The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

After the meal, Qiao Lanruo and Daiyu went to sit in her room, and her second cousin-in-law Liu followed.

Qiao Lanruo's courtyard has an interesting name, "Lotus Stone," and even the entrance doorway is flower-shaped.

"Sister Lin, guess why it's called Lian Shi?" Qiao Lanruo was very proud, because she named it herself.

Daiyu pondered for a moment: "It's probably from a poem by Bai Juyi: 'A stone leans against a tree in the wind, a lotus is planted in a pond under the moon.' I imagine there must be a small pond in the courtyard, planted with lotus flowers."

"Yes, I really like this sentence. It feels particularly leisurely." Qiao Lanruo smiled and invited Daiyu inside.

Although the courtyard was not large, it was neat and tidy, with a few plum blossoms blooming in the corner.

Qiao Lanruo invited Daiyu to play a game of Go, while Liu Shi watched from the sidelines.

The day passed quickly. Everyone in the Qiao family liked Daiyu very much, especially Lanruo. The two were about the same age and got along well. She had already said that she would invite Daiyu to come and play again.

Upon returning from the Qiao family, Zijuan couldn't help but sigh.

Chapter 51 Master and Servant Lament for the Passing of Spring and Deliver a Letter

Hearing Zijuan sigh, Daiyu couldn't help but ask her what was wrong: "What's on your mind about going to the Qiao family?"

"Please don't think I'm being nosy, Miss. Today, when you went to the Qiao family, the two ladies, the two grandmothers, and the cousin were all very welcoming to you." Over the years, Zijuan had been very clear about Daiyu's situation in the Jia family. Madam Xing didn't care at all, and Madam Wang didn't like Daiyu at all. In previous years, only the old lady cared for her, but in the end, no matter what, the old lady still prioritized the Jia family and tacitly allowed the Jia family to use the young lady's money, and even her dowry was pawned.

"Compared to this, how many of the people here truly care about a young lady?" Zijuan said, feeling indignant on Daiyu's behalf.

"Forget it, it's all in the past, let's not talk about it anymore." Daiyu herself felt this more deeply, but nowadays, she had no feelings for most people in the Jia family, so she didn't care anymore.

"There's another thing. I noticed that everything at Master Qiao's house is very proper. They are clearly a wealthy family, and both Master Qiaos hold real power, yet the servants in the house are not arrogant at all, and their attire is not as luxurious as it is here." Zijuan now often accompanies Daiyu and has seen the Princess's family, the palace, and now the Qiao family. She feels more and more that the people in the Jia family are really too outrageous.

Seeing that Zijuan could think of these things, Daiyu nodded in praise: "You have indeed paid close attention to observation. What you said is very true. For a family to prosper in the long term, how the head of the family manages the household is very important. You also went to the Princess's Mansion, which is the most prestigious place in the world today, apart from the palace. But look at the rules in the Princess's Mansion. The maids and servants all have their own responsibilities and there is no confusion at all."

"Although the Qiao family is small, look at them. It's not just for show; they truly treat each other like family." Daiyu had seen too much scheming and backstabbing among the Jia family members and really admired the way the sisters-in-law and aunts-in-law got along in the Qiao family.

Xueyan didn't go out today; she came with the account book, having been at home calculating the income and expenses of Daiyu's estate last year.

"Miss, I've calculated it three times, please take a look." Xueyan was making the initial calculation, and Daiyu would check and verify it again.

Daiyu took it and glanced at it, then asked Xueyan, "What are your thoughts on this account book?"

Now, Daiyu is carefully nurturing Zijuan and Xueyan, since they will have to manage the Prince's Mansion on their own in the future, and the two of them will be Daiyu's greatest helpers.

"Last year, due to the drought, the wheat harvest in Zhuangzi was much smaller. No wonder the price of flour was much higher last year than the year before," Xueyan told Daiyu, sharing her thoughts. "However, the harvest of water chestnuts in autumn was very good."

Daiyu nodded, and Xueyan continued, "Brother Zijuan mentioned those barren mountains before. I heard from the servants in the manor the other day that medicinal herbs are very expensive now. So I was thinking, I wonder if we could try growing medicinal herbs on the estate? I heard that water chestnuts are also a medicinal herb."

“That’s a good idea. You should pay attention to this and do some research to see what medicinal herbs can be grown.” Daiyu told Xueyan to go and rest for a while. “There’s no rush. I’ll think about it too.”

Xueyan went downstairs, and it was announced that the Fourth Sister had arrived.

It's already late; Xichun must have something to say if she comes over. Daiyu got up to greet her and asked Zijuan to prepare hot tea.

As expected, Xichun's expression was somewhat strange. After sitting down, she accepted the tea but didn't drink it; instead, she glanced at Zijuan. Daiyu nodded to Zijuan, and then Zijuan left.

Only Daiyu and Xichun remained in the room. Xichun took a breath before speaking.

"I went to the East Mansion today." Xichun was reluctant to go, but it was the New Year's holiday, and she was, after all, a young lady of the East Mansion. It was also the day the East Mansion was hosting a banquet, and her sister-in-law had come to invite her personally long ago, so Xichun went.

“My brother has taken a concubine.” Xichun found it difficult to say, but still felt she should tell Daiyu. “My sister-in-law doesn’t allow people to talk about that girl, but I have met her. She is a girl from the Duke of Qi’s mansion. She came to visit us a few years ago.”

Daiyu was stunned for a moment, while Xichun was still talking.

"Although I am not well-informed, I do know that the Duke of Qi's mansion was raided and the women in the mansion were sold off to become slaves in other people's homes. But this girl's situation seems to be different."

Daiyu recalled that when she entered the palace on the winter solstice, Consort Wu was very proud because Prince Rui, Xiao Tingkai, had been praised by the emperor. And Xiao Tingkai had just finished dealing with the case of the Duke of Qi's mansion with the Ministry of Justice.

Daiyu was well-versed in the laws of the dynasty. Since the family's property had been confiscated, it was impossible for the daughter of the Duke of Qi's mansion to become a concubine for an official's family.

Xichun noticed that Daiyu seemed to be thinking about something and didn't speak for a while.

After taking a sip of tea, Xichun remembered something else and spoke up: "There's one more thing. Rong-ge'er, although he donated money to become a Dragon Guard Commandant before, it was just a nominal position. But I heard that he is now an Acting Cavalry Commandant and is actually doing his job."

Appointed as a cavalry commander? Daiyu suddenly understood: although being appointed as a cavalry commander was only an eighth-rank official, he was assigned to work in the Ministry of Justice.

Daiyu then asked Xichun, "Is anyone from the Wu or Song family attending the banquet hosted by the East Mansion today?"

Seeing that Xichun didn't seem to understand, Daiyu added, "The Wu family is the family of Consort Wu, and the Song family is the family of Minister of Revenue, Song."

"Now that you mention it, Sister Lin, I remember. Today, my sister-in-law took me to pay my respects to a Mrs. Wu. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now that I think about it, she must be a relative of Consort Wu. I heard that she was the sister-in-law of a consort, but I didn't want to socialize and didn't pay attention." Xi Chun did have some impression of that Mrs. Wu; she was fair-skinned and plump.

“I vaguely remember that my family didn’t have any dealings with the Wu family before,” Xichun added.

Daiyu and Xichun exchanged glances, both understanding each other's meaning: the situation was now clear; the East Mansion had made contact with Consort Wu, and Jia Rong was now working for the Ministry of Justice.

It seems that the Eastern Palace is already planning to support Prince Rui.

Daiyu thought to herself, no wonder the East Mansion was making a fuss about splitting up the clans. The timing was also very good: they separated them before the New Year, and then each held their own receptions after the New Year. As a result, most of the powerful and influential people in the capital knew that the Ning and Rong Mansions had split up the clans.

After Daiyu figured everything out, she comforted Xichun: "It's alright. Even if something really happens, it's still early. Fourth Sister, you don't need to worry."

Xi Chun wasn't stupid. From the moment Yuan Chun was made a concubine, Xi Chun knew that things had changed. But Xi Chun never imagined that her sister Lin would become a prince's consort.

She was well-versed in historical records and the Zizhi Tongjian, and given the devastating impact of the deposed crown prince incident during the reign of the previous emperor, it would be difficult for Xichun not to know about it.

Xichun thought for a moment, nodded, and stood up: "Sister Lin, I'll go back now."

Daiyu nodded, asked if anyone was following outside, and personally escorted Xichun to the door. Only after seeing Caiping holding a lantern did she feel relieved.

As soon as the Lantern Festival ended and the imperial court reopened, the Imperial Household Department was the first to visit the Rongguo Mansion.

This time, they are here to perform the grand conquest ceremony—although the marriage was arranged before, the grand conquest ceremony has not yet been completed.

Chapter 52 The Grand Ceremony: Daiyu's Splendor

The grand ceremony for the prince's consort is called "Nazheng" in ordinary families. "Na" refers to the betrothal gifts, and "Zheng" means "to complete". According to custom, the groom's family must present betrothal gifts before the marriage can take place.

According to the rules of the current dynasty, the gifts sent by the Imperial Household Department were naturally very generous, including five hundred taels of gold, ten thousand taels of silver, as well as various kinds of silk fabrics and jade ornaments.

At the same time, the Imperial Household Department will send the prince's consort's court dress. Since the third prince, Xiao Tingjun, has already been granted the title of Prince, the court dress sent to Daiyu is of the standard for a Prince's consort.

For such an important occasion, Grandmother Jia would naturally be accompanied by Madam Xing, Madam Wang, and Baochai to personally welcome the guests, and Daiyu would also be present.

"Please, Your Highness, inspect the court robes first. If there is anything inappropriate, we can send them back to the Imperial Household Department so that the Imperial Clothing Bureau can make further alterations." It was routine, and although they knew there was no mistake, the officials of the Imperial Household Department still said it like this, and they had already changed their address, calling Daiyu "Your Highness."

After the handover of the inner courtyard, Jia She and Jia Zheng led the officials from the Imperial Household Department to have tea outside the road.

Of course, having tea isn't just about drinking tea and talking; giving red envelopes is the important part.

Although the imperial court had awarded the Princess Consort and her relatives a thousand taels of silver as part of the grand ceremony, Jia She and Jia Zheng were going to spend far more than that amount today. However, Jia She thought that he would gain many benefits by having a prince as his nephew-in-law in the future, so he wasn't too concerned about the amount of silver he spent.

In the inner courtyard, the maids carefully unfurled the court robes one by one, revealing a set for each of the four seasons, each paired with a crown. The sight evoked a sense of awe and admiration in everyone present.

Among everyone, Baochai was especially envious. She had gone to great lengths to marry into the Rongguo Mansion, which could be said to have stolen Lin Daiyu's marriage opportunity. However, she never expected that Lin Daiyu would become a prince's consort in the blink of an eye.

That year, when Yuan-chun visited her family, Bao-chai witnessed the overwhelming wealth and glory, which strengthened her resolve to marry into the Rongguo Mansion—since she was not chosen as a concubine, this was the best option for her.

Despite all her scheming, she ended up with a husband who didn't love her and the Rongguo Mansion, which only prospered because of Lin Daiyu.

Although there are still concubines in the palace, Baochai has seen things quite clearly since she married into the family. The concubines are likely no longer favored. A concubine without children is also getting older. Losing favor is perfectly normal.

While Baochai was lost in thought, she overheard someone asking why the brocade of her crown was inlaid with nine pearls.

At this moment, Grandmother Jia spoke up to explain: "The rank of a princess consort is like this. If it were the crown princess, it would be twelve pearls."

The golden crown and jade ornament were so dazzling that Baochai could hardly open her eyes. Hearing Grandmother Jia's words, Baochai couldn't help but look at Daiyu with a brick, thinking: Surely she can't become the Crown Princess.

Just then, Madam Xing smiled and congratulated Daiyu, saying, "My niece is so lucky. When you first came to our mansion that year, I felt that my niece was different from others, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what was different. Now I understand completely."

These words were rather unsophisticated, and Daiyu simply smiled.

Hearing all the congratulations and well wishes for Daiyu around her, Baochai felt even more bitter. She quickly sent the people from the Imperial Household Department to deliver all the gifts to Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Many other families came to offer their congratulations, and as the current mistress of the household, Baochai naturally had to entertain them quickly.

Daiyu had already returned to Xiaoxiang Pavilion. For a fleeting moment, the busy Baochai felt as if she were doing someone else's work for someone else's benefit.

The next day, Dai Quan, the chief eunuch, personally led several junior eunuchs to the Rongguo Mansion to announce the imperial decree, this time declaring the auspicious day calculated by the Imperial Observatory: the eighth day of the ninth month.

Grandmother Jia led Daiyu to kneel at the front, followed by Madam Xing, Madam Wang, Baochai, Li Wan, and others. Baochai listened to the imperial edict praising Daiyu for her gentle and virtuous nature, and felt even more uncomfortable.

In terms of both appearance and education, Baochai believed she could rival Daiyu. Ultimately, it was all because of her deceased brother; otherwise, she would have surely succeeded in the imperial concubine selection. With her looks and character, she was in no way inferior to Yuan Chun in the palace. If Yuan Chun could become a principal wife, she could certainly become a prince's concubine.

As Baochai was lost in thought, everyone stood up, and she followed suit.

Baochai was well aware of Dai Quan's position, and at this moment, Dai Quan was quite polite to Grandmother Jia and Daiyu. He even said to Daiyu, "Her Majesty the Empress instructed me to tell the Princess Consort that now that the wedding date has been set, you will be the Princess Consort. If there is anything that is not to your liking, just send someone to tell Her Majesty the Empress."

These words were clearly directed at everyone in the Jia family, and Daiyu nodded in gratitude.

Jia She and Jia Zheng personally saw Dai Quan off, and naturally gave him a large red envelope as well.

Baochai returned to her courtyard in a sullen mood, only to find Baoyu with Qiuwen and Sheyue, washing something.

Baochai stepped forward and asked, but Baoyu ignored her. Musk Moon replied, "Second Master said to wash these jars clean so they can be used as rouge in the future."

Baochai's heart sank upon hearing this, and she couldn't help but ask, "Why isn't Second Master going to school?"

Seeing that Baoyu still did not answer, Musk Moon continued, "The school has not had classes for quite some time. Master said he would hire a new teacher, but he hasn't arrived yet."

Baochai was so busy that she had forgotten about this matter. She said "Oh," and looked at Baoyu: "Second Master, you're not young anymore. Why are you still so obsessed with these childish things? Studying is the most important thing now. Lan'er studies at home every day..."

Unexpectedly, Baoyu dropped a small white Ding kiln pottery jar onto the bottom of the basin with a loud crack. Perhaps the jar was too durable, because it didn't break.

But the sound and splashing water startled Qiuwen, who screamed.

“Sister, you’ve known me for a long time. This is just my personality. I don’t like studying, I just like playing.” Baoyu’s face darkened as he looked at Baochai, his bright eyes seeming to see right through her thoughts.

Baochai was stunned. Since their marriage, Baoyu had never spoken to her unless absolutely necessary. But for the first time, Baoyu had loudly reprimanded her in front of the maid.

“Sister Bao wanted a husband who could become an official, so she shouldn’t have married me in the first place,” Baoyu said with a cold laugh, then squatted down again to continue washing his little jar.

Baochai, whose thoughts had been exposed, was speechless for a moment: seeing Daiyu so successful, Baochai naturally thought that if Baoyu were more ambitious, he would surely pass the imperial examinations. Even if his ranking was not high, with the help of the Duke's mansion and his uncle, he could become an official like Jia Lian and his future promotion would be quite good.

Now that Xiren has been dismissed, neither Qiuwen nor Sheyue will come to comfort Baochai. Baochai's eyes reddened and she stood there for a while. Seeing that Baoyu didn't even raise his head, she turned around and walked into the house.

But Baochai never expected that an even more troublesome matter awaited her.

On the third day, Aunt Xue sent someone to ask Baochai to go back home as soon as possible.

"What's wrong? Is Mother feeling unwell?" Now that her troublesome brother is gone, and Xia Jingui has divorced and returned home, there shouldn't be any urgent matters.

The old woman who came didn't dare tell the truth, and only urged Baochai to go back quickly.

Baochai had no choice but to hurriedly inform Lady Wang and then return home.

Chapter 53 Baoqin's Dilemma After Being Rejected at Engagement