Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 516 Oh no! Another money-losing proposition!

Whether the jade pendant they picked during their first birthday celebration signified endless wealth and glory in the future, or it meant they chose to follow Yue Ling and enjoy wealth and glory, both of these actions angered Lin Ruhai.

He wanted to slam his fist on the table and stand up to argue with Yue Ling.

But there were too many people in front of him, and it was not the time to lose his temper. Lin Ruhai still had to save face, so he had to hold back his anger, his eyes sharp as knives as he stared intently at Yue Ling.

Yue Ling gave an awkward smile, clasped his hands in a gesture of good wishes, and quickly seized the opportunity to slip away.

As he walked past the two little ones, they called out to him in a babbling voice, insisting that he return the waist tag.

Huaizhu grinned foolishly, while Yunyu looked smug, as if to say that she deserved praise for discovering the waist tag.

Yue Ling really liked these two quirky little ones, but under Lin Ruhai's watchful eye, he simply patted their heads, put away his waist token, and quickly left.

"Be good and behave, I'll come see you again another day."

"Ah, ah, ah..."

The two little ones were still clamoring for Yue Ling to hold them, but he left with just a few words and walked out the door in the blink of an eye. Immediately, they anxiously leaned forward to chase after him.

The aunt, holding them tightly, was afraid they would fall, so she coaxed them gently, "The young master has important business to attend to, he doesn't have time to coax you. Come and play with your older sisters. So many pretty sisters, which one would you like to choose?"

The two little ones wouldn't listen at all and just kept crying and fussing.

Lin Daiyu couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, after all, she was the one who started all of this.

With her poor memory, she actually forgot that she had casually used the waist tag as a paperweight and simply tucked it into the book when she took it out, which is how the two little ones discovered it and caused the mistake.

Perhaps Xueyan became even more foolish during her pregnancy, and this foolishness seemed to have taken hold of her.

Silently apologizing to Yue Ling, Lin Daiyu had no choice but to smooth things over, saying, "The younger sisters haven't reached the end of their first birthday celebration yet; it's just their nature to play around. The traditional first birthday ceremony shouldn't be taken too seriously. They can do it again later..."

Lin Daiyu poured a calming tea for her father and watched him drink it all down, forcing a smile.

"Father, are you going to the yamen or going back to rest? Let them play outside for now. When they're tired from playing, they should go to sleep quietly."

But looking at the noisy maid in front of him, Lin Ruhai felt that it wasn't as easy as Lin Daiyu had described.

Lin Ruhai got up and went to his aunts, reaching out his hands and saying, "Come here, stop making a fuss, let Daddy give you a hug."

Seeing that Lin Ruhai was personally coaxing the baby, the aunt also tactfully moved the little one forward.

But the two little ones seemed to be deliberately going against Lin Ruhai. Not only did they avoid him, they cried even louder, showing no respect for their father.

Even when Lin Ruhai held her in his arms, she wouldn't behave and kept struggling.

"How can you not distinguish between relatives and strangers? I am your father."

Lin Ruhai wanted to scold them, but the two little children were still innocent and wouldn't understand such vulgar language, so he silently swallowed his words.

Moreover, upon closer reflection, I felt that these words were strangely familiar, as if I had said them before.

After handing them back to their aunt, Lin Ruhai frowned. When he looked up again, he saw Lin Daiyu sitting above him, looking gentle and graceful with clear eyes and a flattering smile. He suddenly realized what was going on.

"Oh no, these are two more money-losing brats!"

……

Xing Xiuyan and Miaoyu were the last people to emerge from the aunt's courtyard.

Since the concubines became pregnant, the two of them have been taking good care of them, and their interactions with each other have become very familiar.

The two sisters couldn't help much with outside affairs, but they could still do their best to handle some errands within the mansion, so their stay there wasn't in vain.

The two strolled along the covered walkway and couldn't help but chat.

Miaoyu brushed her slender fingers across the pillars of the corridor, gazing at the lush green banana leaves beneath, and whispered, "The Rongguo Mansion lost its title after being raided, and the Xing family was also implicated. Your parents were willing to send you here to climb the social ladder, but now look what happened, the roots of the tree have withered."

Looking back, Miaoyu asked again, "Have you sent any letters home?"

Xing Xiuyan walked with her hands behind her back, shaking her head. "No, I really don't want to have anything to do with them anymore. If I overestimate myself and come to the Dingguo Mansion to ask for favors, I'll only cause them a headache."

Miaoyu frowned slightly and asked tentatively, "Is being a maidservant in the manor really that good?"

Xing Xiuyan nodded and said frankly, "What's wrong with the manor? We have no worries about food or clothing, we can do whatever we want, study whenever we want, and even when we're free, we have a whole bunch of sisters to play with. Where else can we find a place like this?"

Miaoyu nodded in agreement, saying, "This is indeed a good place for you. However, I think even if your parents suspect you are in Dingguo Mansion, they certainly wouldn't dare to come looking for you. You've underestimated the Marquis's power; it's not the Rongguo Mansion of yesteryear."

Xing Xiuyan said indifferently, "It's better to cut ties completely like this."

For some reason, Xing Xiuyan's eyes reflected the scene of her fleeting glance with Yue Ling when they parted years ago, before disappearing into the vast sea of ​​people.

She still clearly remembers how heart-wrenching it was back then. Even though she was nameless and had no status, it was enough to just watch Yue Ling's radiant brilliance from afar.

A young girl's feelings are always poetic, and Xing Xiuyan's poem is an extremely subtle one.

"So, you really think being good at parenting is very useful?"

Xing Xiuyan nodded and said, "I have a feeling that this Duke of Dingguo's mansion is not the master's final destination. We won't stay in the capital forever, unless..."

"Unless what?" Miaoyu's eyes widened, her face full of doubt.

Xing Xiuyan looked around and breathed a sigh of relief when she was sure no one was around.

He swallowed back the words that had almost slipped out, and then said with embarrassment, "Sister has never been stupid, but lately I don't know what's wrong with her, she's become increasingly dull. Do I need to explain this to her? Sister is the daughter of an official family."

Perhaps because she has been coaxing children too much lately, Miaoyu has become very immersed in the role, thinking less and less, and is now very straightforward.

With her eyes closed, Miaoyu frowned slightly, picked up her whisk and shook it, then said thoughtfully, "Very well, I'll go back and recite some scriptures and stop thinking about these trivial matters."

Xing Xiuyan suddenly said, "However, I can tell from the Marquis's appearance that he really likes children. Xueyan is truly blessed to have given birth to the first child for the Marquis. Things will definitely be different in the manor from now on."

Miaoyu asked in surprise, "Wait, you envy this? It can't be that..."

Xing Xiuyan, blushing, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, twirling it between her fingers, and chuckled awkwardly. "It's only natural, I think you can understand, right? Although I didn't initially enter the manor with these thoughts in mind, how could I not have them after being exposed to this kind of thing every day?"

"Furthermore, since you and Miss Keqing are the closest, weren't you affected as well?"

Miaoyu's lips twitched, momentarily at a loss for words. Qin Keqing's influence on her was immense...

Unbeknownst to them, the two had already returned to the Buddhist temple. Miaoyu climbed the stone steps one by one, still silently pondering Xing Xiuyan's words.

She is a practitioner, and although she started practicing as a young girl, she still has some form of spiritual cultivation.

She so easily returned to secular life and even intended to have a child with someone else. She really didn't know how she could face the master who raised her.

"Sister, haven't you made up your mind yet? It's time to face this."

Xing Xiuyan stood at the bottom of the stone steps, smiling as she looked up at her sister. Her tone was relaxed, full of care and warmth.

They are best friends, having grown up together since childhood, and of course, they have no secrets from each other.

Miaoyu didn't want to hide it from her, but if she had to choose between Buddha and Yue Ling...

"It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. I'm afraid I can't leave this Dingguo Mansion any longer."

Miaoyu wasn't just thinking of herself, nor was she after the wealth and glory of the Dingguo Mansion; she also had her master and needed to recuperate for a long time.

Living a life of poverty in the temple had already delayed his treatment for a long time, and his condition was far from stable as it is now.

The master, who used to be bedridden, is now able to move around like an ordinary person and resume small things like worshipping Buddha.

With a sigh, Miaoyu looked up at Xing Xiuyan again, only to see her face filled with terror, her eyes wide open.

Seemingly sensing the chill behind her, Miaoyu's body trembled slightly.

"Sister, I won't disturb your cultivation any longer. See you tomorrow!"

Before she could finish speaking, Xing Xiuyan had vanished in the blink of an eye.

Miaoyu twitched her lips, turned around in great pain, looked down at her nose and lowered her head, and said in a low voice, "Master, are you feeling alright today? Do you need me to go and beg for some more vegetarian food?"

"hehe."

Miaoyu's only response was two cold laughs.

Miaoyu forced a smile and boldly went to greet them.

As soon as he took a step closer, he heard the old nun speak coldly, "Are you here to beg for alms or to sell yourself? You can't leave Dingguo Prefecture any longer? What kind of monk are you?"

Miaoyu scratched her head, unsure how to respond.

The old nun misinterpreted it, saying, "Oh, are you reminding your master that you've been practicing Buddhism since you were a monk, and you can return to secular life at any time? No wonder you sneaked into the Dingguo Mansion after the Rongguo Mansion was gone; you've always had ulterior motives."

"Using the excuse of my illness to stay here as your excuse, are you really a monk, or someone else's kept prostitute?"

The old nun was furious and her insults became increasingly vulgar.

Miaoyu felt very wronged, and tears welled up in her eyes. "It is true that I like the Duke of Dingguo, but I stayed in the manor to better take care of you, Master. When you are sick in bed and cannot sleep at night, I naturally feel bad."

"What's wrong with it now? As for past lives and present lives, cause and effect, and karmic retribution, I dare not presume to comment. But in my humble opinion, the Buddha is compassionate, teaching people to do good and relieving them from suffering. His original intention is to 'benefit and bring joy to all sentient beings.' Master's chronic illness has been alleviated and his mobility is gradually restored. This is a real and tangible result of good deeds right before our eyes."

"If we are bound by the strict rules of 'where we are,' yet sit idly by and watch our loved ones suffer, wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse and going against the Bodhisattva's heart of 'unconditional great compassion and universal empathy'?"

The old nun frowned and angrily rebuked, "What a sharp tongue you have! Is this all you've cultivated your skills for?!"

Miaoyu took a deep breath, suppressing the sob in her throat, and lowered her voice, which was filled with deep sincerity and a hint of barely perceptible bewilderment: "It is not that I am trying to make excuses. Master once said that cultivation is in the heart, not in the form. He also mentioned that the great Bodhisattva Vimalakirti, who lived in the mortal world, played with supernatural powers. His realm was incomparable to those who stayed in the mountains and forests."

"This disciple dares not compare himself to a sage, but he knows that if his mind is enslaved by his physical form, and he is constantly worried about his master's illness and livelihood, even if he is in an ancient temple and recites scriptures thousands of times, how can his mind be at peace?"

"Now that I have peace of mind and a place to rely on, I feel I can better understand the true meaning of the scripture's 'remain unchanged amidst changing circumstances, and adapt to changing circumstances while remaining unchanged.'"

“Disciple, disciple does not covet wealth and status, but cannot bear to see Master suffer the pain of wandering again. If this Dingguo Prefecture can become a pure land for Master to recuperate, disciple can recite scriptures, worship Buddha, and care for the weak and young here. How can you say that there is no cultivation here?”

The old nun's face was flushed and her tongue was trembling. She was also reluctant to say anything harsh.

As Miaoyu finished speaking, her voice became almost a whisper, and tears finally streamed down her face.

She wasn't entirely in the right; she was also caught in a deep contradiction, undecided.

While seemingly catchy and full of classical allusions, it is not just about refuting the master, but also about convincing oneself how to choose between Buddha and worldly affairs.

She could not hide her feelings for Yue Ling; she could not pretend in front of the golden Buddha statue.

The old nun's stern expression softened slightly, but completely crumbled when Miaoyu uttered her final plea.

"Your disciple truly does not understand why Master regards the mortal world as a raging flood. If you wish to avoid it, wouldn't that be a sign that your six senses are not yet purified and your worldly ties are not yet severed?"

The old nun slowly bent down, helped her disciple, who was squatting on the ground with tears streaming down her face, to her feet, and embraced her, whispering words of comfort: "It was your master's fault. You shouldn't have taken this path of seeking refuge. You had your own path to follow, and now someone is guiding you..."

He gently raised his hand and removed the veil from Miaoyu's head.

Her long, black hair cascaded down to her waist like a waterfall, each strand glossy and fragrant after washing, demonstrating how much Miaoyu cherished her hair and her earthly connection with the world.

Looking at her now, the old nun couldn't help but sigh, "Her stunning beauty is even more beautiful than Master's back then. She would attract trouble if she went out. Staying in Dingguo Mansion is just right, just right."

Miaoyu, somewhat puzzled by her master's thoughts, wiped her eyes and asked, "Master, then you..."

The old nun shook her head and said, "There are some things that need to be settled. Let's go out of the manor with Master. This will be our last act of charity."

Miaoyu was completely confused. "Where are we going?"

The old nun turned to return to her meditation room, saying, "Come with me. After this incident, I will no longer stop you from doing what you want..."

In a short while, the old nun had changed her clothes.

Miaoyu had not seen her master dressed so formally for a long time; it seemed she was truly going out to make offerings and sacrifices.

Miaoyu carried the Buddhist shrine and a set of necessities attached to her back. She followed her master through the narrow paths of Dingguo Mansion, exiting through a side gate to avoid being heard by others. She left the mansion in a very low-key manner, her heart filled with endless doubts.

"Does Master still have old friends in the capital?"

The old nun replied in a low voice, "I suppose so."

(End of this chapter)