The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

Meanwhile, thanks to the clever arrangements made by Daiyu and Xiao Tingjun, the Fifth Prince Xiao Tingzhao was also invited to the event and had more contact with Zuo Jiangqiu.

While making lanterns, their unintentional interactions and eye contact allowed them to get to know each other better. The Fifth Prince, who had initially been somewhat resistant to the arranged marriage, developed a certain fondness for the lively and cheerful Miss Zuo.

After the banquet, Daiyu deliberately kept Princess Xiaolin behind, intending to find an opportunity to have a heart-to-heart talk with her.

In the stillness of the night, the two sisters-in-law turned off the lights in the outer room, leaving only a palace lantern on the table, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere.

Xiao Lin casually asked, "Why did you invite Miss Zuo to your home today, sister-in-law?"

Daiyu knew that this was a good opportunity to open Xiao Lin's heart.

She looked at Xiao Lin, softened her tone, and said frankly:

“Since you’ve asked, I won’t hide it from you. The truth is, Consort Chen came to ask for your help a few days ago.” Daiyu paused and then explained the whole story in detail. “Father intends to bestow a marriage upon my fifth brother, and the one he has chosen is this Miss Zuo. But my fifth brother doesn’t seem very willing, so Consort Chen begged me to give the two children more opportunities to spend time together, and perhaps my fifth brother will change his mind.”

Xiao Lin listened quietly, and after Daiyu finished speaking, she sighed softly, "Really, this is so boring."

Daiyu hurriedly asked, "What's wrong? Why would you say that, sister?"

"Sister-in-law, I just feel that we women have such a hard life," Xiao Lin said, then sighed.

"Whether it's a princess from a high and mighty family or a daughter from an ordinary family, our marriages are all arranged by our parents and matchmakers. We may not even know that person, or have ever even met them, and we'll be married off without really knowing what's going on."

Xiao Lin became more and more agitated as she spoke, and tears even welled up in her eyes: "If the couple doesn't get along, won't the woman suffer the most? After all, men can have multiple wives and concubines, take concubines, and even have affairs outside the marriage, all openly and legitimately. But what about us women? We can only have one husband. If we encounter a bad one, our whole life is ruined, and we don't even have anyone to reason with."

Daiyu was truly astonished by Princess Xiaolin's heartfelt words. She had never imagined that the usually lively and carefree Xiaolin would have such a profound and pessimistic view of marriage.

However, while surprised, Daiyu also deeply felt that what the princess said made a lot of sense. Women in this world, regardless of their social status, cannot escape the fate of "arranged marriages by parents and matchmakers" in matters of marriage, and once they marry the wrong person, their situation is indeed even more difficult.

After a moment of contemplation, Daiyu looked at Xiao Lin, who was frowning, and decided that she should not only empathize with her, but also guide her to think about solutions.

She softly countered, "Then, Sister Lin'er, what do you think is the best solution? Should we just leave it to fate and let others decide?"

Xiao Lin was stunned by Daiyu's question.

She was too preoccupied with lamenting her discontent and grieving over the fate of women to consider whether there was any solution. Her brow was furrowed, and her eyes were blank; she had clearly never given this matter much thought.

“Sister Lin’er, what you’ve said is indeed a very difficult problem. I’m afraid it will be a problem not only now, but also in the future,” Daiyu said slowly, expressing her thoughts.

“But first of all, we should be grateful,” Daiyu said, changing her tone, “that we have the opportunity to think about this issue and to sit here and talk about it. Just think about how many women outside are worried about making a living every day and struggling to make ends meet. They probably don’t even have the chance to think about these deeper issues.”

"Secondly, we shouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater." Daiyu's gaze fell on Xiao Lin's face, giving her strength.

"Marriage certainly carries risks, but we should not be afraid of it. If the princess takes a fancy to someone, or has any thoughts about her marriage, she can speak with Her Majesty the Empress and Consort Qiao. Your father and mother have always doted on you, and Consort Qiao regards you as the apple of her eye. They will certainly consider your case."

"As for marriage, in the end, women still need to be self-reliant. No matter what kind of family they marry into, no matter what kind of husband they meet, if a woman has talent, knowledge, and her own opinions, then even if she marries the wrong person, she may still be able to live a better life, at least she won't be completely controlled by others. Just like the Crown Princess is now setting up a girls' school, hoping that more women can have the opportunity to be self-reliant." At this moment, Daiyu didn't know how to solve the problem of marriage.

Xiao Lin nodded after hearing this: "Don't worry, sister-in-law. I didn't bring up this question simply because of myself. It's just that this question has been bothering me for many days."

"However, my sister-in-law is right about one thing. No matter what, we should do our best first." Xiao Lin could only be optimistic. "Maybe I'll be lucky and, like my aunt, meet a prince consort who won't take concubines."

Princess Consort Gao Zhen never took a concubine, so the princess was greatly envied by the ladies of the inner quarters in the capital.

After Daiyu turned around and told the Empress and Consort Qiao about her conversation with Xiao Lin, the two of them fell silent.

The Empress thought of Lady Wu. In this life, she was reborn and executed her long ago. But if the Prince only had one wife, wouldn't these problems not have occurred?

Consort Qiao pulled Daiyu aside and instructed her, "You mustn't let His Majesty know about these words, or he might get angry."

"Mother, rest assured, I know what I'm doing, and I believe my sister will too," Daiyu reassured Consort Qiao.

But neither Consort Qiao nor Daiyu expected that Xiao Lin would actually dare to speak so frankly in front of the Emperor.

Extra Chapter: The Empress's Rebirth - The Spoiled Princess Has the Best Fate

Xiao Lin was not skilled in needlework, and her embroidery skills were only average. When Daiyu learned that she wanted to embroider a purse, she offered some suggestions.

She chose several seemingly ordinary colors, yet their combination resulted in an elegant and refined look: the main color was a gentle moon white, complemented by a light pink lotus scroll pattern, with a few tiny rice beads adorning the lotus hearts. The purse was edged with a very fine willow-green silk thread, and a small, delicate mutton-fat jade bead was tied to the tassel.

Holding the pouch in your hand, it doesn't rely on exquisite embroidery, but rather on its fresh and refined color scheme that draws the eye. Even though the stitches aren't particularly fine, and some areas even show a touch of naivety, the overall effect is exceptionally striking and quite beautiful.

So, after Xiao Lin finished embroidering it, she thought it was quite good and took it to present to her father, the Emperor.

"Good! Very good!" The emperor's voice was filled with obvious pleasure.

He raised his head, looking at Xiao Lin with loving eyes, his eyes full of admiration: "My Lin'er, you are becoming more and more capable! This purse is exquisitely embroidered, and the color scheme is elegant and refined, which shows your cleverness!"

However, Xiao Lin sighed.

"Why are you sighing? Is something troubling you?" The emperor was naturally very concerned about his precious daughter.

Seeing that the emperor had indeed taken the bait, Xiao Lin took the opportunity to act coquettishly and said, "Father, I am just envious of my eldest aunt."

The emperor was taken aback and asked, puzzled, "What do you envy about your aunt?"

"Your subject envies your eldest aunt. Your uncle never had any concubines." Xiao Lin pouted, her eyes filled with longing. "Your subject just thinks, how wonderful it would be if there were men like your uncle in this world who would stay with only their wives for their entire lives."

The emperor was both amused and exasperated. He tapped Xiao Lin's forehead and teased, "Why are you so envious? Didn't I want to bestow a marriage upon you, betrothing the newly appointed third-ranked scholar Liu Jishan? That boy is exceptionally talented and handsome, but you refused!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Lin immediately took the emperor's arm, rested her head on his shoulder, and continued to plead, "Father, of course I know that the third-ranked scholar is excellent, but it is precisely because he is too excellent that I feel he is not suitable! I think I must find a consort who will not take concubines in the future, so that I can feel at ease. But that third-ranked scholar is so young and has such a promising future, he will definitely have a lot of wives and concubines in the future, and I don't want to hold him back."

When the emperor heard his daughter Xiao Lin express her desire to find a husband with whom she could spend her life, he was somewhat moved.

After all, she was his most beloved princess, so the emperor naturally didn't think the request was excessive. He pondered for a moment, then a resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and he smiled at Xiao Lin, saying, "You silly girl, you actually have such thoughts. Very well, since my Lin'er has this wish, I will grant it!"

He immediately said, "When I bestow marriage upon the prince consort in the future, I will specifically add a clause—he is not allowed to have concubines. Anyone who violates this rule will be severely punished!"

The emperor's words were law, and once they were spoken, it meant that the future imperial son-in-law would be strictly bound by imperial laws, and the possibility of taking concubines would be cut off.

The news quickly spread throughout the palace. The other concubines naturally dared not say anything about the emperor's favoritism towards his daughter, after all, Xiao Lin was the eldest princess and deeply loved by the emperor.

But the Empress became somewhat worried.

"Your Majesty, I am naturally happy for Lin'er because of your great favor towards the princess. However... if the consort is not allowed to take concubines in the future, will no one be willing to marry the princess? After all, in the capital's aristocratic families, which man doesn't have three wives and four concubines? If the consort cannot take concubines, it may arouse jealousy and ruin Lin'er's life." The Empress felt that the Emperor's words were too casual.

The emperor listened to the empress's words and paid no attention to her concerns about the princess's marriage.

He waved his hand confidently and said, "Your Majesty is overthinking it! That is my most beloved princess. Who would dare to have such thoughts? If there is anyone so ungrateful, I will make sure they suffer the consequences!"

In the emperor's mind, his daughter's request was the most important thing, and no one dared to disobey it.

But then the emperor remembered that he had recently told the empress that he would choose concubines for the crown prince and his brothers after the fifth prince got married. Thinking about it that way, it seemed he shouldn't be in such a hurry. After all, all his daughters-in-law now had children.

The emperor thought to himself that his daughters-in-law had already produced many children, including grandchildren, so the issue of offspring was no longer a problem. He should wait a couple more years and see how things went. If they could produce another prince within those years, that would be a cause for celebration.

So the emperor discussed it with the empress, his tone much gentler: "Empress, I've been thinking, now that all my daughters-in-law have children, we have no shortage of heirs. How about this, if they still haven't given birth to a prince in two more years, then we can give our sons concubines. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, the Empress was surprised to find that the princess had inadvertently helped her sisters-in-law.

The Empress smiled and replied, "Your Majesty is wise; I will leave everything to Your Majesty's discretion."

The news that the emperor had postponed the princes' taking concubines for two years quickly reached the residences of Prince Rui and Prince Yi. Upon hearing this, Yu Ran and Daiyu naturally understood that Princess Xiao Lin's "assistance" had played a crucial role.

Yu Ran encountered Princess Xiao Lin in the palace and thanked her with a smile: "Sister Lin'er, I am so grateful to you this time. His Majesty's words have temporarily put the matter of bestowing a concubine on me, and I am truly relieved."

Princess Xiao Lin waved her hand, her face showing no smugness, but rather a hint of helplessness. She sighed and said, "I know very well that although His Majesty loves me, we women still can't fundamentally solve the problem of men having multiple wives and concubines."

"Just like Sister-in-law Daiyu said, all we can do is to be self-reliant and strong. Only by being strong, capable, and discerning can we earn dignity and respect even if we encounter the wrong people in the future, so that we are not completely dependent on others and at their mercy." The princess made up her mind that she must become a capable person in the future.

But for Daiyu, there was some good news.

Extra Chapter: The Empress's Rebirth - Zijuan's Marriage

The happy event on Daiyu's side is related to Zijuan.

Lin Zhong, the steward of the Lin family, had a young son named Lin Qin, who was a hardworking and reliable young man. He had met Zijuan three times when she accompanied Daiyu back to the Lin family to visit relatives.

Although they only met a few times, Lin Qin developed feelings for Zijuan and subtly inquired about her from his mother.

No one knows a son better than his mother. When Lin Zhong's wife heard her youngest son ask about Zijuan several times, she understood everything.

Lin Zhong's wife, as the head housekeeper of the Lin household, had not only met Zijuan but was quite familiar with her. After all, Daiyu had always relied heavily on Zijuan, so Lin Zhong's wife knew that the young lady Zijuan was calm, capable, generous, and considerate.

"There's just one thing, though. Miss Zijuan was originally a maid in the Jia family. We don't know if her indenture is with the Princess or still with the Jia family," Lin Zhong's wife discussed with her husband.

The ownership of a maid's indenture is related to her future, and this is something that cannot be taken lightly in matters of marriage.

After listening to his wife's concerns, Lin Zhong pondered for a moment and said confidently, "Miss Zijuan has been with the Princess for so many years, and their bond is extraordinary. Her indenture must be with the Princess. In my opinion, the Princess has always cherished Zijuan and would never let her suffer the slightest grievance."

Seeing that his wife was still somewhat worried, Lin Zhong became more direct and decisive.

He looked at his wife, his eyes filled with trust in the family: "Master and Princess are both open-minded people. We've been in the Lin family for so many years, and it's only because of Master's trust that we're where we are today. Since that's the case, let's be more direct. When Master has some free time, I'll go and ask him directly. Master and Princess will make proper arrangements for Miss Zijuan's matter."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhong's wife thought it over and agreed that her husband was right. Rather than remaining here speculating and feeling uneasy, it would be better to go and find out the situation directly, which would also show their sincerity and respect for their master.

During Lin Ruhai's day off, when he had a day of leisure, Lin Zhong found a suitable opportunity to go to Lin Ruhai's side.

He first reported on several routine matters of the Lin family. After Lin Ruhai finished giving his instructions, he hesitated for a moment and then spoke with some trepidation.

"Master," Lin Zhong bowed, a hint of embarrassment on his face, "I have another personal matter to discuss with you today, concerning my good-for-nothing son, Lin Qin. This child has praised the young lady Zijuan, who serves the Princess Consort, several times..."

Seeing that Lin Ruhai did not interrupt, he continued, "My wife has always liked Miss Zijuan, saying that she is very good at dealing with people and is calm and capable. Now that our son is making a fuss, I thought that Miss Zijuan is, after all, the princess's trusted head maid, and of noble status. So I swallowed my pride and came to you, sir, to ask for your favor."

After listening to Lin Zhong's words, Lin Ruhai felt that this was indeed a good marriage proposal.

Firstly, Zijuan has served Daiyu with utmost care and dedication over the years, so marrying her off to a servant born into the Lin family would be a fitting end for her.

Secondly, the Lin family has lived in the Lin household for many years and are known for their honesty and integrity. Lin Zhong and his wife are reliable, and Lin Qin, as the youngest son of the Lin family, is also loyal and dependable. Therefore, Zijuan doesn't need to worry about being mistreated after marrying into the family.

However, Lin Ruhai did not agree immediately. He looked at Lin Zhong and said gently, "Although Zijuan's indenture is with the Princess, it is still a young lady's marriage, and we should ask her own opinion. Besides, I heard that Zijuan has an older brother. I can only ask for you first. I can't guarantee whether it will work out."

Hearing Lin Ruhai's words, Lin Zhong felt much more at ease. He knew that Lin Ruhai always kept his word, and since he had agreed to help inquire, the marriage was now five or six tenths certain.

Lin Zhong quickly bowed and repeatedly expressed his gratitude, his thanks overflowing.

Interestingly, before Lin Ruhai could even tell his daughter Daiyu about Lin Zhong's youngest son's proposal to marry Zijuan, Zijuan had already approached Daiyu first.

"Your Highness, I have a favor to ask. It concerns my brother." Zijuan spoke frankly and openly.

Seeing Zijuan's appearance, Daiyu had already guessed what was going on, so she smiled and asked, "Oh? What's wrong with your brother? Is something troubling him?"

"My brother has seen Xiuju, the maidservant of Second Aunt, several times, and he keeps urging me to come up with a solution for him. What solutions do I have? I can only ask the Princess for help." Ziju's brother is currently managing the estate for Daiyu.

Upon hearing this, Daiyu was slightly taken aback at first, then a knowing smile flashed in her eyes. She knew that Ziju's brother was of good character, and Xiuju was also a loyal and honest maid. This was indeed a good match.

“What’s so difficult about that?” Daiyu laughed readily. “I’ll send an invitation to Second Sister in a couple of days and invite her to come over to our house. Then it’ll be up to Miss Xiuju to decide.”

Upon hearing this, Zijuan was overjoyed and quickly curtsied to express her gratitude.

To everyone's surprise, Lin Ruhai sent a message that afternoon.

Upon receiving her father's message, Daiyu couldn't help but smile, a sly glint in her eyes.

She immediately ordered someone to summon Zijuan. When Zijuan heard the young lady's summons, she thought it was to inquire about inviting Yingchun in a couple of days, so she quickly came in.