Dream of the Red Chamber: Daiyu and I swapped clothes

Chapter 7: A Chance Encounter

"Second Young Master, get up quickly. The teacher has already gone to the main hall. If you don't go soon, the Master will really be angry!"

The maidservant pounded on the door anxiously before Li Chen slowly woke up inside the room.

"Where did this Mr. come from?"

I enjoyed a delicious meal this morning, and was supposed to have a banquet at Pear Fragrance Courtyard at noon. It was supposed to be another enjoyable day, but this hoarse-voiced maid ruined most of my mood.

Li Chen propped himself up and suddenly opened his eyes. The familiar scenes before him chilled him to the bone.

"No way? God, are you kidding me? This can be changed back?"

After a few seconds of surprise, Li Chen quickly scanned the surroundings of the room.

Having been so deeply immersed in the luxurious life at Rongguo Mansion, and with the laziness I developed during my university years, I simply accepted my fate and didn't think any further.

Now that he had switched from Lin Daiyu to the second young master of the Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion, he quickly calmed down and analyzed the situation.

The floor was spotless, all the old clothes on the chairs were gone, and the bookshelves were no longer cluttered. Seeing this, Li Chen couldn't help but recall the classic line from "Detective Chinatown," "The room is clean and odorless..."

A small pot of flowers sat on the window frame, and a new calligraphy scroll appeared on the wall opposite the desk. Li Chen, who had read all kinds of time-travel novels in his previous life, already had a guess.

Arriving at the desk, Li Chen flipped through the books piled up in the corner.

Upon seeing the ink stains, Li Chen frowned slightly, already able to unravel the mystery of his recent bizarre experience.

Li Chen had clearly seen this handwriting in Lin Daiyu's room, so when he became Lin Daiyu, Lin Daiyu also became him, living here as the second young master of the Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion.

Li Chen twitched his lips, unsure of what expression to wear in this second life, so full of twists of fate.

"Second Young Master, did you hear me? Why aren't you answering?"

Li Chen immediately came to his senses, coughed a few times, covered his mouth, and replied weakly, "Sister Chuntao, I'm not feeling well. My stomach is bloated and painful. Please tell my mother that I need to apologize to my teacher. I'm afraid I won't be able to go to class today."

"Oh? The second young master is in a lot of pain? Should we go and fetch a doctor?"

"No need, no need. I need to rest for a bit. Maybe I'll be fine by the afternoon."

As Li Chen spoke, he stuffed the books and calligraphy practice books on the table into the drawer.

There's no guarantee that his mother, Zou, won't come to see him soon. If she takes these books as his studies and his teacher starts testing him, that would be a real problem.

Although he didn't know why there was another teacher in the mansion, Li Chen could only stall for time to deal with it.

Opening the drawer revealed an unexpected treasure.

A brand-new book sat in one corner of the drawer, without a cover, but wrinkled and frizzy from the dried ink.

This definitely wasn't something he used himself.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Lin Daiyu's meticulous record of her experiences over the past ten days, including some of her innermost thoughts.

This was incredibly useful to Li Chen, who quickly browsed through it.

"So it turns out that Lin Daiyu's calligraphy amazed her father, who then considered her a child prodigy and hired a government-funded scholar as her tutor to test her today?!"

"Why did it have to be switched back today of all days? God, are you trying to make things difficult for me?!"

……

"Sir, please wait a moment. It must be because Chen'er stayed up late studying last night that he is late today. I have already sent a servant to fetch him. You must be tired from your journey into the city. Please have some tea and rest first."

"Thank you ma'am."

Xing Bingcheng, who was hired as a tutor by the Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion, was forty-six years old. He was thin and frail, with graying temples, fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and a hint of weariness in his eyes.

He wore a slightly worn dark blue scholar's robe, which had turned somewhat white from starching, and the cuffs showed signs of slight wear and tear.

Failing the provincial examination twice was a significant blow to Xing Bingcheng.

He consistently ranked among the top in the imperial examinations and annual examinations, retaining his title as a government-subsidized student, but his performance in the imperial examinations was always unsatisfactory.

If it weren't for the dire financial situation, he would naturally still be diligently studying at home, but unfortunately, the harvest at home this year is really bad.

With his title of "Linsheng" (a student receiving government stipends), he could have opened a private school or become an apprentice of a senior clerk, serving as a financial or legal advisor. The pay would have been much better than being a tutor in the Zhenyuan Marquis's household. However, he still did not want to give up the path of the imperial examinations.

For a son of a noble family, the preliminary examinations were merely a matter of learning the basics, requiring little effort from him. This would ensure he had enough to eat and stay, and allow him ample time to study, making it the best option for him at the moment.

Before leaving the county town for the capital, Xing Bingcheng inquired about the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence.

I heard that he was a spoiled brat who only knew how to fight cocks and chase dogs. He was already ten and fifteen years old, but he still couldn't hold a pen. His former teacher was so angry that he threw away the tuition fee and left without saying goodbye. He became a laughing stock among the noble families.

Xing Bingcheng felt somewhat relieved after hearing this.

If this is indeed the case, then the Marquis of Zhenyuan should not be too concerned about his youngest son passing the imperial examinations, and his work would be easier to deceive.

But when I came to the hall today, I found that the atmosphere was completely different.

Whether it was due to family tradition or something else, the entire Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion took him very seriously and gave this disillusioned gentleman the utmost respect. The Zhenyuan Marquis himself was now sitting in the hall.

But the youngest son was indeed as the rumors said, utterly hopeless.

"Staying up all night to read is just a joke. Only a woman who dotes on her child would believe it."

Xing Bingcheng shook his head slightly, picked up the teacup, and took a small sip.

Before anyone could arrive, the maid Chun Tao rushed into the hall and whispered a few words to Madam Zou.

Madam Zou's expression tightened, and she said, "How could this be? I'm afraid she was reading at her desk by lamplight at night, and forgot to close the window when she went to bed, and caught a cold."

As she spoke, Madam Zou frowned as she looked at Marquis Zhenyuan. She had been blaming him countless times in her heart because he was too strict, which had caused Li Chen to be short of maids, leading to today's mistake.

Seeing that the apprenticeship ceremony could not proceed, Marquis Zhenyuan had no choice but to take out a calligraphy scroll from his sleeve to smooth things over for his youngest son. "My son may have caught a cold and is unable to come to the hall to test me. However, here is a scroll of calligraphy that I wrote in my spare time for you to read. This will serve as proof that I am not as ignorant and incompetent as outsiders claim." Marquis Zhenyuan spoke with absolute certainty, his proud expression revealing no trace of falsehood.

"Oh? Then I won't mind taking a look first."

Since the host offered him a way out, Xing Bingcheng naturally wouldn't refuse, especially since he hadn't had high expectations when he came.

How many astonishing words can someone write if they can't hold the pen steadily?

Xing Bingcheng hadn't seen it yet, but he felt that his youngest son might have been spoiled too much by the Marquis of Zhenyuan and his wife, which led to him becoming a spoiled brat.

Composing himself, Xing Bingcheng pretended to carefully examine the calligraphy copybook, then his pupils gradually dilated.

"This, this...is it really written by the young master of your household?"

"Exactly!"

Marquis Zhenyuan observed Xing Bingcheng's changing expression and found it very pleasing.

"Perhaps Chen'er does have some talent in poetry and literature."

The Marquis of Zhenyuan cherished the four characters "独占鳌头" (to stand out from the crowd), and was so fond of them that he almost framed them and hung them in his study.

But if his son's casually written four words made him cherish them so much, he could no longer play the role of a strict father, so he had no choice but to reluctantly part with them and carry them with him at all times.

"The brushstrokes are vigorous and powerful, with an outstanding style. It is a fine piece of calligraphy. It deeply captures the spirit of the Wei and Jin dynasties, yet it also has its own unique style. If it is truly self-taught, it is a talent that is one in a million."

Putting away the calligraphy copybook, Xing Bingcheng couldn't help but ask, "However, why are there such contradictory rumors circulating outside that the second young master of your household cannot hold a brush?"

Madam Zou smiled broadly, "It's because my son Chen'er has a rather strange temper, perhaps because we've spoiled him. He's intentionally choosing a tutor, and he thought the previous tutor lacked patience, so he didn't show off his skills."

"I see."

Xing Bingcheng nodded as if he understood something, "Great talents are often not like ordinary people."

After a moment's thought, Xing Bingcheng suddenly realized that his failure to come to the hall to formally become a disciple today was probably a hurdle set up for him by this young master.

If he possessed such talent, Xing Bingcheng changed his mind.

He had repeatedly failed the imperial examinations, but if he could teach a famous student, even if he retired to run a private school, it would still be a prestigious institution.

Moreover, he was a Confucian scholar who came from a noble family.

He was determined to get the position of tutor in the Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion today.

Rising to greet the Marquis of Zhenyuan and his wife, Xing Bingcheng said, "Since the Second Young Master is unwell, why don't I go to his room to visit him? There's no need to disturb him. I can ask him about his academic progress, and once he recovers, I can teach him according to his aptitude."

The Marquis of Zhenyuan and his wife exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with joy.

It seems that the apprenticeship ceremony has been skipped; Mr. Xing is determined to stay in the manor.

Marquis Zhenyuan rose to see him off, saying, "Very well, very well, then I'll trouble you, sir!"

……

"Has the young lady not moved around since she had breakfast this morning?"

"Hmm, just like before, he just sits by the window lost in thought."

In Lin Daiyu's room, the two maids, Zijuan and Xueyan, hid behind the curtain and secretly peeked at Lin Daiyu, whispering among themselves.

This morning, Lin Daiyu did not finish her meal, nor did she go out for a walk. Instead, she acted just like when she first came to the capital.

"The young lady seemed preoccupied as soon as she woke up this morning. Is she homesick again?"

Xueyan shook her head and agreed softly, "I don't think so. Before, when the girl sat by the window, she always felt sorry for herself and silently shed tears, but now she seems anxious and restless. I think she might have been possessed."

"what?"

Zijuan pursed her lips slightly, truly at a loss.

The two maids could not possibly guess what was on Lin Daiyu's mind, and even Lin Daiyu herself was in a state of utter confusion.

"In ten days, we'll switch bodies? How could such a bizarre thing happen? If he suffers, won't I suffer along with him? Today, the tutor came to the manor; he's ignorant and incompetent. How will he handle the teaching test? He'll definitely mess things up. If he's sent to the camp... what will I do then?!"

Even someone as intelligent as Lin Daiyu couldn't think of any solution and could only sit there sulking.

"Miss, do you need to relieve yourself? We'll be going to Pear Fragrance Courtyard soon."

Zijuan walked over to her side and tentatively asked.

"okay."

After responding, Lin Daiyu felt a renewed sense of worry. "Why did my aunt invite me to the banquet? What should I say if she asks me about something?"

Lin Daiyu's mind was in turmoil, and she mechanically followed in the footsteps of Zijuan and Xueyan.

In the clean room, the maidservants had already filled the chamber pot behind the screen with flower petals and spices.

Zijuan and Xueyan served Lin Daiyu, helping her undress, while the rest of the people waited outside.

As the elaborate dresses were gradually untied, Xueyan and Zijuan consciously took a few steps back.

Unable to find peace of mind, Lin Daiyu became increasingly agitated when she thought of something: "He must see the booklet I left in the box! It's so embarrassing!"

With one hand secretly clutching a handkerchief and the other hand smoothing her chest, Lin Daiyu let her hand fall naturally. Her brows furrowed slightly as she slowly closed her eyes.

Xueyan was dumbfounded. "Miss, why don't you sit down?"

"what?!"

(End of this chapter)