The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

Li Ke looked at his mother for a long while, and then said four words.

Chapter 315 Extra Chapter 3: A Chance Encounter Amidst the Golden Autumn Breeze and Jade Dew (3)

Mrs. Li was stunned when her son told her about the title of Princess.

"You, when did you have contact with the princess?" After a while, Mrs. Li finally realized that although her son might have seen the princess from afar at palace banquets or something, she had no idea. Mrs. Li had been guessing and speculating these past few days, but she never imagined that it would be the princess from the eldest princess's family.

Of course, Li Ke wouldn't mention the horse farm incident; he only told his mother that he had taken a liking to it at first sight.

Mrs. Li was now in a bit of a predicament. As the Empress's sister-in-law and the matriarch of the Li family for so many years, she was well aware of not only the affairs of the inner quarters but also important matters of the court.

The status of the Princess's family is truly extraordinary. Apart from the Emperor's family, the most prestigious family in the world is probably the Princess's family.

Now that the Li family has an empress in the palace and Lord Li is the Minister of Personnel, if they were to form a marriage alliance with the Princess's family, it would likely attract gossip.

"Is Mother also feeling conflicted?" Li Ke had already guessed what his mother was thinking after seeing that she hadn't spoken for a while.

Mrs. Li looked her son over and saw his serious expression. Finally, she sighed and said, "Why did you have to like the granddaughter of the Princess of Chu?"

Li Ke had long considered marrying the princess. Putting aside other considerations, his parents had reservations, especially his father. As the head of the Li family, he had to consider not only his son but also the future of the entire family.

If it weren't for family considerations, Li Ke believed he was fully confident he could win the favor of the princess and the approval of the eldest princess's household.

"Mother, do you think if I pass the imperial examination, I can ask the Emperor for a favor?" Li Ke decided to give it a try.

Mrs. Li's eyes widened in surprise; it seemed her son had made up his mind. Despite his usually carefree demeanor, once he made up his mind, nothing could change it.

That night, Mrs. Li anxiously told her husband about their son's sweetheart. When she revealed that her son's sweetheart was actually the granddaughter of the eldest princess, Princess Gao, even her usually composed husband trembled in his hand.

"Look, you think it won't work either, right?" Mrs. Li was even more worried when she saw that her husband had even written the words wrong.

Li Su pondered the recent events in the court, but said something that puzzled his wife: "Things are unpredictable, it's hard to say."

Mrs. Li paused for a moment after hearing this, then frowned and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

The husband offered no explanation.

But Mrs. Li never expected that Prince Rui would rebel. With Prince Rui's rebellion during the autumn hunt and the movement of the army in the capital, Mrs. Li suddenly lost all interest in worrying about her son.

But what Mrs. Li didn't know was that during the autumn hunt, her son fell completely in love with the princess.

Li Ke will never forget Princess Gao Xin of the grasslands.

As the mountain wind swept past the arrow fletching, the princess drew a feathered arrow with a backhand motion, her dark blue hunting attire tracing a sharp arc through the mountain mist. The gilded buckle on her rhinoceros-hide belt reflected the morning light, accentuating her slender waist. The azure phoenix pattern on the hem of her dark cloak seemed poised for flight as she sped along, its silver-embroidered feathers brushing against the withered grass, startling a flock of crows into flight.

As Li Kele paused, he saw the princess draw her bow to its fullest extent. The morning sun gilded the contours of her face, and her eyelashes cast dappled shadows beneath her eyelids, yet could not conceal the sharp glint in her eyes. The bowstring trembled, and the arrow shot through the air, striking the charging wild boar directly.

The concubine of Prince Li immediately clapped her hands: "As expected of a princess, she hit the target with one arrow."

The echo of the arrow piercing the air had barely faded when Gao Xin pulled on the reins and turned her horse around. The slight curve of her lips was like a new moon breaking through the clouds, and her fair wrist, revealed beneath her dark blue sleeve, gleamed like porcelain in the sunlight. That smile seemed to capture the golden glow of the entire autumn mountain in her eyes, even the stray hairs tousled by the mountain wind at her temples were gilded with a shimmering gold.

Li Ke stood frozen, staring at the light dancing in her eyes—a brilliance sharper than an arrowhead, more translucent than morning dew. Her smile spread from the corners of her eyes, like a pebble thrown into a lake, stirring ripples in his heart. The azure phoenix pattern on her cloak fluttered with her movements, the silver-embroidered feathers swirling in the sunlight, as if about to take flight at any moment, yet forever frozen in that instant.

Waiting for the dust to settle in the court and for the new emperor to ascend the throne.

Mrs. Li was even more worried: "Although the new emperor was raised by the Empress Dowager, he is not a biological nephew of the Li family. If our family really arranges a marriage between us and the Princess's family, the new emperor will probably be even more wary."

Li Ke seemed no different from before, calmly saying, "Mother, there's no need to worry. With the new emperor's ascension to the throne, he will naturally hold a special imperial examination, so I need to prepare for the spring examination."

Mrs. Li was at a loss for words. Had her son already given up on the princess? Or was he planning to make a move after the imperial examination?

But Mrs. Li thought that the imperial examination was not a game, so she shouldn't bother her son this time. She should wait until he was focused on preparing for the exam and the results came out before discussing anything else.

After her son finished his exams, he slept soundly for days on end, which startled Mrs. Li so much that she considered calling a doctor. He didn't wake up on his own until the second night.

And during this period, it happened to be the princess's birthday.

Mrs. Li pondered whether she should ask her husband, but upon further thought, she felt it was too strange: the princess's birthday was not a big celebration, and for the Li family to suddenly send a gift would easily cause controversy.

Mrs. Li was merely pondering the matter, while Li Ke took action.

Chapter 316 Extra Chapter 4: A Chance Encounter Amidst the Golden Autumn Breeze and Jade Dew (4)

Li Ke learned about the princess's birthday from Prince Fu.

During the last autumn hunt, Prince Fu had already discerned some clues and even secretly teased Li Ke. Therefore, when the princess was about to celebrate her birthday, Prince Fu, knowing Li Ke's thoughts and wanting to offer advice to his friend, informed Li Ke in advance.

“This is a good opportunity. Do you want to send something?” This time, Prince Fu did not tease Li Ke. Instead, he became serious. “I heard from my mother that this is the princess’s seventeenth birthday. Although it will not be a big celebration, she will definitely receive many gifts.”

Li Ke hesitated: "But, private dealings..."

“When did you become such a pedant?” Prince Fu rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Anyway, I heard from the Empress that some members of the imperial family have designs on you.”

"Who?" Li Ke panicked immediately.

“I don’t know. I just happened to go to the palace to pay my respects to my mother that day. The Empress was there too, so I overheard a bit.” Prince Fu wasn’t lying. “But thinking about it, there are only a few families with sons of marriageable age, and I don’t think any of them are as outstanding as you. So you shouldn’t let this opportunity slip away.”

"I do have a plan, would you like to hear it?" Prince Fu was genuinely trying to help his friend.

"What method?" Li Ke looked at Prince Fu's bright eyes and felt that it was a bit unreliable.

"I'll just send a birthday gift to the princess in my mother's name, and then find a way to let her know." Prince Fu thought his idea was brilliant, and that it would be done without anyone noticing.

In the past, or for other reasons, Li Ke might have reconsidered, after all, Prince Fu was known for his impulsive and unpredictable nature. But just now, Prince Fu's words had thrown him into disarray—someone among the imperial relatives was after the princess.

"Then, what should I give as a gift?" As expected, Li Ke received a disdainful look from Prince Fu after asking the question.

However, Prince Fu also had to admit: "Although I grew up playing with her when we were little, it seems that apart from being greedy, I really don't know anything else about her. Oh, she likes riding horses and shooting arrows."

Li Ke realized he shouldn't have asked—why would Prince Fu care about what the princess liked? So he ignored Prince Fu and started thinking about gifts.

Not long after, Gao Xin received a very special gift on her birthday – from Consort Rong. The palace maid who delivered the gift specifically said that she hoped the princess would like it, and if she didn't, she should tell the Consort Rong.

It was nighttime and no one was around when Gao Xin opened the gift sent by Consort Rong.

It turned out to be a small knife, with seven meteorites strung together in the shape of a dipper on the black scabbard. As my fingertips brushed against the warm sandalwood, I felt the unique coolness of the cold iron.

After thinking for a moment, Gao Xin grasped the hilt and drew the blade. The instant the blade was drawn, all the candlelight in the room dimmed—the edge of the black iron blade shimmered with a ghostly blue starlight, and the blade pattern resembled a cascading silver light.

Then Gao Xin had the idea of ​​trying out the knife. She picked up a wooden hairpin and, with a flash of cold light, the broken part of the hairpin was as smooth as a mirror.

"A fine knife." Gao Xin sighed inwardly. This gift was clearly not something Consort Rong would give. Consort Rong was always cautious. Even when she was a Zhaoyi and later became Consort Rong, she never made any effort to befriend the Princess's residence. Now that she was a Consort, there was even less need for her.

Her thoughts raced, and Gao Xin's heart pounded as if it would leap from her chest. That faint possibility she had been hoping for filled her with immense joy.

After a moment of joy and excitement, Gao Xin put the precious sword away. She told herself not to get too excited; what if it wasn't a gift from him? Wouldn't that be a disappointment?

After some thought, Gao Xin decided to go to the palace to express her gratitude. She met Prince Fu at Consort Rong's residence and realized that her guess was correct.

So when the Empress asked her if she had someone she liked, Gao Xin decided to be bold and tell her everything. Gao Xin felt that she had known the Empress since she was a child, and the Empress would not judge a person or a matter based on family background.

"That's quite a good match, Xin'er has good taste," Daiyu teased after hearing this. "However—"

Deliberately leaving half a sentence unsaid, Daiyu couldn't help but chuckle at Gao Xin's nervous expression.

"Auntie, don't tease me." Gao Xin didn't mind acting coquettishly in front of the Empress.

“However, I still need to ask my aunt about this, and I also need to tell your cousin.” Daiyu certainly couldn’t just listen to Gao Xin alone. “Don’t worry, I’ll leave it to my aunt.”

Gao Xin immediately smiled and gave Daiyu a hug: "Auntie, you are so kind."

Seeing Gao Xin's bright smile, Daiyu was also infected: she really is an innocent and carefree girl.

Just then, the princess was announced to have arrived. A moment later, Jia Yue entered carrying several booklets. As the eldest daughter of the reigning emperor and empress, Jia Yue was bestowed the title of Princess Hekang after the new emperor ascended the throne. At that time, Xiao Tingjun said to Daiyu, "May the people be in harmony and the country be peaceful. What do you think, Yu'er?"

Daiyu also thought the title was good, so Jiayue became Princess Hekang.

"Greetings to the Empress Dowager." Princess Hekang first bowed to Daiyu, but when she saw that her cousin Gao Xin was about to bow, she quickly excused herself and spread out the flower pattern book on the table. "Empress Dowager, these are the new flower patterns that I drew for Huatang Chunxiu. Would you please take a look?"

Daiyu and Gao Xin both went over to take a look. Currently, Yingchun and Xiangyun are in charge of Huatang Chunxiu. Princess Hekang is most interested in Gu embroidery and is currently obsessed with it.

Looking at her daughter's beautiful face, Daiyu couldn't help but think: This child is already thirteen years old. Time really flies.

When the emperor came over that evening, Daiyu placed the rock sugar lily bulb, white fungus, and snow pear soup that had been sent from the kitchen in front of him. While the emperor was drinking the soup, she told him about Gao Xin.

"Is Yu'er going to play matchmaker?" The emperor had no objection. "That girl Xin'er has always been clever and mischievous."

“Who can argue with that? When I first met her, she was just a tiny little thing,” Daiyu remarked. “Even Jiayue is thirteen now.”

The emperor instantly understood why his wife looked so worried: "Yu'er, are you thinking about choosing a husband for Yueyue? It's still early, no rush. Even if you do choose a husband, I will definitely keep Yueyue in the capital."

“Mm.” Daiyu nodded. Actually, even if the Emperor hadn’t said it, she had thought the same thing. Although she had some selfish motives, she and her husband only had one daughter, Jiayue, so naturally they felt sorry for her.

"I have chosen Zhu Ling, the Minister of the Imperial Court, as Jia Jing's tutor. Jia Kun is still young; we'll discuss him in a couple of years." The Emperor casually mentioned to his wife that Jia Jing was born in the winter of the year the new emperor ascended the throne, while Jia Kun was born two years ago.

Daiyu nodded, thinking that she should go to the Empress Dowager first and talk about Xin'er's matter, since Li Ke was the Empress Dowager's nephew.

Chapter 317 Extra Chapter 5: A Chance Encounter Amidst the Golden Autumn Breeze and Jade Dew (5)

In the Xinghe Palace back garden in late spring, the weeping willows blended their last pale yellow hues into the new green. The retired emperor slightly raised his wrist, holding a scroll, the white jade thumb ring gleaming warmly in the sunlight, pressing down on the pages of Mencius that had been blown by the wind.

"The people are the most important, the state is next, and the ruler is the least important." The Second Prince's clear recitation startled two egrets by the pond. As their snowy wings skimmed the water's surface, a string of silver beads fell into the lotus leaves. "Grandfather, I don't understand. If a ruler should be insignificant about himself, how can he establish authority in the court?"

The Emperor Emeritus tapped the four characters "Execute the tyrant Zhou" heavily with his fingertips, causing the spring tea in the celadon cup on the rosewood desk to ripple slightly. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard a child's laughter coming from the peony bushes. Turning his head, he saw the Empress Dowager's golden phoenix hairpin trembling in the shadows of the flowers, holding the Third Prince, who looked like a brocade dumpling, in her arms.

"Fly! Fly, fly!" The Third Prince clutched half of his embroidered gold-embroidered sleeve, his small, lotus-root-like arms pointing to the jade-belt butterflies fluttering among the flowers.

The old woman Hu, who was standing next to the Empress Dowager, took a colorful tassel ball and placed it on the ground. The Empress Dowager then placed the Third Prince on the ground.

Under the wisteria trellis, the Emperor Emeritus had composed himself, picking up his wolf-hair brush and writing on gold-flecked paper: "The so-called self-deprecation is not about diminishing one's authority, but like a farmer cherishing his seedlings..." His brush paused abruptly as the Second Prince glanced at his younger brother. The young prince was stumbling after a rolling ball of jewels, his tiger-head shoes embroidered with qilin stained with grass, and the longevity lock around his waist shimmering like broken gold in the sun.

The Empress Dowager quickly embraced the child, her peony-red brocade skirt sweeping across the blue bricks, stirring the dormant fragrance of spring moss. The Emperor Emeritus looked at the ink stains spreading on the note and suddenly chuckled: "Never mind, go and pay your respects to your grandmother before you come back." Before he finished speaking, the Second Prince had already darted down the stone steps like a sparrow.

When Daiyu entered, she saw a heartwarming scene of grandmother and granddaughter enjoying each other's company.

Daiyu stepped forward to pay her respects to the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Dowager. Upon seeing her mother, the Third Prince Jiakun reached out for a hug.

"Jing'er, would you like to play with your little brother?" Daiyu held her youngest son and played with him for a while, then patted the second prince's head. The second prince nodded obediently and led the third prince in kicking the jeweled ball, with the wet nurse, palace maids, and eunuchs all gathered around.

Daiyu told the Empress Dowager about Gao Xin and Li Ke. Before the Empress Dowager could speak, the Emperor Emeritus looked at the Empress and said, "You and the Third Prince are quite magnanimous."

“Yesterday His Majesty said that my aunt and uncle have always been upright and honest, and Lord Li is even more devoted to the country. In particular, Lord Li is a treasure left to him by my father,” Daiyu quickly said.

"Hmph, you certainly know how to talk." The retired emperor was now completely idle, but since the emperor was diligent in his duties and the empress was filial, the retired emperor had nothing to criticize. "Alright, you can decide for yourselves. Whether things turn out well or not, you'll have to bear the consequences yourselves."

This statement carries an underlying meaning: If you agree to the marriage between these two families and they become too powerful to control in the future, you will have to find a way to resolve it yourselves; this retired emperor will not care.

The Empress Dowager felt a surge of emotions: because she had no son of her own, she had helped the third son, and now the third son and his wife treated her so well that even her own son might not be able to compare. Daiyu, her daughter-in-law, was also very filial.

So the Empress Dowager immediately smiled and said, "Since the two children are interested in each other, then we will have to trouble Yu'er to invite the Princess to the palace to inquire about it."

"Don't worry, Mother. I'll send someone to the Princess's residence to invite my aunt and uncle to the palace. It'll be a good opportunity for the whole family to have a meal together." Seeing that the Empress Dowager was very supportive, Daiyu prepared to get up and take her leave.