Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 58 Testing
With rain and cold wind, the sky becomes gloomy as autumn comes.

From early morning till noon, the autumn sun could not break through the thick clouds, and it remained like this for the whole day.

As soon as Yue Ling entered the hall, he brought in a gust of cold wind.

"I have met His Highness."

The King of Qin saw that Yue Ling seemed to be in a hurry to go out, and it was raining. There were still water drops in his hair and his body was wet. He said in a warm voice: "Sit down and talk. Come, bring a heater."

Yue Ling sat at the side, holding a hand warmer, and wiped his body with the handkerchief handed to him by the palace servant, and said, "Your Highness, I came here to tell you two things."

King Qin nodded, "Go on."

"First, when I went out yesterday, I was followed by the Jinyiwei. I noticed and intercepted them. The man only gave me a waist badge, which is here and presented to Your Highness for review."

Yue Ling took off the badge from his waist, placed it on the brocade plate that the palace servant had just held, and presented it to the King of Qin.

The King of Qin took the badge, looked it over and over, and found nothing unusual, so he asked, "Did you say anything else?"

Yue Ling shook his head and said, "He didn't say much. When I asked what the badge was for, he just told me to do with it myself."

The King of Qin frowned slightly, confused for a moment.

"Mr. Dongfang, what do you think the Jinyiwei meant by this?"

Dongfang Zhi rolled up his sleeves and thought for a moment. "The streets outside the Qin Palace are full of people of all kinds. I don't know how many people have eyes on them. If the Jinyiwei wanted to pass on a message, I'm afraid it would be difficult. It's different for Yue Xiaoyou. Even the most well-trained Jinyiwei in Dachang can't escape his detection."

"I think it's probably because the Royal Guards have something to tell Your Highness, but they can't write it down on paper. When Your Highness enters the palace and meets Chief Steward Dai, he may find out."

"Dai Quan?"

The King of Qin repeated it, his doubts deepening.

The Jinyiwei is a sharp knife used by my father, hanging high above the heads of all officials. If we look for him, what message can we convey?
Could it be that the emperor has something to say?
It would be better to say that it is more likely that the Jinyiwei wanted to recruit Yue Ling.

King Qin couldn't figure out the reason, so he asked Yue Ling: "What about the second one?"

"Secondly, I met Prince Kang at Tiekan Temple outside the city. Tiekan Temple is really strange, and some houses in the temple are temporarily closed. Moreover, I always thought that Prince Kang would not need too many people to follow him when he was eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddha in the temple, but Wang Changshi, who controls all matters in the palace, is here."

"King Kang looked even more radiant, not like someone who had been fasting for months. Besides, I also saw a farmer asking the temple to compensate for a sheep in front of the temple..."

Yue Ling repeated everything he had seen and heard that day verbatim for King Qin and Dongfang Zhi to consider.

After Yue Ling finished speaking, the King of Qin, who had been in deep thought at first, now had a gloomy look on his face, just like the weather outside.

Dongfang Zhi spoke up to relieve the worry, "The temple is maintained by the rich families in the city. Every household has a shrine in it. Even the city officials dare not offend them. Even if a fugitive enters the temple, they will no longer search it. It has become a lawless place."

"I will send someone to investigate." The King of Qin took a deep breath and tightened the belt around his waist. "I will go to the palace first. Yue Ling, you come with me."

Dongfang Zhi bowed and saw the two of them off.

……

Imperial City, Xuanwu Gate,

As the only way to enter the palace, this place is open inside and outside the city gate, and the Yulin Army is guarding both sides of the road.

In the distance, sand and mud were raised, and two horsemen were galloping towards them. The guards habitually pointed their spears and stepped forward to stop them. When the people got closer and realized it was the King of Qin, they hurriedly retreated to their original positions and stood ready to wait.

The horse's front hooves leaped high, splashing some mud and water, and the horse's neighing led the King of Qin to his feet. "Greetings, His Majesty the King of Qin."

The Yulin soldiers on both sides bowed together, and the King of Qin nodded in response and dismounted.

Considering that Yue Ling's status was not suitable for entering the palace, he told him, "Stay here for a while. I'm going to visit my mother."

After saying this, the King of Qin strode into the Xuanwu Gate.

The city walls looked even more mottled after the rain, and the water level of the moat that circled the city had risen a lot, so that duckweed was floating all over the reservoir in the city, and frogs were croaking their last words on it.

After passing Xuanwu Gate is the Taiji Hall, the main hall located in the center of the imperial city. If you want to go to the harem, you have to walk through the porches on both sides and pass the alley to arrive.

The King of Qin grew up in the palace since he was a child. Even though he was granted a fiefdom, he never left the palace because of his great military achievements. After so many years and so many morning court sessions, it goes without saying that he is very familiar with this place. Why would he need a eunuch to lead the way?

But just after the first porch, eunuchs were already waiting behind the wall.

The visitor shook her sleeves and bowed deeply to the King of Qin, "Your servant greets His Highness the King of Qin."

The King of Qin stopped and took a closer look. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Chief Steward Dai, you are not here to look after my father, but you are waiting for me here. Do you think I don't know the way?"

Dai Quan bowed his head and replied, "I just came from Kunning Palace and was ordered by the Empress to wait for Your Highness. The Empress has missed Your Highness for a long time, and it would be uneasy for Her Highness to let someone else come."

The King of Qin nodded slightly and walked forward again, "How is Father's condition?"

"I feel much better, but I am not as energetic as before. I need to sleep at least half a day. Your Majesty is busy with state affairs every day. After reviewing the memorials, he will go to bed to rest."

The King of Qin frowned and said in a slightly reproachful tone, "Why hasn't your father recovered in half a year? Shouldn't we find a famous doctor from outside to treat him?"

Dai Quan hurriedly said, "The Imperial Hospital has gathered the best doctors in the world. Where else can we find famous doctors outside the palace?"

"Then why did the Queen Mother also fall ill and not get better for such a long time?"

Dai Quan had no answer to this question. He just lowered his head and looked at his feet without saying anything.

"Well, I'll go visit him by myself."

After walking for a while and entering the harem, when they were near the cave entrance, Dai Quan reminded them, "Your Highness, be careful with your steps."

The King of Qin threw his robes to reveal the waist badge with flying fish pattern hanging from his waist, and then turned to Dai Quan and said, "Does Dai, Chief Steward, think that the road I'm on is not an easy one, so he reminded me to watch my step?"

Dai Quan looked around and saw that the road was full of palace maids and eunuchs. He replied in a low voice: "There are indeed some bumps in the road right now. Your Highness, please be careful."

The King of Qin smiled up at the sky, pointed at Dai Quan and said, "I now understand why my father values ​​you. You are smart."

Dai Quan knelt down on the side of the road and said, "I dare not."

The King of Qin snorted and said, "Stand up. You are the one who has the final say in the harem. If you kneel on the ground like this, how will they look at you and me? Wouldn't it make people think that I was harsh on you?"

"Don't worry, if I have any questions, I will come to you."

After whispering this again, the King of Qin patted Dai Quan on the shoulder and strode into the inner room of the Cining Palace.

Dai Quan only felt sweat on his back, and a cold wind blew past, making him feel chilly.

　Thanks for reading!!!
　　Autumn is here, and the flu is prevalent again. Everyone should remember to wear more clothes~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)