarchs like Lin Ruhai.

However, the two little ones are not yet a year old, but because they are more precocious than other young children, the ceremony has to be held ahead of schedule.

Now, at only six months old, the two of them can crawl all over the place and can't stay still at all. They can even stand up while holding onto a small stool.

This really took a toll on Miaoyu, Xing Xiuyan, and the other nannies and wet nurses who were taking care of them.

Today, a Persian carpet has been laid out in front of the hall.

Lin Ruhai and Yue Ling were seated at the head of the table to watch the ceremony, while Lin Daiyu accompanied her two concubines to watch the excitement from the sidelines.

The other girls all took their places, while the maids of slightly lower status could only stand outside, forming a semicircle in front of the hall.

It seemed like they hadn't seen so many people in a long time; the two little girls giggled nonstop as soon as they were brought out.

He didn't even put his fingers in his mouth, and excitedly waved to everyone.

Yue Ling dared not look directly at the two little devils, but simply avoided their gaze.

Upon catching a glimpse of Lin Ruhai's sharp, knife-like gaze, Yue Ling could only manage an awkward smile before asking, "Father-in-law, is there any progress in the Shi family's case?"

Lin Ruhai snorted coldly, muttering to himself, "At least you have some sense. Deceiving Yu'er wasn't enough, you're now eyeing both of them. If you really want to raise children, why don't you have a few more yourself?"

Composing himself, Lin Ruhai shook his head and said, "The person you captured has been tortured beyond recognition, yet still refuses to speak. The Shi family has searched the entire area, but found no evidence of any contact with the assassins."

"However, a large amount of gold and silver treasures were found in the Shi family's property. Given the Shi family's impoverished state, it is quite strange that they were able to accumulate such a large fortune after the Rongguo Mansion was raided."

"This matter is still under investigation."

Yue Ling smiled and said, "It must be because of the Prince of Bei Jing's mansion."

"Oh? You have insight?"

Yue Ling nodded, “It’s not entirely unfounded suspicion. Now that we’ve found clues about Chai Pu, we can also vaguely discern what Shui Rong, the leader of the noble lineage, did before.”

"The reason why no large amount of treasure was found in the home of the Yangzhou prefect is probably due to the contributions of the historians."

Lin Ruhai pondered for a moment and said, "That makes sense. Should we continue to pursue this matter?"

Seemingly worried that dealing with both sides at the same time would make too many enemies, which would be detrimental to Yue Ling, Yue Ling calmly said, "Even if they join forces, I don't take them seriously. Besides, isn't the 'Great Debate at the Imperial Academy' their first time joining forces?"

Lin Ruhai sighed, "It's always best to be cautious in everything."

Looking around the hall, everyone's face was full of smiles. Lin Ruhai cherished this harmonious family scene even more after experiencing the pain of losing his wife and being separated from his children.

"The peace and stability we enjoy today are truly precious."

Yue Ling smiled and said, "To say such a thing is not like a father-in-law. There was a time when the father-in-law I knew was ambitious and enterprising, never disobeying imperial orders and never giving up until he achieved his goal."

Lin Ruhai looked over coldly, his expression stiff as if to say: I thought too much before, which gave you an opportunity.

"You also know that we are old acquaintances?" Lin Ruhai picked up his teacup and said calmly, but his face carried a warning.

Yue Ling gave an awkward smile and quickly changed the subject, saying, "Yunyu, Huaizhu is already seated. Let's see what they'll touch."

In the hall, Miaoyu and Xing Xiuyan had already placed Yunyu Huaizhu in their respective places.

Sitting in the middle of the crowd, the two of them neither cried nor made a fuss. Instead, they curiously looked around and stared blankly at the dazzling array of objects around them.

The women were utterly captivated by the two men's adorable appearance and chatted amongst themselves with giggles.

"I was the one who set off that crossbow. Even a young lady can prefer a more athletic outfit to a red dress!"

Shi Xiangyun said smugly, but was teased by Tan Chun: "Nonsense! Sister Lin's younger sister must be gentle and refined, with a gentle and graceful nature. How could she be like you, crawling and rolling around on the training ground all day, bathing in the sand like a puppy!"

"I see that the two of them are so precocious, they must have inherited the talent of Master Lin, who was ranked third in the imperial examination. They will definitely be able to choose paper and pen, and their talents when they grow up will not be inferior to Sister Lin's!"

Qin Keqing said, "Choosing paper and pen doesn't necessarily mean one has to be talented. I never write poetry with paper and pen." Tan Chun exclaimed in surprise, "Sister Keqing, you didn't bring your manuscript with you, did you?"

Qin Keqing smiled and said, "How could that be? What do you think of me, girl? This is not a place for fooling around. I only put up an ordinary picture book."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, finally feeling at ease.

Qin Keqing looked at Baochai beside her and asked, "Sister Bao, did you bring that abacus?"

Baochai nodded and said, "It's something I often use. Maybe the two of them will have a talent for abacus calculation. Nowadays, abacus calculation is very different from before; it can only be used for bookkeeping."

"The Marquis is promoting new learning, and the most popular subject right now is mathematics. The future looks bright, and large-scale projects such as river engineering and shipbuilding will need to recruit officials who are proficient in this field. Even secretaries are the most expensive to hire."

Baoqin clicked her tongue and said, "Sister, you're still full of practical knowledge and utilitarianism. Do you think a family like ours needs them to grow up and go out to work?"

Looking at the small boat model she had put down, Baoqin propped her head up and said, "The two little ones haven't seen the sea yet. Once they've seen the beautiful scenery where the sky and earth are the same color, they'll naturally choose the same thing as me."

"Xueyan, what did you take?" Baoqin turned her head and looked at Xueyan, who was rubbing her belly beside her.

Xueyan blinked and said, "I put the meat buns on the plate there. I can smell the aroma even from here. How could they not like them?"

Everyone: "..."

The girls in the room each brought their favorite item.

Miaoyu had a whisk, Xing Xiuyan had a dress, Yingchun had chess pieces, and Xichun had a painting.

They always try to outdo each other, as if being chosen by the two little ones is a great honor.

Lin Daiyu was also prepared, having taken a book of her favorite poems, which she had casually flipped through this morning.

A gentle tap of the gong signaled the official start of the baby's first birthday celebration.

Those around them tensed up, staring intently at the two, praying in their hearts to move closer to the items they had left behind.

The two little ones moved in unison. Upon hearing the gong, they withdrew their dazed gazes, looked at the crowd around them, and began to giggle again.

Xing Xiuyan pointed to the carpet, indicating that they should bring one out.

The two seemed to have truly understood Xing Xiuyan's instructions. They lay down, their small hands hovering in mid-air, sweeping back and forth, finding it difficult to make a move.

Seeing the two little ones struggling to choose, Lin Ruhai, sitting high up, casually started chatting, "Are you going to the yamen for interrogation today?"

Yue Ling nodded. "Regarding the case of Tuji Khan, I would like to learn more about the situation."

Lin Ruhai frowned and said, "Are you going to overturn the stage?"

Yue Ling shook his head. "After the self-inflicted stabbing incident, we've been quiet for quite a while. We should get back to making some moves."

As he spoke, he reached for the jade pendant at his waist, only to find it empty.

"Ok?"

Yue Ling pulled at his robe in confusion, looking around. His belt was indeed empty.

He had to rush to the yamen in a while. Although no one dared to stop him because he didn't have a waist token, it was still against the rules.

Yue Ling leaned to his side and asked in a low voice, "Madam, have you seen my waist tag? I took it off along with my belt last night, but it seems I have a new belt today."

Lin Daiyu withdrew her gaze from the little one and wondered, "Yes, I saw him this morning when he was getting ready. He's probably left in his room now."

Even Lin Daiyu, with her photographic memory, said so, so Yue Ling nodded in relief, "It's good that it wasn't lost."

"It won't be lost, my husband, don't worry. Let's see what Yunyu and Huaizhu will choose."

What do you think they will choose?

Yue Ling pondered and said, "The Lin family is a family of scholars and officials, so they should be able to inherit your father-in-law's literary style. Let's choose some paper and pens, or your wife's poetry collection, or even classics."

Lin Daiyu nodded in satisfaction, "That would be best."

Lin Ruhai, who had been leaning to one side, gradually sat up straight, nodded, smoothed his robes, and exhaled softly, his breathing becoming smooth.

As expected, after much probing, their little hands eventually landed on the brown-covered scripture at the same time.

"Jingyi? I can only say she truly lives up to her reputation as Master Lin's daughter!"

The women were completely convinced of their defeat. The Lin family had a long and distinguished tradition of learning, so it was only natural that they would have some knowledge of this area, since Lin Daiyu was quite skilled in it.

Lin Ruhai stroked his beard with considerable satisfaction, thinking to himself, "She truly is my precious daughter."

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but sigh, "What a pity she was born a girl. If she were a boy, she would surely have passed the imperial examinations, entered officialdom, and inherited the family's honor."

The regret still lingered in Lin Ruhai's heart, and he shook his head with a sense of pity.

"Wait! It moved again!"

Lin Ruhai looked up at the sound and saw the two touching the scriptures as if crossing a river, touching even more distant poems.

"Are you going to pick it up now?"

The people inside the room were not surprised.

Lin Ruhai was also satisfied, saying, "If she is even better at poetry and prose, it would be good for her to be a woman."

Sure enough, the two little ones pulled the book in front of them together.

"No wonder they're sisters, they even like the same things!"

The girls around them started gossiping and laughing.

Lin Daiyu was even more pleased that her younger sister shared the same interests as her.

"So it was to please Sister Lin, then there's nothing to regret..."

Just as the girls were looking dejected, someone suddenly shouted, "Wait, look!"

The two little ones pulled up the poetry book together, shook it three times, and a jade pendant fell out of the book, making a crisp sound.

The older sister, Yunyu, was quick-witted and agile. She happily picked it up and even smelled it on her pink nose.

The younger sister, Huaizhu, stared wide-eyed and immediately crawled over to snatch it.

The two little girls were fighting and crying, which forced the aunts to intervene and separate them.

The girls around, unaware of what was going on, laughed and whispered, "These two precious darlings have endless wealth to enjoy, why are they arguing?"

Lin Ruhai frowned slightly, his face devoid of any smile, and coldly asked, "Yue Ling, why does that jade pendant look so familiar to me?"

Yue Ling snapped out of her daze and couldn't help but twitch her lips. "Yes, it's my waist token..."

Lin Ruhai immediately stood up and roared, "You bastard, prepare to die!"

(End of this chapter)