The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

Of course, one cannot come from a very humble background.

The Empress had selected several, but she was still not entirely satisfied. Just as she was pondering this, the Emperor suddenly mentioned Lin Ruhai.

And so, the daughter of Lin Ruhai was selected as one of the empress's candidates.

Lin Ruhai, a former third-place scholar in the imperial examinations, served as the head of the salt administration in the Jianghuai region for several years and was known for his integrity as an official.

Moreover, for the Empress, the Lin Ruhai family's daughter had an advantage that no other girl had: both her parents were dead.

Not only are her parents deceased, but what's even more remarkable is that, according to the information the Empress received, this Miss Lin's relationship with her maternal relatives is currently quite strained.

Based on this analysis, Miss Lin has no parents, no grandfather or uncles, and has a rift with her maternal grandmother's family. So, if she becomes the third son's wife, who can she rely on in the future?

Of course, it's myself. After all, I appeared just in time and made her the prince's consort.

After careful consideration, the Empress decisively suggested that the Eldest Princess go first to set an example. Now that the Eldest Princess has returned and praised the girl highly, the Empress thought that she wanted to see the girl with her own eyes.

After all, a girl who wants to become a prince's wife must be virtuous and talented.

The Empress did not deliberately hide her desire to meet the Lin family's daughter from the rest of the palace. Many concubines had their own guesses after hearing this, and quite a few expressed their desire to meet her as well. The Empress readily agreed.

Among them, the most worried was Consort Jia Yuanchun, the Virtuous Consort.

Suppressing her suspicions, Yuan Chun arrived at Fengyi Palace early on the day Daiyu went to the palace to pay her respects to the Empress.

Therefore, when Daiyu entered the palace to pay her respects to the Empress, she saw all the prominent concubines in the palace.

Chapter 3: Daiyu's First Entry into the Palace to Save Herself

From the time the Eldest Princess came to visit her to the time the Empress summoned her, Daiyu had thought things through very thoroughly in the past ten days: the fainting spell that day had almost cost her her life, and now that she was awake, she could consider it as if she had already died once.

Since Heaven has shown her mercy and allowed her to live, she should live well and try her best to live a fulfilling life. Yesterday's events are etched in her memory; tomorrow's affairs depend entirely on her own planning.

Entering the palace was the first step. Now that she had lost her value in the Jia family, those ruthless people might still be plotting to kill her.

Therefore, we must seize the opportunity to enter the palace and give ourselves a chance.

Therefore, during these days, Daiyu diligently practiced etiquette and learned rules, and she remembered every word that Granny Gu said.

So at this moment, although there were many concubines and noble ladies in Fengyi Palace, Daiyu's demeanor and manners were perfectly proper.

Watching the girl walk in step by step, and then kneel down to perform a proper bow, the Empress was already seven parts satisfied: the Lin family girl, whether in appearance, temperament, or manners and etiquette, can be said to be first-rate.

Unfortunately, she seems to be a little weak. But that's alright, we'll summon a royal physician to take a look and we'll know whether it's serious or not.

"Rise, please take a seat." The Empress smiled and praised, "I still remember the day your father passed the imperial examination with top honors and rode a white horse through the streets wearing a big red flower. Seeing you today, I can say that like father, like daughter. Your appearance and demeanor are so charming that one can't help but like you at first sight."

Consort Wu chimed in with praise, "I've heard that Miss Lin was raised in the family of Consort Xiande. It's clear that the feng shui of Consort Xiande's family is very nurturing."

But some people insisted on opposing her: "Our bodies and hair are given to us by our parents. Good feng shui can't change a person's appearance. Besides, I was fortunate enough to see Lord Lin riding through the streets on horseback back then. Miss Lin and Lord Lin are cut from the same mold."

The one speaking now is Consort Xu.

Everyone in the palace knows that the current emperor respects the empress, but he shows great favoritism towards Consort Xu.

The Empress was actually happy to see the two of them arguing, but she said, "Alright, I know you two sisters are very close and love to tease each other, but don't scare Miss Lin."

She then had someone bring out the gifts that had been prepared beforehand. Pointing to the white jade openwork pine and cypress figure bridge brush holder and the green jade landscape and figure brush holder, she said, "These two are His Majesty's gifts to you. The rest are prepared by me. I don't know if you will like them. Take them and play with them."

Daiyu rose to express her gratitude.

"Put your things away for now. I took a liking to you the moment I saw you. Stay for two days before you go back. I'll have someone prepare a carriage to take you back then, and you can take your things with you then." The Empress not only gave her a generous reward but also asked her to stay.

Not only was Daiyu surprised, but the concubines in the harem also had their own thoughts after hearing these words.

Of course, there were clever ones among the concubines, such as Consort Wu, Consort Xu, and Consort Zhou. These three had already prepared rewards, and some of them had also made preparations. At this moment, they quickly took out a hairpin or a bracelet as a greeting gift.

Of all the people, the most awkward one was Yuan Chun. She had never liked this cousin, and knowing her brother's feelings, she deliberately sent someone home to tell him to get engaged to Baochai.

But Yuan Chun never expected that things would suddenly change so drastically.

Even now, Yuan Chun still can't understand why His Majesty and the Empress suddenly started to praise this girl so highly.

Uncle Lin is no longer here, and I've never heard of any other important relatives in the Lin family.

"Granny Gu, take Miss Lin to Swallow Tower. I've already arranged for people to prepare everything. Let Miss Lin rest for a while." With so many people around, it's not convenient for the Empress to speak to Daiyu alone.

After hearing this, Daiyu thanked the emperor again, then took her leave and went out with Granny Gu.

Upon seeing this, all the concubines rose to take their leave.

Yuan Chun deliberately stayed the latest. Before taking her leave, she asked the Empress for permission: "Your Majesty, Yu'er is my cousin. I was thinking of inviting her to my palace for a meal and a chat. Is that alright?"

The Empress looked down on Consort Xiande from the bottom of her heart; she had the air of a beautiful woman but was not smart at all.

When the emperor and the retired emperor were competing for those princes and nobles, the bestowal of the title upon Yuan Chun was merely an opportunity to make a statement to the retired emperor that they would not severely punish the families of former officials.

But now that the Emperor Emeritus is gone, the Zhen family can still copy whatever they want, let alone others.

If Yuan Chun's child had been saved, perhaps His Majesty would have shown some favor to her family out of consideration for the child. Who would have thought that even as a princess, she couldn't protect her child?

However, the Empress naturally did not show it at all. After hearing this, she nodded and said, "You are cousins, of course you can. How about tomorrow at noon? I will have someone send Miss Lin to your place."

Yuan Chun thanked the Empress and then took her leave.

When Granny Gu came in to report to the Empress, the Empress inquired about Daiyu's daily life in the Jia family.

Granny Gu was one of the Empress's most trusted nannies. She had been by the Empress's side since the Empress was a young girl, and she was very good at judging people and situations.

"From what I can see, the Rongguo Mansion is now utterly lifeless. The old matriarch seems shrewd, but I'm afraid she's too old and her strength is failing her. Currently, the virtuous concubine's mother is in charge of the household, but she's short-sighted and kind on the outside but cruel on the inside. Helping her manage the household is Prince Teng's niece, who is also the virtuous concubine's mother's niece." Granny Gu hadn't been in the Jia family for long, but her eyes and ears were sharp and discerning.

The Empress shook her head and said, "How foolish! A noble Duke's mansion should just change its surname to Wang. And look at Miss Lin, are they really estranged from each other?"

"Of course, most of the maids and servants in that household are greedy for money. If I give them a little something, they'll tell me anything." Granny Gu slowly recounted what she had learned from several servants to the Empress, such as how much Grandmother Jia doted on Daiyu, how everyone in the household thought that Miss Lin would definitely become Bao Er's wife in the future, how Lady Wang disliked Daiyu, and what kind of golden and jade marriage the Xue family had, etc.

After hearing this, the Empress couldn't help but feel sorry for Miss Lin: "In the end, I think it's because the Lin family's money has been spent. She's an orphan, and her family thinks she's useless, so they did this."

However, this is actually a good thing for the Empress.

"Look at Lin, how is she feeling?" Today, after seeing Daiyu, the Empress had only one concern: Daiyu's health.

Granny Gu replied truthfully, "This old servant was worried at first, but after spending a few days with this young lady, I could tell that she was very angry and fell seriously ill. Her maid said that she almost lost her life. Now, after resting for a few days, she looks much better."

The Empress nodded in agreement: "That's alright. I'll invite Physician Liu this afternoon. His medical skills are the best, and I trust him."

Finally, she added, "Since the Virtuous Consort has invited you, then you, Granny, will personally accompany Miss Lin on the trip."

In the afternoon, as expected, the Empress invited Physician Liu. Before Physician Liu arrived, the Empress first invited Daiyu to her place.

"I noticed that you were coughing a bit, so I took the liberty of summoning the imperial physician. I hope you won't mind that I'm being nosy?"

Daiyu, on the other hand, was somewhat confused.

Chapter 4 Daiyu Returns to the Jia Mansion as a Reward

When the eldest princess came to visit and personally entered the palace, Daiyu originally thought that it was all for the emperor to show his subjects, intending to show that as long as they were loyal, in case of any unforeseen events, the emperor would take good care of their descendants.

However, the Empress invited her to stay for two days and even specially invited the imperial physician, which puzzled Daiyu.

But now that the Empress was speaking to her in a kind and gentle manner, Daiyu quickly suppressed her doubts and thanked the Empress for her concern.

"I took a liking to you at first sight. There aren't many girls in this palace, and not only me, but even His Majesty favors the princesses." As she spoke, a message came from outside that Physician Liu had arrived, and the Empress ordered him to be brought in.

Physician Liu is the most skilled and trusted physician in the Imperial Medical Academy, trusted by both the Emperor and Empress. Not only is his medical skill superb, but Physician Liu is also a man of integrity and discreetness.

After examining Daiyu carefully using the four diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine, Physician Liu said, "Miss, you have been physically weak since childhood and should not take strong tonics. Movement can generate yang energy, so move around more."

The Empress asked several questions, all related to Daiyu's health, which Physician Liu answered one by one. After listening, the Empress knew that Daiyu's health could be improved with proper care.

Since that was the case, the Empress became even more determined in her decision. When she was about to send Daiyu out of the palace, the Empress gave her some additional gifts, mostly silks and brocades from various places, as well as some precious medicinal herbs.

The gifts were secondary; the Empress also specially bestowed two governesses upon Daiyu, one of whom was Granny Gu, and the other was Granny Xu.

Regarding the matter of bestowing a reward upon the nanny, the Empress even mentioned it to the Emperor: "I think the Lin family girl is first-rate in both appearance and talent. I really can't bear to think about how she has been living a lonely and miserable life under the roof of others all these years."

The emperor not only heard about Daiyu's appearance and temperament from the empress, but also from Consort Wu, Consort Xu, and others. One of Consort Xu's words made the emperor feel sorry for the Lin family girl.

Consort Xu's original words were: "That girl is indeed from the water towns of Jiangnan, so beautiful and delicate. It's just a pity that she's a bit frail. She lost her parents at such a young age. No matter how nice her maternal grandmother's house is, it's not her own home. Besides, I've heard that the Duke's mansion is quite unruly. The second branch of the family lives in the place where the first branch is, all because the old lady is biased. From this, one can imagine that the girl is living under someone else's roof and may be bullied."

Why did Consort Xu say all this? First, she had accurately guessed the Emperor's thoughts, knowing that he was now taking action against those powerful and influential old ministers, and she remembered all the good things Lin Ruhai had done for her. Second, Consort Xu deeply resented Consort Xiande because she and Yuan Chun had entered the palace as imperial concubines in the same year. Yuan Chun, relying on being the legitimate daughter of a Duke's family and having received the favor of Consort Zhen at the time, was not very friendly to Consort Xu, who had no family background.

Fortunately, she was later given to Prince Ning and successfully gave birth to a son and a daughter.

After Consort Xu had spoken ill of the Jia family to the Emperor, and then the Empress brought it up again, the Emperor immediately asked, "What are the Empress's thoughts on this?"

The Empress readily replied, "I think it would be better to bestow two governesses upon Miss Lin. Firstly, they can teach and care for her, and secondly, this will deter the Jia family from bullying her again. What does Your Majesty think?"

After listening, the emperor considered for a moment and said, "The empress's suggestion is not bad. Let's do it that way."

But then he added, "It seems to me that the Empress really likes this girl?"

"Indeed, looks are secondary. She knows the rules and how to behave. If my daughter were still alive, she would probably be this age by now." When the Empress was still a princess, she gave birth to a daughter, but the child died of illness before she was even a year old.

Upon hearing this, the emperor couldn't help but think of that child, his first child, whom he and his wife had both loved dearly. This dispelled the emperor's suspicions about the empress: the empress seemed to have other intentions than he thought.

With the Emperor's consent, the Empress decided to have Granny Gu and Granny Xu accompany Daiyu when she left the palace.

When the palanquin from the palace arrived at the Rongguo Mansion, the snobbish servants had already sent someone to report it. At this moment, the main gate was opened wide, and the palanquin was carried directly into the mansion.

Daiyu couldn't help but recall that when she first came here, she entered through the west corner gate.

My second aunt didn't like me from the beginning.

As Daiyu stepped out of the sedan chair and saw Wang Xifeng leading a group of people to greet her, she found it increasingly amusing: in her maternal grandmother's mansion, it wasn't just the servants who fawned over the powerful and trampled on the weak, but the masters did the same.

No, to be more precise, it's precisely because the masters are all snobs that the servants just follow suit.

Although she felt ashamed in her heart, Daiyu still smiled at Wang Xifeng as before and said, "Second sister-in-law, you're making me feel too bad."

Wang Xifeng was utterly astonished to see two palace maids accompanying Daiyu, carrying such a large amount of gifts. She took Daiyu's arm and led her inside affectionately, saying, "My sister has been in the palace for three days, and the old lady has been worried sick. She's been talking about her all morning since she heard she was coming back. I knew it! Our Lin sister is as beautiful as a fairy; she'll definitely be fine in the palace and will surely win the Empress's favor. It seems my guess was right."

They entered Grandmother Jia's main room while chatting and laughing. Daiyu first greeted Grandmother Jia and saw that her two aunts, her sister-in-law, Tanchun, and Xichun were all there. Everyone was indeed present.

Daiyu then introduced the two nannies to Grandmother Jia: "I am deeply grateful for the Empress's favor in bestowing two nannies upon me to come to the mansion and teach me manners."

Both Granny Gu and Granny Xu stepped forward to kowtow to Grandmother Jia. Grandmother Jia quickly instructed Yuanyang and Amber to personally help them up. A flurry of thoughts raced through her mind, but she could only express her gratitude to the Empress for her grace and thank the two nannies for their trouble. She then had the two nannies quickly escorted to their quarters to rest.

Daiyu then showed Grandmother Jia all the rewards given to her by the palace.

Not to mention that Madam Xing and Madam Wang were taken aback by the large number of gifts, even Grandmother Jia couldn't help but think more: In all these years, the Jia family had only received gifts from Consort Xiande, and hadn't received any gifts from the Emperor or Empress for many years. Yet Daiyu received quite a lot in one go. It seemed that not only did the Empress like her, but the Emperor also had other intentions.

Suppressing her worries, Grandmother Jia smiled and told Daiyu to put everything away: "Yu'er must be tired. Go back and rest for a while. When you come to my place later, we can have a meal together, grandmother and granddaughter, and be closer."

She got up early in the morning to bid farewell to the Empress, and then ran into several ladies who came to Fengyi Palace. Daiyu was indeed a little tired at this time, so she got up to say goodbye to Grandmother Jia and the others.