The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 126 Father and daughter reunited

Wang Sanguan then said, “Uncle! You are truly… truly a celestial being descended from heaven! Your bearing, your upright and honest character, I have never seen or even heard of anything like it in all my years of life! To be related to you today is truly a blessing from our ancestors…”

He racked his brains, wanting to pile up every good word he could think of. His flattery was loud yet empty, cloyingly sweet, and exaggeratedly blatant, like trying to scoop silver from a frying pan—hot and dazzling.

Lin Ruhai's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as he listened to the flattering words uttered by this "relative by marriage." These words were crude, blunt, and utterly devoid of substance, utterly nauseating. If he hadn't spoken, it wouldn't have been so noticeable; but his words only served to highlight the blatant sarcasm of the man beside him, Ximen Qing!
The cruelest thing about comparing people is the distinction between superior and inferior – it doesn't take three or five days, often just a single meeting, a single exchange, or a sudden change, and the difference becomes clear in an instant, like snowflakes splashed with cold water.

It was like a threshing ground, where when the east wind came, the shriveled grains floated up into the sky, while the plump grains fell heavily to the ground—whether light or heavy, valuable or cheap, was revealed in the blink of an eye.

Lin Ruhai glanced left and right; at this moment, the identities and demeanors of the two men seemed to have been completely reversed.

Although the wealthy merchant Ximen was dressed in the clothes of a rich merchant, his bows and replies were calm and measured. His eyes were shrewd but not obsequious. He stood up straight and exuded the composure and confidence that only a scion of a noble family should have. He looked just like the daughter of a prince!
On the contrary, Wang Sanguan, the legitimate "descendant of the Prince", was frivolous in his behavior and shallow in his speech. His eagerness to flatter was just like that of a nouveau riche who had never seen the world. He only cared about groveling and begging in front of the nobles. Where was the dignity of a member of the royal family?
Lin Ruhai shook his head inwardly, his gaze sweeping over the spittle-flecked Wang Sanguan, but lingering a moment longer on Ximen Qing's calm face. This Ximen Qing is truly an interesting character, eloquent, cunning, and shrewd.

Upon thinking of this, Lin Ruhai suddenly had the idea of ​​recruiting them.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at the vermilion door, which was now mottled and dim. Clumps of withered grass sprouted from the cracks in the stone steps, swaying trembling in the chilly spring breeze.

The ancient cypress trees inside the temple appear even more vigorous, yet the sparse shadows cast by the branches and leaves, letting in a few drops of cool sunlight, only add to the desolation.

Looking up at the plaque inscribed with "Civil and Military Virtues," the peeling gold paint revealed the decayed wood beneath, and a sense of desolation, reflecting on the ups and downs of officialdom and the vicissitudes of life, suddenly welled up in my heart.

Then he turned to look at Master Ximen: "Since you have no official rank, are you willing?"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly heard a series of light, hurried footsteps from behind, accompanied by a clear, choked voice, barely suppressed:

"Father!"

The three of them looked over at the same time and saw the stunningly beautiful woman standing gracefully under the moon gate.

Upon hearing that this was actually his uncle's daughter, Wang Sanguan quickly lowered his head, not daring to look any longer.

Ximen Qing, however, remained calm and composed as he looked over. So this was Lin Daiyu.

In the twilight of late autumn, Lin Daiyu is just like a jade hairpin flower thoroughly covered by frost and dew. She looks frail and thin, yet a tender and alluring fleshy charm emanates from her very bones.

She was wrapped in a honey-colored silk cotton-padded jacket, which was originally a loose style, but the autumn wind, without any regard for her feelings, wrapped it tightly around her skin, making her figure particularly conspicuous—her waist was a slender willow waist, as if it could be broken with a pinch; but her hips and legs were quietly bulging, flesh was flesh, and bone was bone.

As she strolled over, her movements carried an indescribable and elegant charm.

She wore a light pink cotton skirt embroidered with chrysanthemums, the hem of which brushed against the withered grass, creating a rustling sound. She was frail and sensitive to the cold, and her thick clothes only added to her allure, making her even more captivating and pleasing to the eye.

Then look at her face: her cheeks were flushed with an unusual red from the cold, strikingly beautiful. Her lips were pale, slightly dry with a thin layer of skin, but she unconsciously stuck out her tongue and licked them, instantly making them moist and glossy, exuding a delicate languor reminiscent of a sickly beauty.

A pair of naturally expressive eyes, now misty with moisture, their gazes aloof and cold, yet languid and weary, subtly conveying a cool and alluring charm.

Perhaps she was in a hurry to see her father, because a few strands of her hair were damp and clung to her sweaty temples, making her small face look so white and translucent, so fragile, like a finely crafted glass beauty.

In the eyes of the high official, this kind of sickly beauty made one want to keep her at a distance for fear of hurting her, while at the same time it felt like a cat's claw was scratching at one's heart, wishing one could hold her in one's arms, press her down and crush her, watching her fall into the mud and be crushed into dust, only then could the itch in one's heart be relieved.

Lin Ruhai felt a sudden pang of sorrow, the sourness rising to his nose and his eyes instantly burning. He rushed forward, saying repeatedly, "My son! My Yu'er! You... how did you manage to find such a desolate place like this? This wind is so chilly, you'll surely catch a cold!" As he spoke, his hands trembled with excitement as he hurriedly tried to untie his cloak, but in his haste, he tied the ties into a knot.

The official stepped forward and reached out to help untie it. Lin Ruhai looked over, nodded to the official, and quickly took the cloak and draped it over Daiyu.

Daiyu gently shook her head, then stepped forward and tightly grasped a piece of her father's clothing, as if a drowning person had grabbed onto a piece of driftwood. Her head was slightly lowered, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, yet every word was clear:

"When I heard that Father had arrived in the capital, I couldn't wait a moment longer... I thought Father might come here to see, and sure enough..." She paused, took a deep breath, and then said softly, "This temple seems even more desolate than when I first came here. Perhaps even the gods are tired of the filth and miasma of this capital, too lazy to show their power, and are just taking a nap?"

"Has Yu'er suffered some injustice at the Jia family mansion?" Lin Ruhai sensed the hidden meaning in her words and knew that she was sensitive and thoughtful, so he led her to a slightly sheltered corridor beside the temple. The stone benches under the corridor were cold, but Daiyu didn't seem to care. She just looked up at her father, and the tears in her eyes finally turned into two crystal-clear drops, brimming with tears, yet stubbornly refusing to fall.

“Father,” Daiyu’s voice trembled slightly, like a string on a harp in the wind, “I am… I am doing well in the other mansion. The old lady is kind, and the sisters are harmonious.” She deliberately omitted the words “Jia Mansion” and referred to it only as “the other mansion.” How could Lin Ruhai not understand the sense of distance in her words?

“But…” Daiyu’s slender fingers unconsciously twisted the handkerchief, her pearly teeth lightly biting her lower lip, as if she was considering how to speak, “But the rules in that mansion are so complex and layered, like an invisible net. Every step you take, every word you say, is watched by countless eyes and heard by countless ears.”

"The morning and evening greetings must be performed without the slightest error, and the slightest pleasure in feasting and entertainment is not up to one's own discretion. Even what flowers bloom in the garden and what birds hang under the eaves seem to contain hidden rules and regulations, and the slightest transgression will make one a laughing stock for being ignorant."

She looked up at the desolate sky above the temple's eaves, then at her father's concerned face. Her voice grew softer, yet every word pierced her heart:
"My daughter's heart was like a crystal cup. At home, though it was fragile, it was placed in a bright and clear place, transparent and free. Now that it's in a pile of brocade, it's as if it's been put into layers of brocade boxes. Even if I hold it in my hands, it's through the silk and satin, making it suffocating. Every move I make is afraid of attracting gossip. Even if I have a thousand thoughts and a thousand feelings, I can only bury them deep in my heart."

"Sometimes, in the stillness of the night, I am all alone, facing a dim lamp, listening to the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind outside the window. The sound, penetrating my ears, seems as distant as a lifetime ago... In a daze, I feel as if I am still in our little courtyard in Yangzhou, my father reviewing endless official documents under the lamp, and I am nestled beside you, practicing calligraphy and reading... That scene..."

As Daiyu spoke, her throat tightened suddenly, as if something was blocking it. The tear that had been held back for so long, hovering on the tip of her eyelashes, finally gave way and fell with a "plop" onto her jacket, immediately spreading into a small, dark stain, like a desolate tear flower blooming.

Lin Ruhai felt as if his heart was being torn apart, or as if it were being fried in boiling oil. Seeing his daughter's already thin face now even paler and bloodless, her body so frail that a gust of wind could knock her over, yet she stubbornly refused to break down, how could his heart as her father not shatter into pieces?
He knew that his daughter was of noble and pure character. It was easy to imagine the loneliness and torment she would experience living in the Jia family, a place of extravagance and strict rules, where undercurrents were turbulent.

He reached out his hand tremblingly, imagining patting her head and comforting her as he had done when she was little, but he withdrew his hand halfway through, a deep sigh escaping his throat, filled with helplessness and sorrow:

“Yu’er… As your father… how could I possibly want to send you alone into that household? But your maternal grandmother… after your mother passed away, she longed for her daughter and pitied you for being so young and orphaned. She wrote letter after letter, her words earnest and heartbreaking, determined to bring you to live with her… She was the one who loved your mother the most back then, treating you like her precious jewel…” When mentioning his deceased wife, Lin Ruhai’s voice became even lower and hoarse, and deep pain and longing flashed across his eyes.

He paused for a moment, took a deep breath as if to suppress his surging emotions, before continuing, his tone filled with helplessness and exhaustion:

"As your father... I am in a position of power in the officialdom, and the duties of the Salt Commissioner are numerous, complex, and fraught with danger. Moreover, the Emperor's will is unpredictable. I am truly... overwhelmed and unable to attend to my own needs. I entrusted you to your maternal family, thinking that the comforts of close relatives and a secluded residence would be better than having you with me... enduring hardship, toil, and fear. I only hope that you can find peace and happiness under your maternal grandmother's protection..."

He looked at Daiyu, his eyes filled with guilt and pity, "Now it seems that I was the one who was inconsiderate, and it has caused you to suffer this injustice. My child, you... please don't blame your father..."

Hearing her father's heartfelt words, Daiyu felt each word strike her heart like a hammer blow. She abruptly raised her head, and the tears she had been holding back finally broke free, streaming down her face like broken pearls, dripping onto the cold, blue brick floor.

“Father! What are you saying! How could your daughter possibly... harbor even the slightest resentment!”

With tears in her eyes, she looked at Lin Ruhai and said, "I know... I know Father's difficulties, I know the old lady's kind heart... All of this is fate."

She choked back tears, her thin shoulders trembling slightly: "I only regret... I only regret that I am a pitiful person with little fortune and a miserable life! If my mother were still alive... even if the three of us were to rise and fall with my father in his official career, I would still be happy... Why did we have to become like rootless duckweed, fallen leaves separated from their branches..."

The last few words were almost swallowed between her teeth, filled with endless sorrow and self-pity. She could no longer speak, burying her face in her father's arms, her frail body trembling silently. Her suppressed sobs were more heartbreaking than any open weeping.

“My son! You’ve suffered so much. Your maternal grandmother’s family is a very powerful and secluded place. Once you step inside, it’s like entering an abyss. How could I not know how much you suffer every day? I only hope that you will take good care of your health, turn a blind eye to things, and not be too serious or get stuck in a rut, only to hurt yourself for no reason. When you have free time, go for walks in the garden, relax, and chat with your sisters…”

These words sounded so weak that even he himself felt powerless. Living under someone else's roof, he suffered countless grievances and had many things beyond his control, so he could only swallow his pride and bear it.

Daiyu sensed her father's tenderness and helplessness, and her heart ached even more. Not wanting him to worry too much, she quickly wiped away her tears with her handkerchief and forced a smile, saying, "Father, don't worry, I understand. The old lady treats me very well, and my sisters are all kind. Just now... just seeing you, Father, I couldn't control myself and said some incoherent things. Please don't take it seriously." Lin Ruhai felt as if his heart was being ripped apart, his throat choked, unable to utter a sound.

A gust of bleak autumn wind swept through the courtyard, rustling the withered grass and brushing against the ancient cypress trees. The iron horse-drawn carriages on the eaves let out a few mournful low whistles.

A few withered leaves swirled up from the steps and flew into the gray sky. The distant cries of crows added to the desolation.

The desolation of the temple and the prosperity of the capital city now serve as a somber backdrop, making the figures embracing and weeping appear even more lonely and pitiful.

Overwhelmed with emotion upon their reunion, the father and daughter spoke from the bottom of their hearts, momentarily forgetting the others around them, and tears streamed down their faces.

Ximen Da Guanren was naturally polite and shrewd. Seeing this scene, although his ears were wide open and perked up, he turned his back and pretended to look at the gray sky above the temple's eaves with his hands behind his back, leaving only a broad back view. He dared not say a word to disturb the temple, treating himself as a decoration in the temple.

But there's this one who doesn't know any manners.

The father and daughter were heavy-hearted and remained silent, a thousand sorrows stuck in their throats, unable to be uttered or swallowed. Just then, a slick, ingratiating, and arrogant voice suddenly broke through the desolate silence like a stirring stick.

"Uncle! Sister Lin!" Wang Sanguan rubbed his hands together, his face beaming with obsequious smiles, and approached. He had been hiding behind a pillar, his heart itching with anticipation, and now, seizing the opportunity, he shamelessly grinned:
"It is truly a great joy that you two, my dearest relatives, are reunited today! However... just now I heard my uncle worrying that Sister Lin was feeling stifled in that mansion, and my heart was also filled with unease and unease!"

Lin Ruhai and Daiyu were interrupted from their private conversation and were both taken aback, staring blankly at Wang Sanguan, who had come up to them so familiarly.

“If Uncle is really worried about Sister Lin,” he patted his chest confidently, “why not… hehe, why not let Sister Lin come to our mansion more often when she has free time? To relax and relieve her worries! You don’t know, our mansion has a very small population. Apart from me, who is good for nothing, the whole mansion is full of quiet women!”

“My mother is the kindest and most compassionate woman. Seeing Sister Lin’s angelic character, she will surely cherish her as if she were her own daughter!” He hurriedly added, afraid that he wasn’t being generous enough, “Sister, you can be completely at ease here! Eat whatever you want, play whatever you want, or find a quiet place to read and practice calligraphy, you can have it all! It’s nothing like those deep mansions, where rules and regulations restrict you everywhere, and you’re always afraid of being watched, it’s so suffocating! I guarantee that Sister Lin will be a hundred times more comfortable than she is in those mansions!”

He looked at Lin Daiyu and patted his chest: "Now that you're here, Sister Lin is like my second mother and father! I, Wang San'er, swear to heaven that I will treat Sister Lin like a living Bodhisattva! I will never dare to be negligent or disobedient in the slightest! Whatever you want to eat, wear, or play with, just say the word, and I, Wang San'er, will run my legs off to get it for you!!"

Looking at the stunned Lin family father and daughter, Wang Sanguan straightened his back even more: "Besides, Uncle, you can rest assured! Our mansion is, after all, a proper Prince's residence! Although it's a bit dilapidated now and we dare not say we can compare with the Jia family, we would never dare to mistreat Sister Lin in the slightest when it comes to her daily food, drink, clothing, and jewelry for all four seasons! We would definitely choose the most exquisite, fashionable, and pleasing things to her taste!"

He paused, fearing that Lin Ruhai might be worried about Daiyu's safety or inconvenience when going out, and then quickly patted his chest to assure her: "If Sister finds the mansion too stuffy and wants to go out for a walk, or go to the temple to burn incense, or stroll through the market, that would be even more convenient! There are plenty of reliable and dependable maids and servants in the mansion to take care of you, with layers upon layers of attendants to ensure your safety!"

At this point, as if recalling some immense reliance, his eyes lit up, and he gestured towards Ximen Qing, who was standing beside him with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky: "What's more, there's my godfather protecting me! In this small area of ​​Qinghe County, as long as my godfather speaks, his words are law and more effective than the yamen! Sister Lin can go wherever she wants, and I guarantee no one will dare to disrespect her and offend her imperial carriage!"

When Ximen Da Guanren first heard Wang San Guan'er interrupt, he was about to reprimand him. But as he listened, he was first taken aback, then his shock quickly faded, and he was overjoyed! He wished he could hug his mother, Madam Lin, and give him a good scolding and reward!
"Brilliant!" The official applauded inwardly. Sure enough, despite all his calculations, the unexpected success was a gift from heaven!

Wang Sanguan's actions were exactly like this: shooting the crookedest arrow, and getting the fattest deer!
A meticulously planned scheme can often be blown away by a gust of wind. A haphazardly played card, on the other hand, might just lead to the ultimate prize. The cause and effect of this world are never straight alleys, but rather a labyrinthine maze of twists and turns!
Lin Daiyu was somewhat stunned by the sudden appearance of "Prince's Mansion" and "Sister Lin". Her long eyelashes trembled, and she turned her gaze to her father, her voice carrying a hint of weakness and confusion: "Father... who is this...?"

Lin Ruhai did not answer immediately.

His gaze swept over his daughter's frail figure, as if a gust of wind could blow her away, and seeing the lingering sorrow and frailty in her eyes, his heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand. His daughter was his only and deepest concern in this world.

The Jia family... was ultimately living under someone else's roof, with complicated rules and regulations. Judging from the way things were, when had his daughter ever truly been happy there? His increasingly thin figure and half-suppressed coughs were like needles piercing his heart.

He was initially displeased that Wang Sanguan'er was so impolite and interrupted his father and daughter's conversation, but his mind changed when he saw Wang Sanguan'er's sincere words.

My daughter is more important than anything else!

“This young Wang Zhaoxuan’s ancestors were from a family of princes… though not the highest rank, they were still quite illustrious. Although it’s somewhat improper for my son to stay there temporarily, his mother is a proper third-rank imperial consort, of noble status. Moreover… after all, they share the same surname, Lin, and are both from the Lin clan of the Nine Shepherds. This kinship is better than that of outsiders, and it doesn’t count as overstepping the bounds of propriety.” Lin Ruhai’s mind raced, the pros and cons clashing fiercely in his heart.

If the Wang Zhaoxuan Mansion is truly as he claims, filled with women and without so many rules, then perhaps it would be a good temporary solution for my daughter to occasionally visit, relax, and have a place to stay without constantly having to be mindful of the Jia family's moods. It would be far better than being stuck in that deep mansion, unable to move around, feeling depressed and wasting her life trying to get here... Moreover, other women from the Jia family could accompany Yu'er to stay here for a short time.

In the blink of an eye, this is how it happened.

Lin Ruhai then responded to his daughter's question, introducing her in a low voice: "Yu'er, this... is a relative of the Prince, and by all accounts, he can be considered a descendant of the imperial family. His mother... is surnamed Lin," he paused, and added, "she is also from the Lin clan of the Nine Shepherds of Fujian, and can be considered to be of the same lineage as my clan."

He paused here, then coughed heavily, as if to clear the air from his throat. With a hint of helplessness and a reminder, he said to Daiyu, "Ahem... According to the clan hierarchy at this level... it's not too presumptuous for him to call you 'Sister Lin'."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Wang Sanguan, who had been "trained" by the master in the past few days with both harsh words and sweet treats, had not improved in any other skills, but his ability to read people and take advantage of situations had improved considerably! He keenly caught the faint hint of "kinship" recognition in Lin Ruhai's words, and seeing that Lin Ruhai did not immediately reprimand him for his earlier recklessness, he felt as if he had received a royal decree!
Wang Sanguan's face instantly blossomed into a huge, extremely obsequious smile. He immediately bowed deeply to Daiyu: "Sister Lin, I, Wang, am here to greet you! I will do anything you ask of me in the future!"

As the saying goes, don’t hit the smiling person.

Even though Lin Daiyu loathed this slick and dissolute young man, she was silenced by his sudden display of "affection."

The upbringing of a prominent family is ingrained in their bones. The other party is now acknowledging kinship, bearing the titles of "distant branch of the same clan" and "descendant of a prince." If they were to speak harshly and aggressively, it would make them appear narrow-minded and disregard kinship.

Lin Daiyu forced herself to stand up and gave a slight curtsy, which was considered an admission. However, she couldn't bring herself to say the words "brother." After she finished speaking, she vaguely covered her cherry-red lips with her handkerchief.

A pair of withered, alluring eyes glanced sideways at the tall Ximen official beside her. How could he be a godfather at such a young age? Daiyu felt it was somewhat impolite to stare at a strange man like that, but she wanted to look away but felt that she had seen him somewhere before, so she couldn't help but take a couple more glances.

Lin Ruhai's scheming mind, like weeds in the wind, once started, spread uncontrollably. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that rather than letting his daughter succumb to the bottomless abyss of the Jia family, it would be better... better to go to Wang Zhaoxuan's residence himself! As a father, anything that could bring his daughter even the slightest bit of happiness was worth doing, no matter how much trouble it took.

"Seeing is believing." Lin Ruhai thought to himself, "If this Prince's mansion is really as simple and quiet as this 'nephew' says, without the tangled and filthy affairs of the Jia family mansion... it can be considered a rare pure land."

"More importantly, we need to see for ourselves what kind of person that Madam Lin, a member of the same clan, really is. Is she strict and disciplined in managing the household? Is she truly as kind and gentle as the rumors say? If she is indeed a sensible and prudent noblewoman, perhaps... perhaps we can entrust her with some responsibility out of our shared clan, giving Yu'er a place to catch her breath occasionally?"

Once this thought became clear, it overwhelmed many concerns. For his daughter's sake, he had to temporarily set aside his aloofness as a scholar-official. Lin Ruhai took a deep breath of the chilly air, as if exhaling all the pent-up emotions and hesitation from his chest. The struggle on his face gradually subsided, and he looked at Wang Sanguan, who was still smiling obsequiously, and slowly said:

"The Three Officials..."

Wang Sanguan was waiting anxiously, but as soon as he heard Lin Ruhai speak, he immediately perked up his ears as if he had heard a royal decree, bowed even lower, and his face was full of utmost respect: "Uncle, please give your orders!"

Lin Ruhai stood with his hands behind his back: "The Nine Shepherds Forest has branches and leaves all over the world. Our two families have a clan connection, and it is rare to meet here in the capital." He paused slightly, as if choosing his words carefully: "There are still a few old places I need to visit again. It is getting late today..."

"...It's on the way, and if it's convenient for you," Lin Ruhai finally said, "I'll come to your house for a drink tonight, as a way of introducing myself and paying my respects to your mother, Madam Lin. It will also fulfill this...kinship obligation for my nephew."

"boom!"

Wang Sanguan felt as if a firework had exploded in his head! Overwhelmed with joy, he was instantly engulfed! He never expected that his uncle, who had been glaring at him angrily just moments before, would actually agree to come to his door!

"Convenient! Convenient! A million times convenient!" Wang Sanguan's voice trembled with excitement, and he almost jumped up on the spot. He rubbed his hands together, his face filled with uncontrollable elation, and he shouted incoherently:

"Oh, my dear uncle! Your presence is an immense honor! It's an honor to have you here! My mother will be overjoyed when she finds out! You two and my godfather, please take your time! I'll hurry back to the manor right now to inform my mother! I'll ask her to personally arrange everything so that the banquet is prepared perfectly, and she won't dare to neglect you and Sister Lin!"

(End of this chapter)