The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

"Grandma, but, but, this is a family matter, I..." Madam Wang still wanted to use household chores as an excuse to make her worry about it.

"Alright, Feng'er will take care of all the big and small matters in the manor. At worst, I'm not dead yet." These words from Grandmother Jia completely extinguished Lady Wang's hopes.

Lady Wang has lost both her wife and her army. Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng couldn't help but return to their room and praise Lin Ruhai for his abilities.

Seeing that her father had accomplished such a great thing so simply, Daiyu admired him even more.

“Your maternal grandmother’s house, nothing can be resolved so easily. Let’s see. Yu’er seems to be doing quite well in the palace.” In his heart, Lin Ruhai was not really happy for his daughter to become a princess’s companion. After all, that was the palace, with strict rules and many masters. It was nothing like being at home.

"Father, don't worry, the Empress treats me very well, and the Consort and the Princess are both very kind-hearted." Daiyu told her father about the important or interesting things that happened in the palace.

"The princess still wants to come to our house to play, but I think I should ask my father for permission first." Before Daiyu left the palace to go home, Xiao Lin pulled her aside and told her that she hadn't been out of the palace for a long time.

“Yu’er has her own friends now, which is a good thing. It’s just that the princess’s status is a bit special. Inviting the princess to play is fine, but it must be kept strictly confidential and safety must be taken into consideration.” Lin Ruhai was also thinking about how to give Daiyu more opportunities to interact with other girls.

After all, if he didn't remarry, there would be no female relatives in the family who could take Daiyu out.

Lin Ruhai just didn't expect that this problem would be solved so quickly.

I'll say this in a timid way: This isn't about saving the Jia family, you'll see as you watch on (￣▽￣)"

Side Story: The Empress's Rebirth - The Second Prince's Wicked Thoughts

Just as Lin Ruhai was worrying about who would take Daiyu out to socialize, something happened in the palace.

After the princess met Daiyu twice in the palace, she fell in love with this intelligent, talented, and lovable girl.

The fact that she had no daughter had always been a regret for the eldest princess. Seeing how intelligent and beautiful Daiyu was, she had the idea of ​​adopting her as a goddaughter. She went to the Empress and expressed her thoughts.

"I think that girl from the Lin family is truly a wonderful child. Not only is she beautiful and intelligent, but she is also exceptionally talented in poetry and literature. I have no daughter, and I like her from the bottom of my heart. I was thinking, wouldn't it be wonderful if I could adopt her as my goddaughter?" the princess said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, the Empress's heart stirred.

In her previous life, the eldest princess had always cared for Daiyu deeply, treating her like her own daughter.

Unexpectedly, this destiny came even earlier in this life.

She immediately smiled and nodded: "Big sister likes it, and Yu'er is indeed a lovable child. Not to mention big sister likes her, even the Emperor has praised Yu'er several times, and now Yu'er's father is also a trusted minister of the Emperor. The Emperor has also praised Lord Lin for investigating the Zhen family."

Upon hearing the Empress's words, the eldest princess felt relieved: "So, the Emperor won't object. I was also worried that my personal preferences might affect the Emperor's plans for governing the country."

"However, Yu'er's father is still in the capital, so eldest sister should ask Lord Lin first," the Empress reminded her.

“Of course.” The eldest princess was a woman of great initiative; once she made up her mind, she acted without delay. She quickly sent her husband to visit the Lin family and discuss the matter of adopting a goddaughter with Lin Ruhai.

The prince consort arrived at the Lin residence and tactfully conveyed the princess's message to Lin Ruhai.

Upon hearing the purpose of the prince consort's visit, Lin Ruhai was first taken aback, then stood up and bowed deeply to the prince consort, his expression filled with indescribable emotion: "Your words, prince consort, are like rain after a long drought. To be honest, I have been tossing and turning and unable to sleep these days because of this matter."

He sighed softly, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the celadon teacup, his voice slightly choked with emotion: "Since my wife passed away, I have vowed never to remarry. But... Yu'er is growing up, and she can't be confined to this small courtyard all day long. Seeing other young ladies able to go out and see the world with their mothers, I, as her father..."

Suddenly, Lin Ruhai raised his head, his eyes shining with a joy that seemed to have been saved from a desperate situation: "It is truly a great fortune for Yu'er that Her Highness is willing to favor my daughter! Your Highness is a woman of great grace and beauty. If I could receive even a little guidance from Your Highness, it would be better than studying poetry and books for ten years!"

As he spoke, he actually rose from his seat to bow, but was quickly helped up by the prince consort.

"Lord Lin, you flatter me," the Prince Consort said with a smile. "His Highness was immediately struck by your daughter's extraordinary beauty upon first meeting her, praising her intelligence and quick wit, saying she possessed the same charm as Lord Lin when he was a top scholar. To be honest, although I am not talented, I have admired Lord Lin's talent and learning for many years. Today, seeing your understanding and wisdom, I feel even more at ease with you. His Highness said that this matter will depend entirely on the friendship between our two families, and he will not put you in a difficult position."

Lin Ruhai said solemnly, "Although I am dull-witted, I understand the weight of the Emperor's grace. If Your Highness accepts Yu'er as your goddaughter, I will always remind her to be careful in her words and deeds, to be dutiful, and never to let personal matters interfere with public duties. I will never cause Your Highness or the Emperor any trouble."

After some discussion, they both agreed. Thus, the matter of the princess recognizing Daiyu as her goddaughter was settled naturally.

Although the ceremony of the eldest princess recognizing Daiyu as her goddaughter was held in a low-key manner, it was still exceptionally solemn.

Daiyu's name was officially recorded in the genealogy of the Gao family, the son-in-law of the emperor, which meant that Daiyu would henceforth have the background of being the goddaughter of a princess, which was of great significance.

Although neither the Princess nor the Lin family publicized it, news from the royal family always spreads like wildfire. The news that the Princess had recognized a Lin family girl as her goddaughter quickly spread among many prominent families in the capital.

Jia Lian also received the news quickly, and he rushed back to tell his wife, Wang Xifeng.

After listening, Wang Xifeng pondered for a moment, then revealed an expression of "I knew it": "See, I told you so, the Lin family really is extraordinary! We helped my uncle find a house back then, and that favor was worth every penny."

She rubbed her hands together, her eyes gleaming with shrewdness: "I'll go share this good news with the old lady right away. We'll have her bring Lin Daiyu over to visit sometime, and we'll have to prepare some generous gifts!"

Wang Xifeng thought to herself that the more powerful the Lin family became, the more precious the kinship between the Jia family and the Lin family would be.

Upon hearing the news brought by Wang Xifeng, Grandmother Jia couldn't help but smile broadly: "I always said that your Lin sister is a lucky one! Now that she has the connection with the Princess, she is even more fortunate."

She thought to herself that Daiyu's status was now extraordinary, and she should hurry up and finalize the marriage between Daiyu and Baoyu to avoid any unforeseen complications.

So she urged Wang Xifeng to send out invitations as soon as possible to invite Lin Ruhai and his daughter to come to the mansion for a chat.

However, there were quite a few people in the capital who harbored ulterior motives, just like Grandmother Jia.

The Second Prince, Xiao Tingkai, was one of them.

His birth mother died early, and now his elder brother Xiao Tingrui has been named the crown prince, but he still harbors strange thoughts—the former emperor loved the crown prince so much, but he was still deposed. Maybe he will have a chance too?

Now that he saw that the Lin family girl had been taken as a goddaughter by the eldest princess, Xiao Tingkai's mind began to stir.

This eldest aunt was someone the Emperor trusted implicitly, and her husband had many connections in the army from his early years of commanding troops. Her cousins ​​were also all very outstanding.

If my aunt is willing to support me, my chances of winning will be much greater.

With that thought in mind, Xiao Tingkai began to ponder how to get to know the Lin family's daughter properly.

Miss Lin is currently the companion of the second younger sister and lives in Consort Qiao's palace. Since she is not Consort Qiao's son, she has no reason to go to Consort Qiao's place.

Xiao Tingkai then thought of his maternal grandmother's house.

He quickly sent a trusted palace maid to secretly convey a message to his maternal grandmother, asking her to find a way to host a banquet for Miss Lin.

However, Xiao Tingkai did not expect that his little trick would be discovered by Xuehua, the Empress's maid.

Xuehua was one of the most capable palace maids by the Empress's side, and she was very meticulous.

When she heard that the Second Prince had asked her maternal grandmother's family to find a way to host a banquet for Miss Lin, she felt something was amiss. She immediately reported this to the Empress.

“The Second Prince is definitely up to no good this time!” Xuehua said with certainty.

The Empress immediately understood: now that Yu'er had become the eldest sister's goddaughter, the second son had designs on her.

In his previous life, the second son harbored considerable ambitions for the throne. Although the Empress had captured Wu, she felt that the child was still young and could be properly guided in the future, perhaps preventing him from going astray as he had in his previous life.

But it seems that the second son's thoughts on the throne are still the same as in his previous life, and have never changed.

The Empress pondered for a moment, then a meaningful smile appeared on her lips: "Don't worry, Miss Lin is a smart girl. Lord Lin is a thoughtful man, he won't be so foolish."

She felt that she only needed to offer a subtle hint and there was no need to interfere too much.

After all, Miss Lin now has her father in Beijing, and Lin Ruhai is not someone who can be easily fooled. This game is far from over, and it's not yet time for her to personally intervene.

Compared to the second prince Xiao Tingkai's roundabout probing, the third prince Xiao Tingjun's relationship with Daiyu was much more direct and pure.

He did not approach Daiyu because she had become the eldest princess's goddaughter, but because Daiyu was now his younger sister Xiao Lin's study companion and had to pay her respects to Consort Qiao's palace every day, so the two had more opportunities to meet.

Gradually, the two became acquainted.

Sometimes, they would solve riddles and puzzles together, play chess while listening to the rain, and even take Xiao Tingjun's beloved dog "Feixue" out to play. Their relationship was innocent and pure, like that of childhood sweethearts.

On the contrary, Consort Qiao, seeing her son growing closer to Daiyu, had some ulterior motives.

She had always adored Daiyu, finding the child intelligent, graceful, and of good character. Even before Daiyu became the Princess's goddaughter, Consort Qiao secretly thought how wonderful it would be if her son, Xiao Tingjun, could marry Miss Lin!

But now that Daiyu has become the eldest princess's goddaughter, Consort Qiao is starting to have a problem.

After all, with the Eldest Princess backing her now, Daiyu's status and position have naturally risen. In that case, she might even become the Crown Princess!

Thinking of this, Consort Qiao felt conflicted.

On the one hand, she was happy for Daiyu, after all, this child deserved more love; on the other hand, she felt sorry for her son. If Daiyu really became the Crown Princess, then her fate with Xiao Tingjun would be over.

After hesitating for many days and thinking it over, Consort Qiao finally decided to tell the Empress her thoughts.

"Your Majesty can see that you truly love Yu'er." Consort Qiao did not hide anything and laid out all her hesitation and troubles over the past few days.

The Empress was taken aback: to be honest, she had completely forgotten about this, because in her heart, Daiyu was destined to marry the third son.

After gathering her thoughts, the Empress gently patted Consort Qiao's hand: "Sister, what are you thinking about? The children are so young, why are you worrying about these things?"

She paused, then said gently, "I know that third son of yours; he's the purest of children. His affinity with Yu'er is nothing more than innocent childhood affection. So put your mind at ease; why toss and turn over such things now?"

Seeing that Consort Qiao still looked worried, the Empress smiled and said, "Besides, although Yu'er has won the favor of the Eldest Princess, she is still a girl from the Lin family after all. In my opinion, that child is very perceptive and knows how to handle things very well."

Not long after Consort Qiao left, the Crown Prince came to pay his respects to his mother.

In the blink of an eye, the Crown Prince is already fifteen years old.

The queen, holding her son's hand, had a good idea.

Did you guys notice that these two chapters are already over 3,000 words each, haha? Double update at the end of the month!

Side Story: The Empress's Rebirth - The Empress's Schemes and the Jia Family's Intentions

The Empress chose a good opportunity when the Emperor came to Fengyi Palace and casually mentioned, "Your Majesty, Rui'er is not young anymore. What are your thoughts on the selection of the Crown Princess?"

Upon hearing this, the emperor paused for a moment, a look of affection and emotion appearing on his face: "Ah, in the blink of an eye, Rui'er has grown up so much. I still feel like he's a child."

The emperor was always particularly pleased with his crown prince, Xiao Tingrui. Whether it was studying, riding and archery, or taking care of his younger siblings, the crown prince did exceptionally well and won the emperor's heart.

However, deep down, the emperor was still somewhat frightened by what had happened to the retired emperor and the deposed crown prince, and occasionally a faint worry would arise in his heart.

The emperor suddenly remembered something, turned to look at the empress, and said with a hint of probing, "Speaking of which, I noticed that you really like the Lin family girl, don't you? You always treat her with great favor."

The Empress replied with a smile, "The Lin family's daughter is intelligent and sensible. Not only do I like her, but His Majesty also admires her. But these are two different things. Firstly, Yu'er is four years younger than Rui'er, and secondly, Consort Qiao also likes Yu'er very much. She plays with Yu'er and Lin'er every day, treating them like her own daughters."

Upon hearing the Empress's words, the Emperor recalled a heartwarming scene from a few days ago when he happened to see his third son, Xiao Tingjun, and Princess Xiao Lin walking their dog with the Lin family's daughter, laughing and playing together.

"You mean, the Lin family's daughter is more suitable for the third prince?" the emperor asked curiously.

Seeing that the Emperor understood, the Empress was secretly pleased, but she remained outwardly composed: "Your Majesty, what are you thinking? I am only stating the facts. In terms of age, the Third Prince and Miss Lin are more suitable. But the two children are still young and innocent, and it is not yet time to talk about marriage."

The Empress decided to tell the Emperor her true thoughts, which would not only resolve the issue of choosing a Crown Princess but also serve as a warning to the second son.

"On the contrary, Rui'er is getting older, so we need to carefully select the Crown Princess. But I'm completely clueless about the girls in the capital. How about I hold a flower-viewing banquet and invite the ladies of the third rank and above from the capital to bring their daughters? I can get to know them and personally assess their suitability," the Empress suggested.

The Emperor pondered for a moment and thought the method was excellent: "The Empress's idea is good. The Imperial Household Department can screen family backgrounds, but it would be more appropriate for the Empress to personally oversee the character and personality. It just so happens that the second son is not much younger, so the Empress can also take a look at him."

The emperor even added, "My idea is that since the second son has the support of his maternal grandfather's family, we shouldn't choose someone from a family with an outstanding background. It would be better to choose someone from a respectable and noble family."

Upon hearing this, the Empress understood. It was clear that the Emperor did not want his second son to stand out too much, lest he become too powerful in the future. She smiled and said, "Since Your Majesty says so, then I will make the arrangements. I will select several girls, and since there are also young men of marriageable age in the imperial clan, we can take a look at them as well."

The Empress acted swiftly, first informing everyone in the harem about the flower-viewing banquet, and then immediately sending out invitations to all ladies of the third rank and above in the capital.

The Rongguo Mansion quickly received the invitation, and once the news spread, everyone had their own thoughts—only Grandmother Jia from the Rongguo Mansion was qualified to attend the banquet in the palace, so the old lady's decision on who to take was quite crucial.