The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

Then she styled her hair into a bun, put on a crown with six dragons and three phoenixes, and decorated her temples with gold foil. It took her an hour just to comb her hair.

Then, she was dressed in her finest attire. Her delicate eyebrows were painted with fine ink, her cheeks were slanted with rouge, and her forehead was painted with pale yellow. This process took another hour.

Throughout the entire process, Daiyu remained motionless. Once the dressing was complete, everyone in the room praised the bride for being more beautiful than a celestial being.

Unlike ordinary weddings, Daiyu, as a prince's consort, did not need her brother to carry her out of the house. Instead, she was greeted by eight wives of imperial relatives who had both sons and daughters.

When the auspicious hour arrived, Daiyu rose with the help of the matchmaker.

However, there was a commotion outside, because according to the custom of this dynasty, the prince himself would not personally accompany the wedding procession on his wedding day.

To everyone's surprise, the Third Prince, having requested an imperial decree, actually came in person. Amidst the chaos in the Rongguo Mansion, everyone sensed that the Third Prince truly valued Miss Lin.

The guests who came to the Rongguo Mansion for the banquet also started talking about it. The women all sighed that Daiyu was lucky, not only was she able to marry into the royal family, but she also married a loving man.

The male guests, while moved by the Third Prince's sincerity and affection, also began to have some thoughts: perhaps the Third Prince is truly a prince who has no interest in the throne, for he values ​​loyalty and righteousness so much.

The bride was a princess consort, and the carriage was drawn by six tall, red horses. The carriage was decorated in red, with gold ornaments inside and out, and was carved with phoenixes, peacocks, and tortoise shell patterns. The carriage slowly drove from the Rongguo Mansion to the Yijun Prince's Mansion.

The streets were decorated by the Imperial Household Department, with red ribbons and balls hanging everywhere. The streets were crowded with people eager to watch the grand occasion of the prince marrying his bride.

The groom, riding on horseback, also attracted the attention of the spectators. He was truly a man of exceptional beauty, like jade hidden among stones, or pine trees standing tall and green. His appearance was unparalleled, unmatched in the world.

The procession moved slowly forward. What usually took only half an hour took a full hour to reach the Prince and Princess's residence.

Daiyu was helped down from the sedan chair and slowly walked to the brazier with its elephant trunk, three legs, and gilded enamel trim. The matchmaker instructed her to step over the brazier, and then there was a saddle decorated with colorful floral patterns and gilded lacquer. Daiyu stepped over each one smoothly.

Today, with the Emperor and Empress in attendance, four respected female elders from the imperial clan were already waiting to present the first sip of tea and fruit, the nuptial wine, and the recitation of the wedding blessing song.

Compared to ordinary weddings, the process isn't necessarily more complicated, but because of the social status, the atmosphere is always more solemn.

Wearing a heavy hairpin and multiple layers of ceremonial robes, Daiyu felt like a puppet on strings, doing whatever the matchmaker told her to do.

Finally, after much difficulty, she was led to her room and sat down. Daiyu felt her neck stiffen, and for no reason, she remembered a saying: "When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it will first test his mind, strain his muscles and bones, starve his body, empty his resources, and thwart his actions."

The veil was lifted, interrupting Daiyu's reverie. She heard a series of gasps, which came from the ladies of the imperial family who had come to observe the ceremony.

Everyone sighed inwardly, no wonder they said the Third Prince was captivated. Such a beautiful girl, let alone men, would make even women swoon.

The Emperor and his courtiers were in the inner courtyard of the Three Pine Hall, while the Empress and the ladies of the court were at the Hibiscus Pavilion. Xiao Tingjun was about to go out to attend the banquet, but he didn't forget to have the kitchen prepare porridge and side dishes for Daiyu.

But to his surprise, he had only taken a few steps when he came back. Daiyu looked at him in confusion.

“That phoenix crown is quite heavy, take it off first, I’ll be back soon.” Xiao Tingjun was reluctant to leave, and added, “If Yu’er wants anything, or wants to do anything, just let Zijuan do it. Oh, Xu Momo will serve in the Prince’s Mansion from now on, if there’s anything, you can talk to Granny Xu.”

Daiyu nodded, but urged him to leave quickly so as not to keep His Majesty waiting.

By the time Xiao Tingjun returned, the moon was already high in the sky.

The newlyweds' room was filled with brocade and silk. In the lamplight, only clusters of gold, red, silver and green curtains and bedding could be seen. The large red candles could not be extinguished. Fortunately, there was a tasseled curtain with a hundred sons and a thousand grandsons. The newlyweds were a little reserved. After a tender moment, they fell into a drunken stupor in the soft red light.

Xiao Tingjun was the first to wake up in the morning. The princes had been required to start studying at sunrise since they were young, so they basically had to get up around 3 AM.

Looking down, he could see the person nestled in his arms. Xiao Tingjun blinked. Yu'er's dark hair was casually scattered, and she didn't seem to be sleeping peacefully.

Daiyu opened her eyes and met a pair of deep, dark eyes. After a moment of stunned silence, she smiled slightly.

Looking at Daiyu's gentle and beautiful face, Xiao Tingjun felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. Since he had a seven-day holiday anyway, he might as well spend some time with her.

It wasn't until Xu Mama's voice rang out from outside that Xiao Tingjun released Daiyu. He was glared at fiercely by Daiyu, but he just laughed instead.

"Stop fooling around, we still have to go to the palace to pay our respects to the Empress..." Daiyu said halfway, then changed her words, "to pay our respects to Mother Empress. It wouldn't be good if we were late."

Sitting down at the dressing table, waiting for Zijuan to comb her hair, Daiyu looked at herself in the mirror and couldn't help but think that from this moment on, she would begin a different life.

Chapter 65 Daiyu's Steward Unexpectedly Becomes Rich

After their marriage, Daiyu became the mistress of Prince Yi's mansion, and the responsibility of managing the household naturally fell on her shoulders. The next day, after paying their respects at the palace and having lunch with the Empress, the couple returned to the mansion, where Xiao Tingjun took the initiative to tell Daiyu about his family's wealth.

Xiao Tingjun led Daiyu to the storeroom first. Inside were not only Daiyu's dowry, but also some of the things that the royal family had sent to the Rongguo Mansion as betrothal gifts, which naturally came back with the dowry. The other part was Xiao Tingjun's private savings.

“What’s recorded in these two books is my mother’s dowry,” Xiao Tingjun told Daiyu. His birth mother, Qiao, was betrothed to a concubine in the Prince’s mansion. The Qiao family only had one daughter, so her dowry was quite generous. It included gold, silver, jade, antiques, rare books, calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, and precious furniture. In addition, there were estates and shops, but they were mostly not in the capital, but in the Qiao family’s hometown of Shu.

"These have always been kept by my mother. After we got married, she gave them all to me." The Empress came from a wealthy family and didn't care about these things. Besides, she genuinely wanted to support her third son and wouldn't make him feel uncomfortable over such a small thing.

Daiyu always thought that her mother's dowry was already quite generous, after all, her maternal grandfather was a powerful duke who had won several battles. But looking at the list Xiao Tingjun gave her, which included a Shu brocade workshop, Furong Villa, and a pastry shop, she couldn't help but think of Xiao Tingjun's two maternal uncles' families—so low-key, it was impossible to tell that their ancestors were wealthy.

"And this booklet contains the rewards I've received over the years, some from my grandfather when he was alive, and others from my father and mother over the years." Although Xiao Tingjun was not the most favored prince, he would still receive rewards during festivals or when he did well in his studies or in his duties.

"These were given to me by the Empress Dowager." Xiao Tingjun pointed to another booklet. The Empress was very generous and treated Xiao Tingjun like a son. For Xiao Tingjun's wedding, she took out many good things from her private treasury, some of which were sent by the Empress's brother, the current Governor-General of Liangjiang. Xiao Tingjun was raised by the Empress, and since the Empress had no sons, her family supported him as if he were their own nephew.

Daiyu sighed, "Mother is so good to us." When she got married, the Empress even added to her dowry, a whole box of jewelry, including gemstone hairpins, agate earrings and necklaces, a white jade bracelet, and a gold filigree tourmaline double butterfly design, etc., each piece was exquisitely crafted, and even the gemstones were of the highest quality. Any one or two of these items would be enough for a rural farmer to live on for half a lifetime. When it was sent, even Grandmother Jia was impressed, saying that Yu'er had truly won the Empress's favor.

"What's the big deal? We'll take good care of Mother Empress in the future." After Xiao Tingjun and Daiyu inspected the storeroom together, they returned to Dianchun Hall. In the courtyard in front of the hall, Zhao Bingxin led a group of eunuchs, Tian Dashu led a team of guards from the Prince's Mansion, and Granny Xu led a group of maids and servants.

"You've met most of the people here, Yu'er. They're all trustworthy. If you need anything in the future, just give them your orders," Xiao Tingjun told Daiyu. He added that even the guards had been carefully selected and there wouldn't be any problems.

Looking at this large group of people, Daiyu felt even more strongly that the burden on her shoulders was not light—it was not easy to manage so many people alone, not to mention the social obligations she had to fulfill.

So, on another occasion when she went to the palace to pay her respects, Daiyu took the initiative to mention to the Empress that managing the household was not easy and that she wanted Gu Mama to come and help.

The Empress couldn't help but laugh when she heard this. At the time, Consort Lu, the birth mother of the Sixth Prince, was also present. The Empress shook her head and smiled at Consort Lu, saying, "Sister, look at her. She really has the mentality of a child. Who would ask their mother-in-law to manage the household as soon as they get married?"

Consort Lu secretly admired Princess Yi: if the Empress had offered to provide the Princess with a servant, outsiders might have thought the Empress was trying to interfere in her son and daughter-in-law's lives. But now, it was the Princess who asked for it herself, which made people think that the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were getting along well.

"Mother, please agree. Granny Gu was very experienced in instructing me on etiquette and manners. My own wet nurse is not in good health, so there's no other way. Granny Xu alone is not enough for such a large mansion." Daiyu had already discussed this with Xiao Tingjun.

Xiao Tingjun wasn't the Empress's biological son after all, so employing someone from the Empress's faction would put her at ease. Besides, Gu Mama had served Daiyu before, and Daiyu knew her temperament very well. Zijuan, Xueyan, and others had always gotten along well with Gu Mama.

"Moreover, Mother knows that your daughter-in-law has never managed a household before, and now she is suddenly expected to manage the Prince's Mansion, which will be very difficult. If she makes a fool of herself outside, Mother will also lose face in the palace." Daiyu knew that the Empress would definitely agree.

Sure enough, the Empress nodded helplessly, but her eyes held a deep smile: "You child, since you like Granny Gu, then I will assign Granny Gu to you. But let me make it clear, you can borrow her for a while. Once you are familiar with managing the household, you must return Granny Gu to me."

Daiyu quickly and happily thanked the Empress.

It was said that the money would be returned, but if Daiyu didn't mention it in the future, the Empress naturally wouldn't either. Everyone was a smart woman, and the Empress increasingly felt that she hadn't made a mistake in choosing a daughter-in-law.

Within two days, the news spread throughout the entire harem, but everyone reacted very differently.

Consort Wu looked down on Daiyu, saying, "She really is no good. It's clear the Rongguo Mansion hasn't properly trained her; she can't even manage a household." She thought, "A daughter-in-law like that is destined for nothing. It shows the Third Prince and the Empress aren't very shrewd either." She momentarily underestimated her.

Consort Xu was envious: "She is really sensible. Even as a daughter-in-law, she knows how to follow her mother-in-law's wishes."

Consort Xu couldn't help but glance at her head maid, Chunmei. The fourth prince's in-laws were a good match, which was why she couldn't openly send someone over; otherwise, it would be disrespectful to her in-laws. However, Chunmei was a sensible maid. If the fourth prince's wife became disobedient in the future, she could always find an opportunity to send a maid to the fourth prince's residence.

Upon hearing this, the emperor said to Gao Zhen, the son-in-law who rarely came to the palace to talk to him, "Now I understand why my eldest sister favors my third brother's wife. This child has no parents and has suffered a lot."

As the husband of the Grand Princess, Gao Zhen was well aware of the Emperor's temperament and knew that Princess Yi's actions pleased the Emperor. He praised Princess Yi in his heart, but remained calm on the surface: "My daughter Xin likes Princess Yi the most. Yesterday she was still bargaining with her grandmother, saying that she wanted to go to the Prince's Mansion to play and that she wanted to learn how to write poetry from the Princess."

"Oh, at such a young age, she can already compose poetry." The emperor, who had no grandchildren yet, was particularly fond of Gao Xin, the daughter of the Grand Princess.

"She's not that amazing. She just wants to eat the delicious food at Prince Yi's mansion." The prince consort also adored his only granddaughter. "Last time, she casually mentioned 'the bamboo shade in the stone alley is serene,' and her grandmother praised it to the skies."

"Next time, let my eldest sister bring this child to the palace. I haven't seen her in a long time." The emperor then turned to Gao Zhen and talked about military affairs. However, that day, he was in a good mood and gave the Prince Yi's residence a pair of white jade high-relief phoenix and peony ruyi ornaments.

The reward wasn't particularly conspicuous, so no one paid much attention to it.

Chapter 66 Baoqin's unexpected visit to Daiyu

The people of the capital were still marveling at the grandeur of the Third Prince's wedding when the Fourth Prince's wedding opened their eyes once again.

Both princes were dukes, so there was no difference in their status.

However, the dowry prepared by the Ge family for the girl consisted of 108 pieces, which exceeded that of the previous two princes' consorts. On the day of the dowry display, the gold-embroidered Guanyin statue, the mahogany cabinet inlaid with mother-of-pearl, the mahogany screen inlaid with marble, the bronze immortal riding a mythical beast incense burner... each and every one of them was a genuine treasure.

And so, amidst the envious gazes of the world, the Fourth Prince and his wife were happily married. After this grand wedding, the world seemed to have forgotten about the Third Prince and his wife. The Second Prince was at the height of his power in the court, while the Fourth Prince and his wife enjoyed a loving relationship outside.

This was exactly the effect that Xiao Tingjun and Daiyu wanted.

But Daiyu did not expect that two months after her marriage, the first person to come to her door would be Baoqin.

After much deliberation, Baoqin decided to strike first. When Lady Wang visited Yuanchun in the palace, Consort De revealed that Baoqin was not in a hurry and should go to Daiyu's residence later to become a concubine of Prince Yi. With the sisters working together, they would have no trouble winning over Prince Yi.

After Lady Wang returned, she first relayed the message to Grandmother Jia. Both mother-in-law and daughter-in-law felt that Yuan Chun's idea made sense. However, they were unsure whether Daiyu would still be loyal to the Jia family. Having Baoqin would provide an extra layer of protection.

Then Lady Wang summoned Baoqin and spoke to her earnestly, every word of which was for her benefit. Baoqin immediately understood the Jia family's scheme. She nodded outwardly, but inwardly she already had a plan.

Between the Jia family and Daiyu, Baoqin decides to choose Daiyu.

On the day Daiyu got married, Baoqin not only witnessed the grand spectacle of a prince's wife's wedding, but also saw so many noble ladies for the first time in her life.

Baoqin was beautiful and had eloquent speech, which quickly aroused the interest of the ladies who came to the banquet. Many of them immediately gave Baoqin gifts.

However, after returning home and making some inquiries, these ladies learned that Baoqin was Xue Pan's niece and cousin, who had killed someone. They all gave up their desire to arrange a marriage: any decent family would not want to marry into a family that was extremely impoverished and whose members had murderers.

Before long, Baoqin understood that whether the Mei family broke off the engagement or other families were unwilling to have her as a daughter-in-law, it all came down to her aunt's family.

Baoqin made up her mind: she must persuade her brother to find a way for the two of them to leave their aunt's house and start their own household.

After careful consideration, Baoqin concluded that whether it was the numerous gifts Daiyu received from the palace or the Prince Yi's personal visit to fetch her at his wedding, it undoubtedly showed that both the palace and the Prince himself liked Daiyu.

Moreover, Baoqin also knew that the Jia family had wronged Daiyu in many ways.

After much deliberation, Baoqin decided to take a gamble: she gambled on the loving relationship between Prince Yi and his wife, and that Princess Yi might help her in the future because of her understanding nature.

So Baoqin went to their door.

Zijuan came to greet her, and Baoqin wondered if it was the feng shui of the Prince's Mansion that was so nurturing, but she felt that Zijuan had become even more clever and skillful in just two months.

When Baoqin saw Daiyu, she became even more certain of her thoughts: the Princess Consort was not dressed up at home. She wore a dark-colored satin jacket with a fuzzy front, paired with a white silk stand-up collar with gold trim and gold bamboo leaves. Underneath, she wore a white silk horse-face skirt with gold trim and gold bamboo leaves. Her hair was styled in a low bun, with a kingfisher feather butterfly hairpin inserted diagonally. She was elegant and dignified with a touch of playfulness. Her complexion was rosy and her eyes were bright and lively.

Baoqin stepped forward to greet Daiyu, who gestured to Zijuan to help her up and invited Baoqin to sit down, saying, "Sister Qin and I are old acquaintances from our youth, there's no need for such formality."

Xueyan held a tray inlaid with burl wood from huanghuali wood in both hands, inside which was a teacup with blue and white porcelain from the imperial kiln, decorated with lotus petals on the outside and floral patterns on the inside. She brought over a cup of hot tea.

Baoqin bowed to accept the tea and noticed that Xueyan, whom she had never paid any attention to before, seemed like a completely different person. She was wearing a short, red satin jacket with floral patterns and a puff-up front, which made her look petite and cute, not like a maid, but even more attractive than the girls from ordinary families.

After chatting for a while, Baoqin looked troubled and said, "I shouldn't say these things as an unmarried girl. But thinking of my past friendship with the Princess, now that I know, I feel I would be letting her down if I didn't say it."

Then she revealed Yuan Chun and Grandmother Jia's plans in detail. After finishing, she quickly distanced herself from the situation: "Your Highness knows me. I came to live with you, my aunt, without parents. I can't make many decisions. But I absolutely cannot agree to this. I don't know what to do for the time being, so I have to come and inform Your Highness."

As Baoqin spoke, she observed Daiyu's reaction. Seeing that the Princess Consort's expression remained unchanged from beginning to end, she knew she had made the right bet: the Princess Consort and the Prince must have a very good relationship.

After listening, Daiyu pondered for a moment and said, "Since Sister Qin treats me as an elder sister and has come to tell me all this, I am naturally very grateful. Sister Qin need not worry about this matter. Consort De and my grandmother meant well, and I appreciate their kindness."

Despite the perfectly normal tone, Baoqin inexplicably shuddered upon hearing it.

"Is my sister cold? I'll have Ziju bring a hand warmer." Daiyu gave the order, and Ziju brought over a small bronze hand warmer shaped like a rhombus.

"It's rare for Sister Qin to come all this way, Zijuan, tell the kitchen to prepare some Nanjing dishes." At Daiyu's words, Zijuan quickly agreed and went out to do so.

In just half a day, Baoqin had already realized that the current Princess Consort was the mistress of the house. She didn't need to give orders; all the maids and servants knew their place and how to behave.

As Baoqin took her leave of the Prince's residence, she was still rejoicing that she had made the right bet.