The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

The little girl felt stiff and aching all over, and couldn't help but let out a muffled groan. Daiyu immediately widened her eyes: "Yueyue?"

The little girl stared at her mother for a long time before calling out "Mother!"

Upon hearing the commotion, Physician Su, who had come forward, placed his joyful, trembling hand on the young princess's pulse. After a while, Physician Su's voice was filled with undisguised delight.

"Your Highness, the young princess's pulse has stabilized."

Upon hearing this, Daiyu could no longer hold back her tears, which fell down her cheeks.

Xiao Tingjun, who had been taking turns watching over Yueyue with Daiyu, had just gone to rest for a while when he heard the commotion and rushed over. He touched his daughter's face and his eyes welled up with tears.

Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief, and even the imperial physicians outside finally felt relieved.

Imperial Physician He personally brought the medicine and handed it to the Crown Princess. However, Yueyue still couldn't drink it by herself and had to be fed little by little with a straw.

Zhao Bingxin was also quick-witted. He quickly went outside and knocked on the door to signal to the eunuch outside the door—in order to prevent the spread of disease, others would not come in, but wait for news outside the door.

"Quickly inform His Majesty and the Empress."

Zijuan then brought Daiyu a bowl of cooked congee: "Your Highness should have some now, otherwise you'll fall ill again after the Princess recovers."

These past few days, Daiyu has been unable to eat anything.

What Zijuan brought was a thin porridge that had been cooked until almost no rice grains were visible.

Daiyu took the drink and drank it slowly. Xiao Tingjun was already asking Physician Su if the gate could be opened. Now that Yueyue was better, and he, Yu'er, and the others were all fine, the illness was naturally not contagious.

"That's fine, but Your Highness, it would be best if the masters of the palace didn't come. It would be safest to wait a few more days." As the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, Physician Su naturally had to consider things more thoroughly.

The first light of dawn felt like a distant memory.

Everyone in Delin Palace finally felt like enjoying the bright morning light. As soon as the little princess opened her eyes, she obediently drank her medicine. With the constant adjustments to the prescriptions by the imperial physicians and the meticulous care from everyone in Delin Palace, she recovered quickly.

In fact, not all the imperial physicians were summoned to Delin Palace. After all, some imperial physicians still needed to be left behind in case the emperor or empress became unwell.

However, the Rongguo Mansion is not what it used to be, so when they heard that Grandmother Jia was ill, the imperial physicians on duty thought that it was nothing unusual for an old woman to be sick often, so they did not send anyone over.

A mournful cry echoed from the Rongguo Mansion.

Chapter 231 His son dies young, Baoyu becomes a monk

The entire Rongguo Mansion was immersed in grief. Of course, some people were happy inside, but they had to put on a show of extreme sorrow.

Baoyu's son, another grandson of Jia Zheng, and another great-grandson of Jia Mu, did not survive this illness.

Baoyu seemed completely stunned. At first, he would cry, but later he stopped crying and just sat there blankly.

Baochai was also deeply saddened. She couldn't understand how a perfectly healthy child could just disappear like that. It was just a fever; how could it have come to this?

It took a lot of effort for the child to become close to her. Every day after he came back from reading, he would happily talk to her and eat snacks together. Baochai taught him to recognize characters and to draw.

Baochai even thought that with Zhige'er by her side, she could finally live a peaceful life.

Heaven always seems to disappoint her, time and time again.

Seeing that Baoyu hadn't eaten or drunk anything for several days, Baochai simply ignored him. Ying'er, on the other hand, was very anxious. She went to Baoyu and tried to comfort him in various ways. She even took her daughter with her, hoping to wake him up and tell him that he not only had a son, but also a daughter.

But no matter what Ying'er said or did, Baoyu remained immersed in his own world. This went on for about half a month. One morning, Baoyu said to Ying'er, "You've suffered these past years. From now on, the child can only be entrusted to you."

Ying'er was puzzled, but before she could ask, Baoyu had already gone to see Baochai.

Baoyu bowed to Baochai, his expression solemn and compassionate: "Sister Bao, the past is like yesterday's death; the future is like today's birth. Sister Bao, just treat everything as fleeting clouds."

Baochai was immediately stunned, because ever since she married into the family, Baoyu had never called her "Sister Bao" or spoken to her with such a gentle attitude. However, she felt that his words carried a hint of farewell.

Before Baochai could speak, Baoyu continued, "That year when we went to the opera, Sister Bao requested a performance of 'The Mountain Gate,' and I still remember the lyrics of 'Parasitic Grass' very clearly."

Then Baoyu recited: "Hero's tears flow freely, parting from the hermit's home. Thanks for your mercy, I was ordained beneath the lotus throne. No fate, separation in the blink of an eye. Naked, I came and go without any attachments. Where can I find a straw raincoat and bamboo hat to travel alone? I'll let myself go, in straw sandals and a broken bowl, following fate!"

"I too must go and wear straw sandals and a broken bowl. Take care, Sister Bao." Baoyu bowed again and turned to walk out the door.

Baochai was stunned, but quickly followed after her.

Baoyu first went to say goodbye to Lady Wang, and before Lady Wang could speak, he went to say goodbye to Grandmother Jia.

Upon arriving at Grandmother Jia's room, Baoyu was about to speak when Baochai spoke first: "Even if Second Master is heartbroken, you can't let Grandmother and Madam be even more heartbroken. What about Grandmother, Madam, and Master if you do this?"

Baochai originally thought that these words would make Baoyu realize the truth, but Baoyu's expression did not change at all. Instead, he calmly greeted Grandmother Jia.

"Over the years, I have deceived the old lady's love. Now that my grandson's worldly ties are severed, I bid farewell."

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia immediately rebuked him, saying, "Baoyu, what nonsense are you spouting? You're a grown man, and instead of supporting your family, you're trying to rip out your grandmother's heart? Have I spoiled you all these years for nothing?"

Baoyu's expression was neither sad nor happy, and his eyes were cold when he looked at Grandmother Jia: "Anyway, I am the most useless person in history. I cannot protect my son, nor am I able to protect my family. I might as well take my leave now."

"Shut up! I know you're heartbroken that Zhi'er is gone, but don't you think about how old I am? How can I not be heartbroken to see my son die? Do you know how I've been unable to sleep or eat these past few days?" Grandmother Jia burst into tears; she was just as heartbroken.

Baochai also seized the opportunity to quickly advise, "Second Master, look at the old lady, she is already old, and the madam is not in good health either, not to mention the master. Now that the third sister has married far away, we don't know if we will ever see her again. If you go again, what will the old lady, the master, and the madam do?"

Lady Wang, who had rushed over despite her illness, heard Baochai's words while she was still at the door. She came in with tears streaming down her face and hugged her son.

"My son, how could you be so cruel? I have already lost Zhu'er, and if I lose you too, how can I live?"

Lady Wang's weeping evoked pity in everyone in the room, except for Baoyu.

Seeing that Baoyu was just standing there blankly, Baochai couldn't help but recall many past events, and quickly began to comfort him: "Second Master, if you don't look at anything else, just look at the Old Madam and Madam. That year when you were beaten by the Master, wasn't it the Old Madam and Madam who were most heartbroken? They say that when a child is beaten, the mother feels the pain. Now that you are like this, what should the Old Madam and Madam do?"

To everyone's surprise, Baoyu not only didn't change his mind, but instead looked at Baochai coldly: "I originally said that Zhige'er was too young and shouldn't go to the Song family to study, but you insisted on doing so. Your so-called hope that your son will become a dragon is nothing more than satisfying your pride as a mother, isn't it?"

These words silenced Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, and Baochai, as all three of them supported Zhige'er's decision to study at the Song family's school.

Finally, it was Grandmother Jia who spoke up: "Baoyu, you're tearing your grandmother's heart out. When Zhige went to school, I agreed to it. But the child got sick, and no one could have predicted that. The child was quite happy when he first started school, wasn't he? So, you can't be so stubborn."

But Baoyu immediately asked, "Illness is beyond human control. Then what about Zhige'er's mother, Qiuwen? The old lady and the madam always say they love me and are good to me, but in all these years, when have I ever had the chance to choose for myself? I can't even make decisions about my own son."

“Every time I backed down, this is what I got in return. Every time I close my eyes, I can see Zhige’er smiling at me.”

Baoyu continued, "Back then, I had no power to refuse this marriage. The old lady, my wife, and my sister all supported me. Fortunately, the Crown Princess stood by me, otherwise I'm afraid I would have become a monk long ago. I wouldn't have had to wait until today."

His words deeply hurt the heartbroken Lady Wang, especially upon hearing the words "Crown Princess."

Madam Wang gritted her teeth, her eyes blazing with fury: "You still care about the Crown Princess? But she doesn't care about you at all! Your son died because the Crown Princess's daughter also fell ill. Otherwise, why wasn't there a royal physician?!"

Lady Wang's appearance at this moment startled Baoyu. Just when the three thought Baoyu would come to his senses, he suddenly burst into laughter.

His laughter sent chills down the spines of those who heard it.

"Sometime in the past, someone told me that the Madam was the first person to dislike the Crown Princess, and I didn't believe it. Now I believe it completely. Oh well, it's time for the show to end."

As soon as Baoyu finished speaking, he started to walk out, and Grandmother Jia quickly ordered the maids to stop him.

Baoyu, who was stopped, did not say anything and went back to his room.

Baochai quickly told her maid to keep watch, but unexpectedly, the maid woke up in the middle of the night.

Master Bao has disappeared.

Chapter 232 Regret and Shock: Grandmother Jia's Serious Illness

When Bao Er Ye went missing, Baochai dared not delay and quickly sent someone to inform Lady Wang and Grandmother Jia, while also arranging for people to search everywhere.

As a result, everyone in the Jia family was busy, and the news of Baoyu's disappearance was known to everyone in the entire mansion.

Jia Zheng immediately said he would report the case to the Shuntian Prefecture. Lady Wang started to cry and sob. Aunt Zhao was secretly delighted. Jia Huan volunteered to lead people to search outside, secretly hoping that Baoyu would disappear.

Jia Lan could no longer pretend he didn't know, so he agreed with his grandfather's suggestion to send someone to report the case.

“A boy this age can’t just disappear. I’m afraid he really is trying to become a monk.” The eldest son’s family was the last to hear the news, but they still rushed over. Madam Xing knew about Baoyu’s attempt to become a monk yesterday. “In my opinion, we should send people to several temples to look for him as soon as possible.”

Grandmother Jia found this reasonable and repeatedly told people to hurry up and go find it. They were so busy that it was dawn. Jia Zheng had to go to the yamen, Jia Lan had to go to the academy, and even Aunt Zhao, who was watching the spectacle, couldn't stay awake any longer and went back to sleep.

Only Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, and Baochai remained, filled with worry and anxiety. Ying'er, meanwhile, was inside with her daughter, heartbroken.

At first, Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, and others still held onto a sliver of hope, wishing they could find Baoyu and try to persuade him to change his mind.

But as time went by, the people they sent out could not be found, and even the Shuntian Prefecture found nothing.

The longer the days went by, the more disappointed Grandmother Jia and the others became.

Jia Zheng, however, was the most easygoing. Seeing that his mother was overwhelmed with grief, he went to comfort her, saying, "Mother, Baoyu has always been an unusual child. That jade is probably not an auspicious omen. Over the years, he has been idle and irresponsible, which has caused you, Madam, a great deal of worry. Now that he has severed his ties with the world, why don't you let go of your worries and not ruin your health over that unfilial son?"

Upon hearing these words, Grandmother Jia was so angry that she couldn't utter a single word.

"Besides, Madam, you still have Lan'er and your maid. Please try to be more understanding for the sake of your great-grandchildren." Jia Zheng was telling the truth. Now that the Shuntian Prefecture has sent people to search, they still can't find them. There must be some real reason for this.

Grandmother Jia sighed but remained silent. Seeing that there was nothing he could do, Jia Zheng left.

However, Grandmother Jia couldn't truly let it go.

In a daze, she saw Baoyu come to say goodbye, saying things like fame and fortune are useless and that he had already realized the truth.

Before Grandmother Jia could speak, Baoyu disappeared. What Grandmother Jia saw was her daughter, Jia Min, who had died many years ago.

With a sorrowful expression, the daughter immediately questioned, "Mother, how could you treat Yu'er like this all these years? She's your granddaughter!"

“How have I treated her badly? She is now the Crown Princess. On the contrary, I have only raised her for nothing.” Grandmother Jia retorted indignantly.

"Mother has been deceiving people for so long that she has even deceived herself." Jia Min sneered. "Yu'er was able to become the Crown Princess only because of her father's merits in front of the Emperor. If it were because of you, Yu'er would probably not be in this world now."

Just as Grandmother Jia was about to speak, Jia Min added, "Three hundred and sixty days a year, we are relentlessly assailed by wind and frost. Enough, enough, yesterday's cause is today's consequence."

"Min'er, listen to what your mother has to say..." Before Grandmother Jia could finish speaking, Jia Min disappeared.

Hearing the old lady's ramblings, Amber, who was guarding the house, became frightened and quickly sent someone to inform Bao Er's wife.

In the days that followed, Grandmother Jia was sometimes lucid and sometimes confused. Sometimes she would look at Amber and call her Yuanyang, and sometimes she would look at Jia Lan and call him Baoyu.

Seeing that the situation was really bad, Baochai suddenly remembered something important: the emperor had already decreed that once Grandmother Jia passed away, the Rongguo Mansion would be taken back.

So, if Grandmother Jia really passes away, will the two branches of the family separate? And where will they live?

Although Baochai is now in charge of the household, she is still a junior, and it is rare for her to make decisions on many things. Therefore, we must plan ahead.

After much deliberation, Baochai decided to go to see her mother first: At this time, the second branch of the family should unite, otherwise the first branch might be difficult to deal with.

Who would have thought that as soon as Baochai arrived, Madam Wang would treat her as if she had seen an enemy. She immediately pointed at Baochai's nose and started cursing: "You really are my good niece! You tricked me so badly with a fake gold lock. I entrusted my good husband to you, and now he's gone. Calling you a jinx is really true."

Baochai knew Wang Furen's temper all too well. Whenever something happened, she would always blame others and would never reflect on her own actions. However, now that she had control over Wang Furen's medicine, she was not afraid at all and immediately sneered: "Madam's words are quite interesting. Madam lost one son, and now another son is gone. Why doesn't Madam say that she is just unlucky?"

Baochai was simply returning Lady Wang's words to her.

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang flew into a rage and coughed violently.

None of the maids outside dared to come in; they all pretended not to hear.