Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 277 Lin Daiyu: Brother Yue likes this?

"Stop shaking your hands. You're not going out, so why are you so nervous?"

Inside the room, in front of the dressing table, Xue Baochai frowned and looked at Qin Keqing in front of her, feeling quite speechless.

Since returning to the inn, Qin Keqing seemed to be acting abnormally. She was always looking around and was absent-minded in what she was doing.

When she started to touch up her makeup, her hands began to tremble again. Xue Baochai really couldn't figure out what was going on in her mind.

Qin Keqing smiled awkwardly and said, "Sister Bao, do you think the master will come to the post house to meet us first, discuss what we are going to do, and then stay in the post house for a cup of tea?"

Xue Baochai curled her lips and said, "No, the Marquis has written a letter to Sister Lin, and they will meet at the poetry gathering. The rest is up to us two to take care of."

After saying this, Xue Baochai changed the subject and said, "I know you miss the Marquis. You will see him tonight. Don't delay the Marquis's important event."

Qin Keqing sighed, feeling a little disappointed, and lowered her head again, saying, "Well, okay then."

Xue Baochai rolled her eyes slightly and allowed Qin Keqing to draw a few black lines on her fair cheeks and then blend the colors to make her facial features more angular and more like a masculine one.

She changed her outer garment into a high-collared robe that covered her neck, and then stood up from the chair. Xue Baochai now looked like a man.

Qin Keqing said with regret: "It's a pity that Sister Bao's height and the heroic spirit between her eyebrows are still far behind yours, otherwise..."

Xue Baochai glanced at Qin Keqing and asked, "What else?"

Qin Keqing swallowed what she was about to say, laughed and said, "Nothing, go out quickly, Miss Lin is still waiting for you."

At the right moment, Ying'er came in and said, "Miss, it's almost here. Someone is here to take you to the gathering."

Xue Baochai's heart sank, her palms sweating, and she asked again, "Where's Sister Lin?"

"They are all ready, too."

"Well, let's go too."

When I walked out of the room, I saw Lin Daiyu in the hall. She was wearing a moon-white jacket with silver bamboo patterns and a moon-white horse-faced skirt, which was quite fresh and elegant.

Her face was covered with a light green veil, revealing only a pair of affectionate eyes, which blinked like an elf.

Xue Baochai came closer and whispered, "I envy you for being able to wear lighter clothes."

Lin Daiyu put her finger in front of her lips and whispered, "Sister Bao, please don't say anything from now on. Just listen to my opinion and nod or shake your head. And don't let it get out of your way and ruin Brother Yue's plan."

Xue Baochai nodded helplessly, "Okay, I understand."

As she spoke, Lin Daiyu placed a folding fan in Xue Baochai's hand and said, "Here, this is a must-have accessory for you, young master. If you feel uncomfortable, you can use it to cover your face."

Xue Baochai smiled slightly, "Sister Lin is really thoughtful."

Lin Daiyu happily put her arm around Xue Baochai's, and the two of them walked out of the courtyard together.

The person waiting outside the courtyard to receive Marquis Anjing was the prefectural chancellor, Fan Pengcheng. He was dressed in a dark blue official robe and stood beside the sedan chair with his head bowed.

Seeing the door open and a pair of people walking out, Fan Pengcheng immediately lowered his head, bowed and said, "I am Fan Pengcheng, the governor of Suzhou Prefecture, and I am honored to meet the Marquis of Anjing."

There was no response, but a bright female voice said, "Master Fan, please stand up."

Fan Pengcheng looked up in confusion and saw that it was the little girl next to An Jinghou who was answering. He looked at An Jinghou in confusion and asked, "An Jinghou, who is this?"

Marquis Anjing did not agree, but the girl replied: "I am the daughter of Lin Ruhai, the Imperial Censor of Yangzhou Salt Inspection. I am accompanying Marquis Anjing to the south of the Yangtze River. Marquis Anjing had a sore throat, so he took medicine. Now he can't speak, so I am here to convey the Marquis's intention."

Fan Pengcheng asked tentatively, "Even if Marquis An Jing doesn't say anything, can you understand what he means?"

Lin Daiyu nodded calmly, as if she was explaining some profound truth. "I have been with Marquis Anjing for a long time, and we have a tacit understanding. I naturally understand what he means. If I say something wrong, he will always shake his head to correct me."

Fan Pengcheng thought it made some sense, but he still felt uncomfortable.

But he saw Marquis An Jing waving his folding fan and nodding slightly. His noncommittal look did not allow him to have any doubts.

In official circles, he is well aware of the principle of blending in with the world.

Fan Pengcheng did not go into details, so as not to embarrass Marquis Anjing. He saw the little girl holding Marquis Anjing's arm tightly, and knew that the two had a close relationship. He could not help but think to himself: "The rumors about Marquis Anjing are indeed true. It seems that their preparations in advance will definitely please Marquis Anjing, and it is not in vain to spend 30,000 taels of silver."

"Wait, this is Lin Ruhai's daughter?"

Fan Pengcheng widened his eyes and looked at Lin Daiyu.

He and Lin Ruhai were in the same officialdom, so they were not strangers.

"My goodness, they only spent money to buy some girls from outside to please the Marquis, but Lin Ruhai was willing to let his daughter go to the battle personally, and they have been together for a long time? She even didn't go back home and followed him to Suzhou?"

"In the past, I thought he was a law-abiding person. As expected, those who can win the emperor's heart all have strengths."

"I really don't care about trivial matters. I should treat him differently."

There was a struggle between the inner and the inner world in his mind, and then he heard Lin Daiyu ask in front of him, "Master Fan?"

Hearing the voice, Fan Pengcheng came back to his senses, scratched his head and said, "Oh, oh, oh, you just mentioned Censor Lin, and I remembered him. In the past, I went to visit the Salt Inspector's Mansion and saw you were still in your infancy. I never thought that you have grown up so big in the blink of an eye."

Lin Daiyu bowed gently.

Fan Pengcheng returned the greeting with a bow, and without being arrogant, he said, "Come and get on the sedan chair. The adults at the poetry gathering have been waiting for a long time."

Xue Baochai nodded slightly, walked in front, and got on the sedan chair first. Lin Daiyu followed closely behind and got on the same one.

Originally, Fan Pengcheng had planned to ride in the same sedan chair with Marquis Anjing to test the waters, but he did not expect the variable of Lin Daiyu to come into the picture.

Seeing the relationship between the two was such, he couldn't get in the way and get into the sedan chair, so he had to find another horse and follow the sedan chair.

After hesitating for a while, Fan Pengcheng finally said, "I wonder what the first thing An Jinghou wants to do when he comes here is..."

Lin Daiyu raised the curtain of the sedan chair and replied, "My Lord, the first thing you need to do when you come here is to straighten out the border defense. Now the national policy is to change rice cultivation to mulberry cultivation, but the key is not to change it, but to open up the sea. If the rampant pirates can be pacified, then things will be easier to accomplish."

"It's just that Suzhou seems to be suffering from severe flooding right now, so the first priority is probably to provide relief to the victims."

Thanks to the daily discussions with Yue Ling in Cangzhou, the clever Lin Daiyu also had a certain understanding of government affairs. Based on the few words left in Yue Ling's letter, she was able to express her own views, which were quite reasonable, surprising Fan Pengcheng, who served as the prime minister. "I have heard that Miss Lin is very talented, but today I see that she is so extraordinary. As a girl, she is so familiar with government affairs. Today's Canglang Yaji is a grand gathering where all the literati and talents in Jiangnan and even half of Dachang will gather. Miss Lin can also leave her own calligraphy."

Lin Daiyu nodded slightly and said modestly: "All government affairs are taught by Anjing Hou. This is the Hou's idea, not my opinion."

Fan Pengcheng cupped his hands, "Even so, it is already extraordinary."

After hearing Lin Daiyu's answer, Fan Pengcheng felt relieved.

It seems that Marquis Anjing went to the south of the Yangtze River not to raise an army to punish the enemy, but mainly to solve the problem of the empty treasury.

Many major events have happened in Suzhou City recently. If Marquis Anjing is interested in investigating, it will surely involve a wide range of people. By then, who in the officialdom of Jiangsu and Zhejiang can clear themselves of all charges?
Fan Pengcheng pondered and said, "Regarding the matter of Sun Yicai, the prefect, there were two incidents in the city recently, a dike breach and a warehouse burning. There is evidence pointing to him as a conspiracy with the local nobles, and they were after money."

"Now that the other person is on the run for fear of crime, Minister Qian is here to take charge of this matter. I believe there will be a result soon."

Soon, the curtain of the sedan chair was lifted again, and Lin Daiyu replied: "You all have worked hard for Suzhou, and you are all good officials. But it is really strange that the prefect of Suzhou has been in trouble one after another. In order for the Marquis to have a smooth job in the future, I still hope that you can settle down as soon as possible."

Fan Pengcheng nodded in agreement, "Please rest assured, my Lord. Everyone in Suzhou will fully cooperate with you to accomplish your mission and live up to your grace..."

The posthouse was not far from Canglang Pavilion, and after a few words of casual conversation, they entered the garden named after the pavilion.

Canglang Pavilion was built by Su Shunqin, one of the gentlemen of the Qingli period in the Northern Song Dynasty. After he was demoted from official position to a commoner in his later years, he bought this land, built a pavilion for himself, and expressed his feelings for the mountains and rivers.

Later it became a famous scenic spot in Suzhou, and a garden was built around Canglang Pavilion.

There is a stone tablet outside the main entrance of the garden, which is a seven-character regulated verse written by Ouyang Xiu, a famous writer in history, praising the scenery of Canglang Pavilion.

After passing through the cave gate, you can see lush green trees, sparkling exotic flowers, and wild bays and waters, which are very unique and retro.

A stone arch bridge with white marble railings connects the road to the main hall.

Gazing from a distance, one could see that the main hall seemed to be the size of five houses, all of which were covered with fine carvings. However, the decoration was not extravagant, nor was it painted vermilion. Its simplicity and elegance pleased Lin Daiyu.

Looking outside the hall, there is a clear stream hidden between the valleys.

Fan Pengcheng and Lin Daiyu introduced: "This main hall is the final place for the literary competition. The poetry competition is held in the pavilion. You have to go further inside, and there is a pavilion in the middle of the lake."

As the sedan chair moves forward, you can see jagged rocks on both sides of the road, surrounding the edge of the pond. The stone bridge is the harbor, and you need to row a boat to reach the pavilion in the middle of the lake, which is a different artistic conception.

"The poetry gathering has not started yet, and most people are still on their way. My Lord, please follow me to the back hall first."

Fan Pengcheng sent Xue Baochai and Daiyu into the back hall. As soon as they entered, they heard the pleasant sound of stringed instruments in the room. A group of little maids in cool clothes were playing in the hall.

Fan Pengcheng invited Marquis Anjing to take a seat and bowed, saying, "When we heard that the Marquis was coming to Jiangnan, we inquired about Marquis Anjing's preferences overnight. When we knew what he preferred, we found this troupe."

"They are all virgins, with excellent skills and talent. A wealthy family in Beijing once offered 20,000 taels of silver to buy them and keep them in their mansion. But the head of the Xu family paid 30,000 taels to keep them and give them to the Marquis. The Marquis will definitely like them."

Fan Pengcheng looked up at An Jinghou and couldn't help asking, "An Jinghou is not feeling well, do you still need their help?"

Xue Baochai looked at Lin Daiyu, who frowned slightly, a little puzzled, "Brother Yue likes to listen to opera and music so much, how come I don't know?"

Thinking that it was just a theatre troupe, and that they had paid a huge price to hire them, I couldn't just refuse their kindness.

Lin Daiyu nodded and said, "Let them stay. There is nothing else interesting in this class anyway."

Fan Pengcheng was overjoyed and thought to himself, "It really hits the mark of Marquis An Jing."

After coughing lightly, Fan Pengcheng regained some of his composure and said, "Well, I won't disturb Marquis Anjing's pleasure then."

After that, Fan Pengcheng bowed again, then looked at Lin Daiyu and asked, "Miss Lin, do you still want to stay with the Marquis?"

It's just a song, why can't she listen to it?
Lin Daiyu looked up and said, "Of course."

Fan Pengcheng was shocked, "I have to be by my side all the time, and I can't leave even during sex? I really underestimated Lin Ruhai."

Shaking his head and sighing, Fan Pengcheng turned and left.

Lin Daiyu did not notice Fan Pengcheng's departure, but instead focused all her attention on the small opera troupe below.

These little girls seemed even younger than Lin Daiyu herself. Their limbs were slender and weak, like willows swaying in the wind.

Lin Daiyu frowned and asked, "Why have I never heard that Brother Yue likes this?"

There was no one else in the room, and the actors were far away. Xue Baochai covered her face with a folding fan and whispered, "Sister Lin, what are you thinking about?"

Lin Daiyu came closer and said, "Just now, Master Fan said that these are Brother Yue's favorites. The invitation also said so. How come I haven't seen Brother Yue like these?"

Xue Baochai, who always dealt with the affairs of the local community, how could she not know some of the rumors? Xue Baochai blushed and said, "They got the wrong information and thought that the Marquis liked these girls."

Lin Daiyu frowned even deeper, "What's going on? It turns out that they are not the ones who are interested in listening to the music?"

Xue Baochai nodded slightly.

Lin Daiyu was a little angry. She was indignant that Yue Ling's innocence had been destroyed. "How could Brother Yue be such a person? He has never had any romantic affairs outside. How could he have such a good reputation?"

Xue Baochai stared at Lin Daiyu, looking her up and down.

Lin Daiyu immediately understood, blushed, raised her finger and pointed at herself and asked, "Could it be, is it because of me?"

Xue Baochai curled her lips, "What else?"

Lin Daiyu covered her eyes, too embarrassed to look at the little girls who had already started dancing below.

"This, this is outrageous! Brother Yue and I are innocent!"

At the right moment, one of the girls walked out, took a few steps forward, and with a very sad and miserable expression on his face, he slowly said, "Greetings to Marquis Anjing, how do you want us to serve you?"

Lin Daiyu still covered her face with one hand, and waved her other hand at them, saying crisply, "Stop dancing! Marquis Anjing doesn't like this!"

　My father is sick. I took him to the hospital today, so the update will be postponed. I can't say for sure how many days it will take to update. It depends on how serious my father's illness is. I will try my best not to take leave.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)