The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

"The He family is so powerful. Father and Mother, you might as well just agree to break off the engagement. Even if you marry into a family like that, you might end up becoming enemies in the future."

"Furthermore, my son is currently focused on preparing for the exam, thinking that he should establish his career before starting a family. If he does well on the exam, he will naturally find a suitable partner."

After hearing their son's words, Mr. and Mrs. Lu finally felt relieved. Although being rejected by the engagement made them sad and embarrassed, their biggest concern was for their son. If he were to become discouraged because of this, that would be the most heartbreaking thing.

So the Lu family agreed to annul the engagement, and a year later, the third daughter of the He family married the magistrate.

Since everyone in the village knew about the marriage between the Lu and He families, it was inevitable that some people would point fingers and gossip.

But Lu Wenzhi didn't take it to heart and focused on preparing for the exam.

"Actually, in the years that followed, some people proposed marriage to him, after all, he was a scholar who had passed the imperial examination. But he didn't agree to any of them, insisting that he would wait until after the spring imperial examination." The Empress spoke with a touch of emotion, "In truth, although the head of the Lu family was not good at managing the clan, there was one thing he never thought of trying to curry favor with any other family. My mother was related to them after all, but they felt that they couldn't make things difficult for my brother and his family. In this respect, they were better than many others."

Upon hearing this, Daiyu thought of her father's relatives. The Lin family's relatives were somewhat distant from Daiyu's branch of the family, but they were still within the fifth degree of kinship.

The Lin family members weren't necessarily all doing well, but they never thought of trying to curry favor with them.

“If Your Majesty only wants the top scholar to be Yingying and He Yueyue’s tutor, then of course there is no problem. But if my elder sister wants to choose a grandson-in-law, then I’m afraid we need to consider it more carefully, since I’ve only heard about it from my sister-in-law.”

Daiyu nodded and said, "That's right. After all, Scholar Lu is so much older than Xin'er. Besides, I think that girl Xin'er has learned horseback riding and archery from Fifth Sister-in-law. I wonder what kind of girl she will choose."

What Daiyu didn't know was that while she was inquiring with the Empress, the Emperor was also testing the top scholar, Lu.

The emperor wasn't alone; he also brought Princess Ying and Yueyue with him.

Chapter 269: Praise Received for Boat Trip on Lake and Lotus Picking

The emperor, accompanied by his two children, met Lu Wenzhi by the Quchi Pond.

The first question the emperor asked Lu Wenzhi was about state affairs.

"If one day you discover that a high-ranking official in the court is corrupt, but this person wields immense power and is even close to me, what will you do?"

Lu Wenzhi spoke almost without hesitation, his voice clear and resonant: "Your Majesty, I believe that corrupt officials, no matter how powerful, are parasites on the country. If I were to encounter such a matter, I would speak frankly and remonstrate with you, even if it angers Your Majesty. For I know that Your Majesty is a wise ruler and will not tolerate such people who bring disaster to the country."

A hint of approval flashed in the emperor's eyes, but he still pressed on, "If I were to protect this person because of personal feelings, what would you do?"

Even standing behind the emperor, Hu Delu couldn't help but feel a little uneasy for the top scholar; this was no easy question to answer.

To everyone's surprise, the top scholar, being a novice, answered the emperor's question almost immediately.

“Your Majesty, I believe that Your Majesty is the ruler of the world and cares for all the people. If Your Majesty is ever misled, I am willing to die to remonstrate with you and awaken Your Majesty’s wisdom. For I know that Your Majesty’s wisdom will not allow the people of the world to suffer.”

Lu Wenzhi's words were resounding. Although the emperor did not consider them a perfect answer, they were a very pleasing one.

However, the emperor did not smile. Instead, he slowly nodded and said, "What a fine example of remonstrating with one's life. Do you know that once you say this, if I were to truly protect a corrupt official, you would have no way out?"

Lu Wenzhi replied calmly, "I have no fear. I firmly believe that Your Majesty's wisdom will not tolerate the rampant activities of treacherous officials."

The emperor then burst into laughter, and said, "I hope that after you become an official, you will still remember these words."

After saying this, he took the two children and boarded a small boat that was already waiting there. He then invited Lu Wenzhi, saying, "Today I am taking Princess He on a boat trip on the lake. Please come along."

Lu Wenzhi was still completely confused. He had no idea that the emperor was going to choose a tutor for the little princess and the young noblewoman, but since the emperor had given the order, he had to obey.

After boarding the ship, the emperor took out a Go set, but Yueyue immediately wrinkled her nose and said, "Grandpa, don't play Go, it's not fun."

"Playing chess is wonderful. Everyone talks about music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, flowers, and tea. Your mother is good at all of them." The emperor affectionately stroked the little girl's pert little nose.

"I don't want to play chess." Yueyue tilted her head. "Aunt Ying can play chess with Grandpa Emperor. I want to go pick lotus flowers."

When the topic of lotus picking came up, she became very enthusiastic: "Yesterday, my grandmother taught me a poem: 'A little child rows a small boat, stealing white lotus blossoms to take home.' Today, I don't need to steal them; I'm going to pick lotus blossoms openly and honestly."

Unlike Yueyue, who is lively and active, Princess Ying is a quiet little girl. She has already taken the chess box and said, "I have only just learned how to play. Father, please don't think I'm stupid."

The emperor liked Yueyue's cleverness and his daughter's understanding. Hearing this, his heart softened: "Of course not, our Yingying is the smartest."

The two indeed began to play chess, but it was more like the emperor teaching Princess Ying how to play.

Yueyue wasn't interested and walked to the side of the ship. Lu Wenzhi quickly followed, and the eunuchs beside her were also very careful. If the little princess fell overboard, they would be punished.

"Are you the top scholar?" Yueyue wasn't shy at all. Her grandfather had just mentioned that he had invited the top scholar to go boating on the lake today, and now that she saw Lu Wenzhi following her, Yueyue asked directly.

"Yes, Your Majesty Lu Wenzhi." Lu Wenzhi was dressed in an elegant blue robe today, with delicate features and a gentle expression.

"I heard my father say that my maternal grandfather was the third-ranked scholar, and you were the top scholar, so you're even more outstanding than the third-ranked scholar?" Yueyue asked again.

"You can't say that," Lu Wenzhi said frankly. "Although I was fortunate enough to be ranked first, it was just the result of one exam. Besides, whether one is an official or a person, one cannot judge one's merits or achievements by an exam. It's like the little princess likes to play chess, and the princess enjoys picking lotus flowers. It's not that one is better than the other, but that each has its own advantages."

He used the analogy of playing chess and picking lotus flowers, and Yueyue nodded repeatedly in agreement. Just then, Yueyue saw a lotus bud about to bloom and immediately tried to reach it, only to find that her arms were too short to reach it. Without hesitation, she turned to Lu Wenzhi and asked, "Can you help me?"

Lu Wenzhi immediately stepped forward, reached out and plucked the lotus flower along with its long stem, then presented it to the young princess with both hands.

Yueyue took the lotus flower, her eyes crinkling with a smile: "It's so beautiful, I'll give it to Grandpa Emperor."

As Yueyue held the lotus flowers, intending to arrange them, she couldn't see a vase and didn't know what to do.

The emperor noticed this out of the corner of his eye, but deliberately remained silent. He wanted to see how the top scholar would respond.

Lu Wenzhi saw the jade bat-lotus leaf-shaped brush washer on the small table. The jade was warm and smooth, and the shape was unique. The whole was shaped like a lotus leaf, with the edges of the leaf curling upwards and the veins clearly visible. A bat was climbing on one side, as if about to peek out. It revealed a sense of movement in the extreme stillness, and the contrast between stillness and movement was interesting.

So he stepped forward and suggested to the young princess, "Flowers don't always have to be arranged in vases, Princess. Sometimes other containers might be even better."

Following Lu Wenzhi's gaze, Yueyue saw the brush washer and remembered that her mother had once used the Wufeng Brush Holder Mountain with reeds in the autumn. Her father had praised her mother for having her own unique style and a special charm.

So Yueyue had an idea: "Can you help me get two more lotus leaves?"

With Lu Wenzhi's help, Yueyue used six lotus leaves of different sizes, a blooming lotus flower, and a bud to create a painting.

"The morning sun dries the overnight rain on the leaves, the water surface is clear and round, and the lotus leaves are lifted one by one by the wind." Lu Wenzhi praised sincerely.

"By depicting the environmental changes from the shore to the water, the viewer feels as if they are on the shore admiring the lotus flowers. This is truly the pinnacle of flower arrangement." Even the emperor couldn't help but admire it.

"Yingying, Yueyue, how about letting this Scholar Lu be your teacher?" The Emperor was very satisfied with Lu Wenzhi's performance today. He showed patience and shrewdness when he was with Yueyue, and even from his flower arranging, it was clear that Lu Wenzhi was not a rigid person.

Yueyue was naturally delighted to hear this and looked at Lu Wenzhi without any attempt to hide her excitement, saying, "Great! Great! Just now, the teacher said that we should arrange the lotus flowers according to their own characteristics and habitat. Father also said that flower arranging is the same as painting, using a drop of water and a small tree to express the vast landscape."

Princess Ying looked at the flowers in the brush washer, then at the chessboard on the table, and then turned to the Emperor: "Father, Yueyue and I study together, so what about Qiongnan?"

The emperor was taken aback, and Yueyue nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, if we study together, can we invite Sister Qiongnan to join us?"

Looking at the two innocent children, the emperor couldn't help but feel ashamed: he, as their grandfather, was not as good as the children.

However, it is also evident that Yingying and Yueyue were both well-educated from a young age.

However, after Lu Wenzhi actually became the tutor of the little princess and the young noblewoman, he realized that this task was not easy.

Unexpectedly, the emperor sent someone to bring Qiongnan over to study with Yingying and Yueyue, which caused quite a stir.

Chapter 270 Poor Qiongnan Likes Daiyu

The Prince Rui's mansion was overjoyed to hear that their daughter was to be brought to the palace to study together. Song Huilan, in particular, quickly called her daughter to her side and gave her a series of instructions.

"You are more than two years older than the princess and the county princess, so you must perform better than them when you enter the palace this time. You must not be outdone by them."

"Besides, that's the palace, not a place where you can say whatever you want. Be careful, especially with the things from Delin Palace. Don't eat anything you shouldn't. The people from Delin Palace will harm you."

"You must seize the opportunity to show yourself well in front of your royal grandfather and try to make him like you even more."

These words made Qiongnan lose all hope of going to the palace to study, and instead feel somewhat afraid.

On her first day of studying at the palace, Yueyue brought lotus-shaped pastries made by the small kitchen of Delin Palace. These pastries, which resembled lotus flowers blooming in a small dish, were taken out by Yueyue during the break.

Yingying and Yueyue practically grew up together and often visited Delin Palace, so without Yueyue's invitation, she took a piece after opening the food box: "The food from my sister-in-law's place is the best."

Seeing that Qiongnan glanced at it twice and then sat back down, Yingying took the initiative to ask her, "Do you want to try it? It's delicious, crispy, crunchy, and sweet."

Yueyue said proudly, "Of course! Even Grandpa and Grandma love the food from our little kitchen. Sister Qiongnan, would you like a piece?"

She held up a lotus-shaped pastry in her chubby little hand and offered it to Qiongnan.

Qiongnan paused, wanting to eat, but remembering what her mother had told her, she withdrew her outstretched hand and shook her head, saying, "I'm not hungry, I won't eat now."

Not only lotus flower pastries, but also all the little things that Yingying and Yueyue gave her, she refused to accept.

Despite her lively and clever nature, Yueyue is actually a very sensitive little girl. Like her mother, she is adept at reading people's expressions at a young age. Several times, she saw that Sister Qiongnan clearly wanted it, but for some reason, she ended up shaking her head.

"Sister Qiongnan, don't you want it? We can change Maha Le's clothes together." In Yueyue's hand was a Maha Le, a ceramic doll dressed in gorgeous clothes made by Xueyan from leftover fabric.

Qiongnan was still a child after all, and she really wanted to help them change Maha Le's clothes. She whispered, "My mother won't let me have them."

Yueyue didn't understand: "Why?"

Qiongnan lowered her head and didn't speak, but Yueyue said cleverly, "Oh, I know, Auntie is afraid that you'll play too much and neglect your studies, right? Today I said I wanted to bring Maha Le, but Mother didn't agree. She said I came to study, not to play."

"It's okay, take it. We're not playing with this when we're in school..." Yueyue shoved it at him. Qiongnan was caught off guard, and the Maha Le fell to the ground with a thud.

Ceramic items, if dropped on a wooden floor, will break instantly.

Because of the emperor's favor, Yueyue was basically the center of attention in the palace, and she had quite a temper. Seeing her beloved Mahakala broken, she immediately became angry.

"Sister Qiongnan, you went too far! If you didn't want it, you didn't want it, but you actually broke it. I'm never talking to you again, never playing with you again. Humph!" The little girl's temper flared up, and her usually lively and cute face contorted with rage, her eyebrows and nose twitching.

Her brows were furrowed tightly together, like two small hills, and her eyes were wide open, flashing with a mixture of grievance and stubbornness. Her little mouth was pouting so high it looked like it could hold a small oil bottle, and the corners of her lips trembled slightly, as if she were about to cry at any moment, yet she stubbornly refused to show weakness. Her two little hands were clenched into fists, pressed tightly against her sides, and she would occasionally stomp her feet, making a "thump thump" sound, as if announcing her dissatisfaction to the whole world.

Qiongnan hadn't expected Maha Le to break. She was initially startled, but then, seeing Yueyue's expression and hearing her say she never wanted to play with her again, she became frightened and couldn't help but cry.

Yingying originally wanted to comfort Yueyue, but now Qiongnan was crying, and she was at a loss for what to do.

Yueyue's eyes widened in surprise: "I didn't even cry, why are you crying? You..."

The young princess cried, and the maids outside rushed over, while others went to inform their mistress. So, before long, Daiyu and Consort Guo arrived one after the other.

Daiyu arrived first. When she arrived, Qiongnan was still crying. Although Yueyue was still holding on, she was almost crying too.

Daiyu squatted down, hugged the two children to her left and right, and comforted them softly. After finally calming them down, she personally wiped away Qiongnan's tears with a handkerchief, held their little hands, and asked what had happened.

Yueyue snorted but didn't speak, while Qiongnan sniffed, not daring to say anything. Yingying, standing to the side, began to recount what had happened.

After listening, Daiyu first looked at her daughter Yueyue and asked, "Then, your sister Qiongnan didn't do it on purpose, right?"

Yueyue was still unhappy: "She doesn't want the food I give her, and she doesn't want the toys I give her. It's no fun."

Daiyu turned to look at Qiongnan: "Qiongnan, don't you like any of them?"

From a young age, Qiongnan's mother disliked her, and her wet nurse told her to be good, obedient, and not to bother her mother. But now, smelling the faint floral fragrance on Daiyu and seeing Daiyu's gaze meeting hers, the child felt even more wronged.

"My mother said I'm not allowed to take anything from Delin Palace, and that she's going to harm me," the child whispered.

Daiyu was startled. Later, Consort Guo, who was standing nearby, heard this and couldn't help but frown: "Princess Rui is really something. Look at that child, he looks so pitiful."

"Qiongnan, what adults say isn't always right. You have to see for yourself and think for yourself, right?" Daiyu maintained eye contact with the child as she spoke, but since the children were still young, it wasn't appropriate to speak in too profound a way.

Daiyu turned to look at Yueyue: "If the Maha Le is broken, it's broken. There are still some in the palace. If you don't want it, then just let it be, right? What you gave me is what you like and think is good, but you may not like it, right?"