The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

Xi Chun was a little unsure. Was Sister Lin here to advise her? But upon closer inspection, she realized that Sister Lin was talking about herself.

"Looking back now, I realize that I was too attached to myself. Every year I was blinded by my own thoughts, either in sorrow or sick. Now that I've figured it out, and with the help of the imperial physician, my health has improved smoothly." Although Daiyu didn't practice Zen, she had read some related books, so she said it naturally.

"So, what Sister Lin is trying to say is that all evil beliefs are based on one's own views. If one is free from one's own views, then there are no evil beliefs." Xi Chun seemed to understand a little bit.

"You could say that, or you could say that it is due to my own attachment that all afflictions arise, leading to the cycle of rebirth in the three realms, from which there is no escape." Seeing that Xichun had come to her senses, Daiyu felt much relieved.

Caiping was puzzled again. She couldn't understand what Miss Lin and Fourth Miss were saying. But after a while, she saw her young lady smile, and then she was completely relieved: No wonder everyone said that Miss Lin was very talented. The Third Miss had said a lot the other day, but it was not as good as Miss Lin saying a few words.

Actually, that's not the case. Daiyu and Xichun shared the same plight regarding their parents, so Daiyu could better understand Xichun's feelings. That's all.

"Do you still have Fourth Sister's previous paintings?" Daiyu decided not to say too much, as saying too much might easily arouse her rebellious spirit, so she changed the subject, "The little princess from the Princess's family is coming in a couple of days and she's making a fuss about painting. She'll ask Fourth Sister to come and help her then."

Xichun instinctively wanted to refuse, but when she saw Daiyu's eyes, she didn't say it.

Daiyu continued, "That little girl is so adorable. I remember when I first came here, my fourth sister was about the same age."

Xichun remembered Daiyu's arrival at the mansion very clearly. After all, it was the first time that a guest from so far away had come to their home, and she was an exceptionally beautiful older sister.

But then, Baochai came, and the eldest sister became an imperial concubine, and it seemed that everything changed.

"May I see that painting?" Daiyu remembered that Xichun hadn't finished it back then, but by now it should be done.

Xichun led Daiyu behind the screen. The painting was finished. They had all seen it together once before, but it still needed to be colored.

After the coloring was finished, no one suggested taking a look at it together.

Xi Chun was not highly regarded in the household, so when Granny Liu wanted a painting and Grandmother Jia gave it to her, Xi Chun was actually very happy.

And because of this painting, she has attracted more attention.

However, before the painting was even completely finished, everything changed again.

"Fourth Sister's painting has a strong resemblance to Zhao Mengfu's style, with its delicate and vigorous strokes. It's like a painting by a young girl, full of life and spirit. The brushstrokes are skillful, the composition is elegant, and the overall effect is beautiful. It's like a painting by a master artist, with a unique and refined style ...

"Sister Lin, you flatter me too much." Xichun really liked her painting, and she was pleased to hear Daiyu praise it so highly.

"Fourth Sister, it's a deal! When the Little Princess comes, you have to come with me." Daiyu made a promise to Xichun.

Xichun thought for a while and then nodded.

A few days later, Gao Xin indeed came to visit. Not long after her birth, she was bestowed the title of Princess Anping, which shows that the eldest princess held an extraordinary position in the emperor's heart.

While the Rongguo Mansion was receiving the young princess, Grandmother Jia, Baochai, and others all thought in unison: The Princess's Mansion really likes Daiyu very much, and they feel at ease letting the young princess come to see Daiyu alone.

Daiyu had Xueyan invite Xichun over early in the morning. Gao Xin was a little curious to see another person. After hearing Daiyu say that Xichun was very good at painting, and especially after hearing about Xichun's paintings, the young girl immediately expressed her desire to see them for herself.

As Daiyu was leaving, her parrot was reciting poetry on its perch: "Flowers fall and fly, filling the sky; the red silk is broken, who will pity them?"

Gao Xin's eyes widened upon hearing this: "Wow, Auntie, your parrot can really recite poetry! That's amazing!"

When Gao Xin saw Xi Chun's painting, she was immediately impressed and expressed her desire to become his apprentice.

After several visits, Gao Xin also grew to like Xi Chun quite a bit, and invited Dai Yu to visit the Princess's residence, also inviting Xi Chun along with her.

This once again stunned everyone in the Rongguo Mansion. It was as if, overnight, the unremarkable Fourth Miss was about to rise to prominence.

Daiyu ignored their thoughts and invited them to a banquet held in the palace for the Winter Solstice.

Chapter 45 The Consort's Triumph and the Empress's Instruction on Daiyu

The most pleased party at this Winter Solstice Palace Banquet was undoubtedly Consort Wu and her son. The reason was that His Majesty had praised Prince Rui, Xiao Tingkai, highly a few days earlier and bestowed upon him many gifts.

After the three princes were enfeoffed as princes of the county, His Majesty immediately ordered that each of them work and study in one of the three government offices. The second prince, Prince Rui, Xiao Tingkai, went to the Ministry of Justice; the third prince, Prince Yi, Xiao Tingjun, went to the Ministry of Works; and the fourth prince, Prince Li, Xiao Tingfeng, went to the Ministry of Revenue.

The Ministry of Justice has been very busy this year. The Zhen family and the Duke of Liguo's mansion were raided. Some time ago, the Duke of Qi's mansion was raided. When Xiao Tingkai went there, the Duke of Qi's mansion was being investigated. This Prince Rui insisted on a strict investigation and worked hard for two consecutive months. Under the leadership of Zhao Cunrui, the Minister of Justice, the Duke of Qi's mansion was thoroughly investigated inside and out.

The emperor was already looking to deal with these parasites of the state, and he was very satisfied with the punishment of confiscating the property and exiling the Duke of Qi's mansion. Seeing that a lot of gold, silver and valuables had been confiscated, the emperor felt that the Ministry of Justice had done a good job and that his second son was capable.

In front of the entire court, the emperor immediately praised Prince Rui, Xiao Tingkai, and, taking advantage of the Winter Solstice festival, bestowed many gifts upon Consort Wu and Princess Rui.

The gifts were secondary; what truly pleased Consort Wu and Princess Consort Song Huilan was that Prince Rui had won the Emperor's favor.

Therefore, at the Winter Solstice Palace Banquet, both Consort Wu and Song Huilan had rosy complexions.

Some were happy while others were sad; Consort Xu claimed to be ill and did not attend the banquet.

The Empress had already ordered the garden next to Fengyi Palace to be prepared for Daiyu to stay in. The next day, when Daiyu was talking with the Empress, since there was no one else around, the Empress told Daiyu about these things with a smile: "Consort Xu's problem is that she is suffering from a heart ailment. Seeing Consort Wu and her son so pleased with themselves, Consort Xu can no longer smile."

The Empress seemed completely unconcerned; as expected of the Empress, she had a far-sighted perspective.

"Does Yu'er think the third prince is useless?" the Empress asked casually.

“The Six Ministries are all important places. It’s already very good that Your Highness can study them well.” Daiyu helped the Empress peel almonds.

Seeing that Daiyu was composed, the Empress's eyes revealed admiration: "That's exactly the point. Wherever you go, you're doing your job, and you're doing your job for the court."

At this point, the Empress, intending to test Daiyu, deliberately asked, "Then tell me, Yu'er, why is Consort Xu so unhappy?"

“I think there’s another reason why His Majesty didn’t praise Prince Li, besides Prince Rui receiving praise. It’s probably because Prince Li went to the Ministry of Revenue,” Daiyu replied after thinking for a while.

The Empress nodded with satisfaction: "Yu'er sees things very clearly. The Minister of Revenue is Prince Rui's father-in-law. The Fourth Prince and his mother always feel that the Minister of Revenue is deliberately causing trouble to prevent him from showing his abilities. So, Yu'er, do you think the Minister of Revenue would do that?"

Daiyu understood that the Empress was using this opportunity to teach her a lesson, so she thought for a moment before replying, "Although I don't know much about the Minister of Revenue, someone who has served as one of the six ministers certainly wouldn't act this way. If that were the case, I'm afraid Prince Li would have already complained to His Majesty."

"That's very true. I heard that your father hired a scholar to tutor you when you were young, and that you finished studying the Four Books early on. It's true." The Empress initially valued Daiyu because she was orphaned and alone. Now that she has known her for a long time, she likes Daiyu's intelligence even more. After all, she needs to help the third son, and she can't do without some learning.

As the two were talking, an announcement came from outside that Consort Wu and Princess Rui had arrived.

The Empress and Daiyu exchanged glances, and then Consort Wu entered with her daughter-in-law, Song Huilan.

As the saying goes, good things bring joy, and Consort Wu was beaming with pride, while Song Huilan also had a faint smile on her face.

Daiyu couldn't help but scrutinize Princess Song Huilan of Rui County. The last time they met was during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Today, Song Huilan wore a silver-white satin jacket with a five-colored phoenix embroidered collar and a bright yellow satin jacket with phoenix and floral embroidery, paired with a vermilion horse-face skirt. She seemed even more dazzling than before. The phoenix hairpin with a ruby ​​in its beaded ornament on her head also shone brightly.

Daiyu thought of a line: "Riding the spring breeze, the horse's hooves are swift."

However, for some reason, a line flashed through my mind: "Romance lasts only a moment, and the grand buildings of prosperity collapse in an instant."

"I told you not to come and pay your respects today. Sister Wu, is there something you need?" The Empress said yesterday that everyone should rest today and not come to pay their respects.

Consort Wu sat down at the lower end of the table, looking at Daiyu: "It's Lan'er. She said she hasn't seen Yu'er for a long time. The young people get along well and want to come and have a chat with Yu'er."

So that's how it is. The Empress, being such a shrewd woman, understood immediately. It seems her and the Third Prince's act went well: keeping the Third Prince low-key and avoiding attracting the attention of the palace and officials. Now it seems that Consort Wu might have already decided to win over Yu'er.

The Empress immediately said, "That's true. These young people don't want to spend all their time with us old women."

Song Huilan quickly said, "Your Majesty is so witty. I was thinking that since it's rare for Sister Yu'er to come to the palace, and the early plum blossoms in the palace are blooming very well this year, and Sister Yu'er likes plum blossoms, I thought I would take her to see them together."

The Empress smiled and nodded: "Alright, alright, go ahead and bring two small hand warmers. Since we're going to admire the plum blossoms, I happen to have some plum blossom-shaped hand warmers here."

In a moment, the snowflakes were prepared and delivered, one for Daiyu and one for Song Huilan.

Song Huilan kept praising how beautiful and exquisite it was, and the Empress generously said, "If you like it, take it back with you."

"That would be a waste of Mother's good things," Song Huilan said with a smile.

Then he led Daiyu to the Shuying Garden, where there was a large patch of early plum blossoms, both red and white, which were in full bloom at the moment.

Upon seeing this, Daiyu couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, I never knew that plum blossoms bloomed so early!"

"Indeed, this is a rare variety. Ordinary plum blossoms don't bloom for more than a month." Seeing that Daiyu liked it, Song Huilan smiled and introduced it, "This was specially transported from the northern border to be planted when the Emperor Emeritus was alive."

Seeing that the palace maids were all behind, Song Huilan whispered to Daiyu, "I heard that the Emperor Emeritus planted it specially for Consort Zhen."

Daiyu had also heard that when the Emperor Emeritus was young, he doted on Consort Zhen the most. The Zhen family had been very prosperous in their early years, and everyone said it was all thanks to Consort Zhen.

"Are you envious, sister?" Daiyu joked. "When the time comes, I'll ask Prince Rui to plant the flowers you love for you too."

Teased by Daiyu, Song Huilan glared at her: "I don't have that kind of luck. I heard that my third brother specially found that poem to give to you. That kind of thoughtfulness is truly enviable."

It seems that Prince Rui and Song Huilan have a very good relationship now. These things happened before Song Huilan married into the family, so Prince Rui must have told her about them.

"Oh, I see. My sister called me here today just to tease me." Daiyu blushed.

Seeing this, Song Huilan quickly smiled and said, "Not at all, I have something important to discuss with you."

Then Song Huilan started talking about their Prince's Mansion.

“A few days ago, my brother returned from the south and brought back several fine Taihu stones. Our household has more than enough, and we thought that you and your third brother might be able to use them in your courtyard. The prince asked the third brother, but to his surprise, the third brother said that he would listen to you.”

So that's what you're giving me! Daiyu quickly thanked you, saying, "I'm sure what you like, sister, must be quite something. Thank you in advance."

"I'm glad you don't mind, sister. I'm living in the palace now, which is always inconvenient. When it's convenient, let's invite you and Sister Ge together to go and see the curtains and such in person. What do you say?" Song Huilan was pleased to see that Daiyu had accepted the gifts.

As the two were talking, they saw that Prince Rui and Prince Yi had arrived.

Chapter 46 Prince Daiyu's Discreet Conduct

Daiyu and Song Huilan exchanged greetings with the Rui brothers who had come over. When they saw that Prince Yi, Xiao Tingjun, was holding a small wooden calf, Song Huilan immediately smiled and said, "Oh, Third Brother even brought a small gift."

Xiao Tingjun generously gave the wooden calf carving to Daiyu, casually explaining, "The Ministry of Works was making new farm tools and had a lot of leftover wood, so I learned to carve it from a construction worker in the Ministry of Works when I had free time."

Upon hearing that it was made by his own hands, Daiyu took it and examined it carefully. Meanwhile, Prince Rui, Xiao Tingkai, and his wife exchanged a glance, both of them knowingly thinking: it seems that the third prince is indeed a person who loves elegance and has no interest in politics.

"You little calf, your head is big and your body is small, but you are very cute." Daiyu commented with a smile, holding it in her hands and liking it very much.

"I think Yu'er and Third Brother are a perfect match, a match made in heaven." Song Huilan said this sincerely. Looking at Xiao Tingjun and Daiyu standing together, a hint of envy flashed across Song Huilan's face for a moment.

"Sister is teasing me again. If I had known that coming with you today would only result in you teasing me, I wouldn't have come," Daiyu said jokingly.

Xiao Tingkai had something to say to Song Huilan, so the two left first.

"The plum blossoms in this garden are blooming so beautifully, let's take a stroll and admire them." Xiao Tingjun had carefully observed Daiyu as soon as he entered the garden, as if she had changed every time they met.

Daiyu then told Xiao Tingjun what she had just said to Song Huilan: "I accepted the Taihu stone from Princess Rui. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not. Even if Father Emperor knew about these few stones, he would still think we are just brothers." Xiao Tingjun pointed to the wooden calf in Daiyu's hand and started talking to Daiyu about the Ministry of Works. After saying a few words, he asked Daiyu, "What do you think of me going to the Ministry of Works?"

"The Empress asked a similar question just now." Seeing that Xiao Tingjun seemed a little cold, Daiyu gave him a hand warmer. "You keep this warm, I'm not cold."

"Yu'er, you can take it. Yes, I'll hold the wood carving for you." Xiao Tingjun didn't take it, but listened to Daiyu continue.

"Just warm it for a while before giving it to me." Daiyu handed the small bronze stove to Xiao Tingjun, who then took it.

"The Ministry of Works is a very important place. Although the things they do may not be obvious, disaster relief, warfare, agricultural tool manufacturing, and even the repair of imperial tombs are all impossible without the Ministry of Works." Daiyu saw things very clearly. None of the six ministries were unimportant; they just had different responsibilities.

"Moreover, the prince chose the Ministry of Works to keep a low profile and avoid attracting attention," Daiyu had already analyzed.

“You understand me best, Yu’er.” Xiao Tingjun was quite pleased that Daiyu said this. “The Ministry of Works is indeed inconspicuous on ordinary days. Father Emperor will not notice it, and other ministers do not care much about it either.”

"What I'm thinking is that I should study hard first, and honestly follow the Minister of Works and the other officials to learn skills. I don't even understand the rules of the Ministry of Works yet, so how can I talk about anything else?" Xiao Tingjun thought it through very clearly. Only by being down-to-earth can one learn real skills.

Xiao Tingjun's actions were appreciated by Minister Tian Jingmin of the Ministry of Works, and his style of conduct was well received by the officials of the Ministry of Works. After a few months, everyone completely regarded Xiao Tingjun as one of their own.