Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 239: Immortal Crimson Pearl Grass in the Field
In the endless fields, the little girls felt much more relaxed. It was a natural relief compared to the depression in the room.

Just looking at the mud in the rice fields in front of me, I was a little surprised for a moment.

It turns out that in the fields, farmers would roll up their trouser legs, or simply wear short-sleeved shirts and shorts and work barefoot in the mud.

If you don't go out, you won't know the suffering of the people.

The little girls who were raised in seclusion in the boudoir had a deeper understanding during the trip to Cangzhou.

"Your Majesty has a vegetable garden in the back garden. I am just planting rice in the field. What's wrong with that? The fields in Cangzhou not only support your family, but also the people of the whole city."

The old farmer was moved, so he withdrew his hand and stopped trying to snatch the basket.

Yue Ling came to the little girls and gave each of them a small basket and some seedlings.

"No wonder Brother Yue asked us to wear some rough clothes. It turns out we are coming here."

Lin Daiyu also looked around curiously. She took the small basket in her hands. There was a contrast between a fairy who was not affected by the dust and a little girl who picked mushrooms. Compared with her previous cold appearance, she looked even more friendly and cute, and very likable.

Yue Ling couldn't help but smile, "Different things always give different experiences. Isn't it what we seek in life to have different experiences?"

Lin Daiyu also nodded in agreement. This is the truth: reading thousands of books and traveling thousands of miles.

Yue Ling picked up a seedling in his hand and explained to them: "As you can see, they are standing in the rice field, planting rice backwards. Plant one seedling, take a step back, hold the seedling with your left hand, pinch the base of the seedling with your thumb and index finger, and hold the seedling with the rest of your fingers to protect the soil at the root, and then insert the whole seedling into the soil."

"The seedlings should not be planted too deep or too shallow, just an inch or so is fine."

Xueyan asked in confusion, "How long is more than an inch? There is no way to measure it with a ruler here."

Yue Ling further explained: "For me, it is the length of the tip of a finger, and for you, it is probably less than two sections."

"Remember not to plant it crookedly, otherwise the seedlings won't grow."

Having said that, Yue Ling went down to the ground and demonstrated it to the three little girls.

His movements were smooth and fluid, and he inserted three or four in a row in just a few breaths. He was so quick-eyed and quick-handed, as if he was a farmer.

It was also a novel thing to see a marquis busy with farm work in the fields.

The people around did not dare to gather together, but just watched from afar. They also saw that the marquis really knew how to farm and was not just pretending.

The old farmer was stunned watching from the side.

"My Lord, you are very skilled. It seems like you have been farming for a long time."

Yue Ling stood up and said with a smile: "Every family started from farming. Food is the first necessity of the people, and the land is the root of food. If you forget your roots, you will be in trouble."

Seeing Yue Ling working in the fields, Zijuan and Xueyan also rolled up their trouser legs, followed suit and moved into the fields, coming to Yue Ling's side.

"Hey, General Yue, it feels quite comfortable to step on the mud."

The little girls only saw the novelty and had no idea of ​​the hard work. The muddier the road, the more inconvenient it was for them to move.

Yue Ling smiled and said, "Okay, go and try it once you've learned it."

Zijuan and Xueyan were smiling happily, but Lin Daiyu was standing by the field, still a little hesitant.

Her family tutor taught her that cleanliness is the most fundamental thing, which made her herself extremely mysophobic. She was disgusted by dust, not to mention muddy fields, which she regarded as filth.

But after watching Yue Ling planting rice in the fields, she seemed to feel that this was not her true intention.

The lotus can grow out of mud without being stained. In her mind, Brother Yue is also in the mud of officialdom, upholding justice and opposing filth, but he himself is not turbid. Lin Daiyu realized that her cleanliness is not aversion to dust, but a sensitive nature that makes her eyes unable to see dust.

No matter whether it is love or things, two people who are sincere to each other and have a pure heart are the lotus in this world.

After all, dust returns to dust, and there is nothing she cannot do in this field.

Lin Daiyu slowly rolled up her trouser legs and carried the small basket on her back. She lightly touched the water in the rice field with her toes, which was slightly cool.

The weather is mild today and it is not too cold in the fields. Lin Daiyu slowly tried a few times and then stepped into the fields.

The pure white little feet might have been stained with some mud, but when they were lifted up, they were washed away by the current.

Lin Daiyu's lips curled up slightly, and she felt that she was the lotus.

She was originally somewhat resistant to the field, but when she actually stepped on the soil, she felt extremely comfortable, as if she were rooted in the ground and could live her whole life without food or water.

A breeze blew by, and Lin Daiyu bent her body and was protected by Yue Ling who came rushing over.

"Sister Lin, how do you feel?"

Lin Daiyu's eyes sparkled as she responded, "It's a bit novel."

"novel?"

"It's just... I can't explain why, but I feel like I should be growing in this field, not a rice seedling."

Yue Ling secretly laughed in his heart, "It really is a plant, the Immortal Crimson Pearl Grass."

Supporting her body, Yue Ling took Lin Daiyu a few steps and comforted her: "You are not in good health and are not suitable for working hard. I took you outside for a walk and some fresh air. I didn't want you to be tired. Don't show off. If you feel uncomfortable, tell me as soon as possible and don't endure it."

Lin Daiyu benefited the most from the natural care and smiled sweetly, "I'm not uncomfortable at all. I feel more comfortable standing here. When we went to Cangzhou, we saw people begging on the streets and starving people everywhere. Today, Brother Yue has restored prosperity and brought us here to experience the suffering of the people."

After a pause, Lin Daiyu continued, "It is to warn us that we should not forget the difficulties in the past when we are prosperous now. So, I have to give it a try."

Yue Ling nodded without comment, and when he looked at Lin Daiyu, he also encouraged her.

Lin Daiyu bent down and did something she had never thought of. This was so new to her, just like riding a horse for the first time.

When the seedlings were planted an inch into the soil, Lin Daiyu withdrew her hand. It was just right. Yue Ling praised, "Not bad, Sister Lin is clever and deft. This is the seedling planted by Sister Lin. I would like to call her Lin Daiyu No. 1."

Lin Daiyu rolled her eyes. She didn't know why Yue Ling always acted like a marquis outside, but seemed childish around her. However, she didn't feel annoyed by him. Rather, she liked him.

"What kind of name is Number One? It sounds so ugly."

As Lin Daiyu said this, she planted another one. Yue Ling explained beside her, "This sister Lin is a little bent, she needs to be supported."

Lin Daiyu straightened her hair a little shyly.

"This Lin Daiyu is a bit deep, and there is not enough space for her to emerge. What if she can't breathe?"

Lin Daiyu: "..."

After inserting it for a while, Lin Daiyu felt so moved by Yue Ling's words that she really felt as if her lives were related to theirs, and she didn't dare to act rashly.

After taking a deep breath, Lin Daiyu stood up.

Yue Ling wiped the sweat off her face with a handkerchief he had prepared long ago.

"Don't be stubborn, just rest when you are tired."

Lin Daiyu nodded and didn't explain any further.

Yue Ling smiled and helped her to sit down on the bluestone beside the field, then went back to look after the other two maids.

Zijuan is meticulous in her work, so there is no need to worry. However, Xueyan is more interested in playing around and even splashed water on Zijuan, which made her very angry.

Then the snow goose was punished by heaven. It accidentally fell into the field and when it came out, it had a big gray face.

"Wow, oh, oh, my lord, I fell."

Yue Ling helped her up helplessly, "The seedlings you planted are not enough for you to eat in one meal. You have been here for only a short while and they are already in a mess."

"No way, this much isn't enough for me to eat in one meal?"

After getting some clean water, Yue Ling first wiped the naughty girl's face and hair, then asked her to go back to the carriage to change clothes, and he went to clean up the mess.

"Zijuan, you should go too and look after Xueyan."

Yue Ling worked in the sun. As agreed with the old farmer, he planted rice seedlings in the field and then returned to the field.

Lin Daiyu sat aside, with a smile on her face all the time, looking at Yue Ling. When he came over, she handed him a silk scarf and water, and her thoughts gradually drifted away.

She is already twelve years old this year, two years older than when Xue Baochai said she wanted to get engaged, and she is also more clear about her feelings.

At this moment, the scene of men farming and women weaving made her fantasize even more.

"It seems like even an ordinary life is not bad."

Yue Ling tilted his head, "Sister Lin, what did you say?"

Lin Daiyu shook her head, and her pair of little feet swayed in the cool water, creating some ripples.

"I didn't say anything, Brother Yue, you heard it wrong."

Yue Ling looked at Lin Daiyu and saw that her white jade-like feet seemed to have a slight curve. He couldn't help but sigh, "They have grown bigger and become more beautiful."

"This is the sixth year that Lin Daiyu has been by my side. According to the storyline of the original novel, Lin Ruhai should be dead by now, but he is still alive and kicking. Maybe he was affected by something and was not killed by anyone, nor did he get sick?"

"It's hard to say whether Sister Lin should stay or go. Alas..."

He had raised it for such a long time, and it had grown so big, from being as tall as his crotch to almost as tall as his shoulders. How could Yue Ling bear to let it go?

Just when Yue Ling's mind was in a mess, a rider came running over from a distance. He was dressed as a soldier from Cangzhou City.

When he was twenty steps away from Yue Ling, he reined in his horse, jumped off, ran to the front, and delivered the message to Yue Ling.

"My Lord, people from the palace have come to the government office. Also, there are people from Yangzhou Prefecture, Censor Lin."

"What's the matter?"

"Only the Marquis can know what's going on in the palace. As for Imperial Censor Lin, he sent someone to take Miss Lin back to Yangzhou."

Lin Daiyu was listening at the side, and she actually had her own affairs to attend to, so her heart couldn't help but tense up a little.

Yue Ling's eyes darkened. As expected, when you worry about something, it tends to happen.

"Okay, we'll go back now. Old man, I'm sorry to bother you. We messed up this place."

An old farmer in the distance responded to Yue Ling's words, "My Lord, what are you talking about? Not to mention that the rice seedlings are planted in an orderly manner, without you, we wouldn't even have this field."

Yue Ling nodded and smiled, and told the servants who were accompanying him to give some rewards to the farm here.

After Yue Ling and his group left, the farmers could not help but stare at them from afar and watch them go.

"Have you ever seen a marquis go to the fields himself? Not to mention the marquis, even the county magistrate will do."

"My Lord, you really understand the suffering of the people. It would be great if you could stay in Cangzhou for a long time..."

(End of this chapter)