Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 370 I’m not a child anymore, um…

"Since you don't agree, I won't bother you any more. When you return to Beijing to report on your work, I will prepare a feast for you."

Lin Ruhai waved his hand impatiently, "Go ahead, we'll discuss this when we return to Beijing."

Yue Ling took another step back and bowed again, saying, "Brother, you don't have to transport it. The salt administration is busy in early spring, so I won't delay you."

Lin Ruhai frowned and thought to himself, "What is this kid doing here? Of course I can't send you off. I have to go see if Yu'er is staying in the room obediently."

"Go ahead. Is there anyone who dares to stop you along the way? After you arrive in the capital, send a letter back to let everyone know you are safe."

Yue Ling nodded and said, "Yes."

Having said that, he walked out the door.

At the threshold, Xue Baochai also bowed, but when she raised her head again, there was more sympathy in her eyes, and she walked away behind Yue Ling.

"Let's go!"

In the courtyard, the convoy that had been lined up earlier started moving slowly.

With more than twenty little maids, of course the luggage they needed to carry was not a small amount. In addition, there were several large boxes of gifts originally prepared by Xue Baochai, which had not been sent out, so they all had to be loaded on the boat and transported to the capital together.

The breeze blew the flag with the word "Yue" on it, and the carriage drove out of the main gate of the salt factory.

The carriage was shaking and there were occasional noises.

The salt officials and salt soldiers along the way consciously lined up on both sides of the road and saluted to see them off.

Lin Ruhai walked out of the main hall and looked at the scene outside. It was harmonious and there was nothing unusual, so he hurried to Lin Daiyu's courtyard.

Somehow, the closer we walked to Lin Daiyu's courtyard, the quieter the surroundings became.

It would not be surprising if it was like this in the past, but now that Yue Ling was leaving, could Lin Daiyu really stop crying and making a fuss and just stay in the room quietly without making any noise?
Thinking of this, Lin Ruhai's heart was filled with waves and he felt an inexplicable uneasiness.

Quickening his pace a little, Lin Ruhai arrived at the Moon Cave Gate. Before he could enter the courtyard, he was stopped by Nanny Wang, who seemed to have been waiting there for a long time.

"Master, where are you going in such a hurry?"

Lin Ruhai stopped, frowned and asked, "Mother Wang, you've come at the right time. I want to ask you, is Yu'er in the room?"

Nanny Wang smiled brightly, "No, not here right now. The master is late."

Lin Ruhai glared, anger appeared on his face, and he hurried to chase the outgoing convoy.

But then I heard Nanny Wang say, "What is the matter that the master is in a hurry to find the young lady? The young lady just went to the two concubines."

Lin Ruhai felt relieved after hearing this. He smoothed his robe and nodded, saying, "Okay, I'll go look for her over there."

"This girl clearly said that she didn't want to say goodbye, and wanted to stay in this room. Why did she run off to Auntie's place again?"

Seeing Lin Ruhai turn around and take a step forward, Nanny Wang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but she didn't expect Lin Ruhai to stop and turn his head to look inside the courtyard gate.

"No, why does this yard seem to have fewer things than before? Where are the flowers in the pot and the swing on the tree?"

Nanny Wang smiled awkwardly and said, "The swing was broken by Xueyan when it was reinstalled a while ago, so it has been taken out for repair. The flowers have been dug up, and we are just about to transplant some new ones."

The answer was reasonable, so Lin Ruhai no longer doubted it and did not waste time, and went to the other side to look for Lin Daiyu.

After seeing Lin Ruhai leave, Nanny Wang heaved a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "Miss, this is all I can do to help you... It's really embarrassing for me."

Before long, Lin Ruhai quickly came to the concubines' side courtyard, where people were talking and laughing, and the atmosphere was the same as usual.

The two of them loved the hustle and bustle. Lin Ruhai originally thought that the two concubines were going to come out and cry for a while, but he didn't expect that they were very well-behaved.

Pushing the double door, Lin Ruhai entered the room.

The two concubines' eyes seemed to light up, and they immediately came to his side, helping Lin Ruhai to sit in the room.

Aunt Zhou asked in confusion, "Master, it's time for Marquis Anjing to board the ship. Why didn't you go to see him off?"

Lin Ruhai looked around but still didn't see Lin Daiyu in the room. He became alert, shook off Aunt Zhou's arm, and was about to get up.

Aunt Bai also pretended to come over and sighed slightly, "With these girls gone, there will be no more liveliness, which is quite sad."

Lin Ruhai raised his eyebrows and asked, "I just came from Mother Wang and she said Yu'er was here, why isn't she here? Where are Zijuan and Xueyan in her room? Why are they all gone?"

Aunt Bai gently stroked Lin Ruhai's shoulder, trying to calm her anger, and replied, "The master just said that the young lady couldn't go, but the two maids didn't stop her, so they left together with Yue Ling."

"Young lady, try on spring and summer clothes in your room now. It has been a long time since I last took your measurements and tailored your clothes. Now that the maids have left, we have to take care of this matter in our house."

Aunt Zhou also nodded and called out through the screen, "Young lady, get dressed and come out for a moment. The master is here."

There was a clear "hmm" from inside, which was the response.

Lin Ruhai calmed down a little and let the two concubines serve him tea, and his suspicions gradually dissipated.

After three rounds of tea, Lin Ruhai's brows gradually furrowed. He looked around and said angrily, "Why hasn't Yu'er come out yet? Go in and take a look. Can she fall asleep even if she changes her clothes?"

Aunt Bai and Aunt Zhou looked at each other and decided to send one person ahead and follow Lin Ruhai's arrangement.

"Okay, I'll go in and take a look."

Aunt Zhou accepted the gesture with a polite gesture and walked slowly around the screen.

Aunt Bai poured tea to comfort her, "Maybe there are too many clothes to change into, and the girl hasn't picked out a favorite yet, so it took a while."

Lin Ruhai picked up the teacup, took another sip, and became suspicious.

Putting the teacup heavily on the table, Lin Ruhai suddenly stood up and walked quickly to the inner room.

Aunt Bai quickly stopped him, "Master, Master, what are you doing? The girl is changing her clothes, how can you force your way in, Master?"

Lin Ruhai pushed away Aunt Bai's hand that was trying to stop him, lifted the door curtain, and looked inside. He saw a group of maids gathered around Aunt Zhou, all of them looking timid. There was no sign of Lin Daiyu.

He didn't dare to look up at the furious Lin Ruhai.

"Okay, okay, you guys really did a good thing. You guys agreed to act with me, didn't you?"

"You guys didn't watch Yue Ling's troupe in vain if they stayed with you. One day, they'll play me!"

Seeing this scene, Lin Ruhai understood everything immediately.

Everyone in the inner house was buying time for Lin Daiyu so that she could run away with Yue Ling.

Lin Ruhai was so angry that he left home without permission that he was extremely furious.

"How could a good daughter be brought up like this? I refused, and she ran away on my back. Isn't this lawless? Where are the family rules? Where is me as a father?"

Lin Ruhai walked out of the courtyard angrily, with Aunt Bai and Aunt Zhou chasing after him, trying to stop him, but the two women in long gowns and skirts could not keep up with Lin Ruhai's pace.

After passing through the second gate, we arrived at the outer curtain.

Lin Ruhai immediately called out, "Come here, come here quickly, prepare a horse for me!"

Han Da, the steward of the Lin residence, hurried out in response.

"Master, Master, what's going on so suddenly? Is there a crackdown on smuggled salt? I'll send a message to the salt soldiers' camp." Lin Ruhai glared and said, "Smuggled salt? This is a illicit marriage! Don't delay any longer. Quickly bring out the horses in the mansion, and have a few servants follow me to chase Yue Xiaoer's carriage!"

Han Da heard this and said with embarrassment, "Master, you don't know that today is the day for horse maintenance. The horses have been taken out to have their hooves repaired and horseshoes nailed, and they haven't been brought back yet."

Lin Ruhai was stunned and asked, "Why? Are you going to act with me too?"

Han Da waved his hands hurriedly, "What are you talking about, Master? I don't know. I have been in the Lin Mansion for fifty years, and I have always been loyal and devoted. I always think about the Mansion in everything. Otherwise, how can I have the face to go to the underworld to see the former master."

Han Da was indeed an old slave. He was conscientious and responsible, and his treatment of others was impeccable. Lin Ruhai couldn't take his anger out on him, so he said, "Send a message to the salt soldiers, have them lead the horses, and follow me to the dock to stop the people."

Lin Ruhai walked out quickly and came to the front hall of the salt factory. He saw that the salt officials and salt soldiers who had just lined up to see him off seemed to be busy at this moment, each doing their job meticulously.

Lin Ruhai said, "Master Gong, bring a few people with horses and follow me out for a while."

The lawyer was holding a large stack of files as he hurried to the classroom. "Master Lin, there are too many salt affairs and a lot of things to do to resume the Bao family's business. I can't spare time. Master Lin, please let someone else go."

"Yes, Lord Lin, we have a lot of work to do in the next few days. We can't afford to delay for even a moment."

"Yes, Master Lin, if we are late, you will have to punish us. Business is more important."

All the salt officials around agreed and quickly returned to their classrooms and left.

Lin Ruhai couldn't say anything more since they were standing on the side of justice. He also didn't want to delay any longer, so he walked quickly to the gate and pointed to the seven or eight salt soldiers on duty at the gate and said, "Go to the stable, get your horses, and follow me."

A salt soldier fell to the ground instantly, holding his stomach, and rolled on the grass, "Ouch, everyone has a stomachache, I have to go to the bathroom first."

The other salt soldiers opened their eyes wide, not expecting there was such a way to play, and immediately followed suit.

Some people say that you can’t ride a horse if you have hemorrhoids on your buttocks that haven’t heal

Someone said that he fell a few days ago and couldn't step into the stirrups.

What's more, some people said that their family was preparing for pregnancy and their mother wanted a grandchild, so they couldn't go right away.

Lin Ruhai was so angry that he was fuming. He pointed at the last salt soldier who hadn't found an excuse and said, "You, you, do you have anything to say?"

The salt soldier had a sad face, looked around at his brothers who were watching the fun, and said hesitantly, "Sir, I really don't lie. This... to be honest, the Marquis took your daughter away, that's a family matter, it's not for us to get involved."

Lin Ruhai's eyes widened, "You all know?"

The honest salt soldier nodded and said, "Your daughter was hidden in a wooden box that was supposed to be a betrothal gift. She must have gotten out of her breath before she even left the gate of the salt factory."

"Then he got on the Marquis's Treading Snow Without Traces and disappeared in the blink of an eye. Even if we were to chase him, it would be too late now since we have already walked for almost half an hour..."

Lin Ruhai was so angry that he clenched his fists and said angrily: "Okay, okay, you did a good thing, all good things! You are all smart, and I am the only one who was tricked!"

The salt soldier consoled him, "Sir, we are not teaming up to deceive you. It's just that the whole city knows about your daughter and the Marquis. Even if the Marquis doesn't take the girl away, then... so what? Sooner or later, won't it be..."

Lin Ruhai was not comforted at all by the salt soldiers. He stamped his feet and called out, "Han Da, go and get me the donkey pulling the mill in the backyard. I must chase it out today."

He had never expected that the entire Salt Inspectorate would cooperate with this play, and that it could provoke Lin Ruhai into this state, driving the donkey out of his face. Han Da was dumbfounded, and his tone weakened a bit, "Master, how can this donkey cart catch up with the horse carriage..."

Lin Ruhai said coldly: "If you don't hurry, how can you know? Go quickly!"

Han Da returned to the inner house reluctantly. The salt soldiers who had been pretending to be sick on the ground came to Lin Ruhai again and tried to dissuade him by all means.

Lin Ruhai was so persuaded that veins popped out on his forehead and he almost got into a fight with them.

"Today, I have seen through you all. You all know how to judge the situation. What benefits did Yue Ling give you to teach you to be so indifferent to me? Don't you know who this Salt Court Censor is? Who is your immediate superior?"

Han Da came back, leading a sick donkey that trembled with every step.

"Master, the donkey is here."

Lin Ruhai glanced sideways, turned over, rode on the donkey, and drove out of the Salt Bureau Yamen.

The two concubines at the Lin residence who witnessed all this were bent over with laughter.

Aunt Zhou wiped the tears from her eyes and said with a smile, "These salt soldiers are really rough people. What does not being able to have children have to do with riding a horse? It's really ridiculous."

Aunt Bai also covered her face with a round fan and echoed, "It's because the master is clear about rewards and punishments on weekdays, and he won't punish them for such a thing. They know it very well, so they dare to act like this."

"Otherwise, if you meet a petty-minded superior, your life will be difficult in the future."

Aunt Zhou nodded and said, "What a salt soldier said is right. This is a family matter. It is not easy for them to intervene, and it is not easy for the master to punish them."

Suddenly, the two concubines who were watching the fun retched at the same time, which scared the maids beside them.

"Mrs. Zhou, Mrs. Bai, what's wrong with you?"

The two looked at each other in shock, and both saw the shock on each other's faces.

"This... retching for no reason, could it be?"

The maids stared with eyes wide open, and hurried out to announce the good news, shouting, "Housekeeper Han, Housekeeper Han, go and get a doctor for the two concubines!"

……

At the same time, outside Yangzhou Prefecture,

A black Arabian horse with snow-white hooves was galloping through the fields.

Lin Daiyu, standing in front of the saddle, smiled with her eyes full of affection into a crescent shape. She pointed into the distance and said, "Brother Yue, the pier is ahead. We have arrived."

Yue Ling smiled and responded, "I've already told you, Sister Lin, don't worry. Master Lin can't catch up with us."

Lin Daiyu raised her lips slightly and said proudly, "I have convinced everyone in the inner house to cooperate with me in the play to stop Daddy."

Yue Ling held the reins with one hand, supported Lin Daiyu's body with the other, and kicked the stirrup a few times.

"Drive, drive!"

"So Sister Lin said so. To be honest, I haven't just been looking through case files in the government office these days. I've also taken care of everyone in the government office..."

Lin Daiyu turned around and smiled, feeling even happier.

In the distance, the surface of the Grand Canal sparkles, reflecting the blue sky in all its colors.

There was a wilderness all around. The crops in the early spring fields had not yet sprouted. There were only groups of birds resting on the branches of willows by the fields, chirping.

The footsteps on the snow left no trace, like a gust of wind passing by, startling a few orioles.

Lin Daiyu turned around, raised her head slightly and looked at Yue Ling, calling out: "Brother Yue, there are only two of us here. Do you still remember when we parted in Cangzhou..."

Yue Ling understood in his heart, leaned down and kissed Lin Daiyu gently on the cheek, "Sister Lin, is this what you meant?"

Reflecting the sunlight, Lin Daiyu's eyes glowed with an extraordinary brilliance.

After a moment, Lin Daiyu raised her arms and put them around Yue Ling's neck, whispering in his ear, "Brother Yue, I'm not a child anymore."

Then Lin Daiyu turned her head, aimed in the direction, and stuck to it, "Hmm..."

(End of this chapter)