Dream of the Red Chamber: Daiyu and I swapped clothes

Chapter 24 Got into big trouble
The Zhenyuan Marquis's Residence

Inside the study, Marquis Li Chong of Zhenyuan sat upright behind a black lacquered desk, but his face did not show the same joy as Madam Zou's. Instead, it was as gloomy as still water.

After knocking on the door, Lin Daiyu stepped in quietly, instinctively wanting to perform a full curtsy, but she suddenly realized her mistake the moment her knees bent and awkwardly changed it into a fist-and-palm salute.

"master."

Lin Daiyu felt that her current situation was extremely awkward.

Moreover, he was never as close to the Marquis of Zhenyuan as he was to Lady Zou, making it difficult for her to call him "Father".

Fortunately, the Marquis of Zhenyuan was still lost in his own thoughts and his attention was not on her. Only after hearing Lin Daiyu's voice did he slowly raise his head and wave his hand, saying, "Come and sit down, the advisors are not here."

"Yes."

Sitting on the round stool beside the desk, Lin Daiyu felt uneasy.

"The matter of winter clothing for the military camp is temporarily settled." The Marquis of Zhenyuan's voice was low and slow, tinged with weariness. "However, news came back from Mr. Xing. Just as you predicted, there is indeed someone behind Steward Qiu."

"This man is none other than the Earl of Zhongxin, who also belongs to the same noble lineage."

Lin Daiyu knew very little about these external affairs, and after hearing the Marquis of Zhenyuan point out these unfamiliar names, her palms were already sweating.

Adhering to the principle that too much talk leads to mistakes, Lin Daiyu was reluctant to speak and listened as Marquis Zhenyuan continued his narration.

"Perhaps you are unaware of the background of this Marquis Zhongxin. He is a confidant of the First Prince. Since the First Prince took command of the army, he has always been by the side and is highly trusted. In the thirty-fifth year of Tai'an, he followed the First Prince to Qin Chuan to conquer the Western Mongolia. He made great contributions and was granted the title of new noble."

Lin Daiyu tentatively asked, "Does he have a grudge against my household?"

Marquis Zhenyuan shook his head. “I have always been careful in my actions and do not make enemies outside. If there is a reason, it is probably that he has his eye on my post of purchasing military supplies... He wants to frame me and take my place.”

"Then... the First Prince probably tacitly agrees as well."

"This is the outcome I feared most. So, Chen'er, do you still have a decision on this matter?"

The Marquis of Zhenyuan suddenly raised his head and looked intently at her, causing Lin Daiyu to tense up uncomfortably.

coming!

They really came here seeking advice.

That playboy was so important to the Marquis of Zhenyuan?

Lin Daiyu was truly caught off guard.

She could handle writing essays and composing poems with ease, and even taking the imperial examinations. But the infighting in the court and the struggles among the princes were a completely different and dangerous world to her.

How could she possibly offer advice?

But thanks to Lin Daiyu's keen intellect, she was still able to quickly piece together the story.

The current crown prince is the second prince, and the eldest prince is the eldest son of a concubine, but both are deeply involved in the military and have a complex and intertwined power base.

As a noble family, the Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion was inevitably involved with the eldest prince.

However, the family's power has waned, and the next generation, including this纨绔 (wán kù, a spoiled and dissolute young man) elder brother, no longer holds a title.

At this point, being preyed upon by the strong is almost inevitable.

If we choose to report this to the Crown Prince and try to resolve the matter internally, turning a major issue into a minor one and a minor one into nothing, we will likely still be bullied next time, and everyone will want to take advantage of this pushover.

But if it's a desperate gamble that reaches the highest levels of government, then it might really cause a major upheaval.

Lin Daiyu couldn't think of any other solutions besides these two, but she couldn't decide which one to choose.

Lin Daiyu slightly raised her eyes, secretly observing the expression on Zhenyuan Marquis's face.

The uprightness between the brows and the struggle in the eyes of this marquis reminded Lin Daiyu of her own father, Lin Ruhai. Both of them were straightforward and not good at scheming.

Therefore, Lin Daiyu felt that the Marquis of Zhenyuan must have an answer in his heart, but he just didn't have a reason to support him in following his heart.

Thinking of this, Lin Daiyu took a deep breath and began to speak of the sages' principles that she was most familiar with, "Father, I... no, I believe that the key to this matter lies in the word 'reason'." "Our Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion acts in accordance with the Emperor's grace above and the soldiers below. If we stand on this 'reason', we can advance or retreat as we please. Now that the evidence is conclusive, that is our greatest 'reason'."

"As for how to handle this, I am too inexperienced to make a judgment. But I think that presenting this 'reason' in its original form and without embellishment to those who should see it is perhaps more effective than any clever scheme. Father has always been upright and honest, why should you waste your energy on this matter and try to guess what others think? We only ask about the reason, not about good or bad fortune."

Lin Daiyu observed the expression on Zhenyuan Marquis's face and thought to herself, "A gentleman understands righteousness, while a petty person understands profit. I only speak of reason, so I can't be too wrong, can I?"

Ask only about the principles, not about good or bad fortune!
These eight words struck Zhenyuan Hou's heart like a thunderbolt.

He was startled suddenly.

The gloomy mood in his eyes was immediately dispelled by a sudden burst of light.

A sudden gust of wind rose by the window, whipping the curtains wildly. Outside, large snowflakes fell in a flurry, creating a desolate and serene atmosphere.

Marquis Zhenyuan suddenly pushed back his chair, stood up, and said in a booming voice, "Good! What a fine 'only ask about reason, not about fortune or misfortune'! Hahaha, I was too attached to appearances, not as insightful as my son!"

The Marquis of Zhenyuan strode up to Lin Daiyu, patted her shoulder heavily, and looked at her with unprecedented appreciation and relief. “That’s right! Why should the Marquis of Zhenyuan’s family have to worry about what others think? We are loyal to the emperor and uphold morality. How could we submit to the power of some prince? Besides, he is not even the crown prince!”

"It's settled then! I'll go to the palace now and submit my memorial!"

After saying this, without waiting for Lin Daiyu's reaction, he grabbed the cloak beside him and strode out of the study with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger, his figure quickly disappearing into the swirling snow.

“I…” Lin Daiyu froze on the spot, staring at the still swaying curtain, speechless for a moment.

So... he's entered the palace?

Have I... committed a terrible crime?
A chill ran through her, and fear gripped her. Lin Daiyu was flustered and desperately needed something to lean on. She turned and hurried toward the main room of Lady Zou, the wife of the Marquis of Zhenyuan.

As soon as I stepped into the room, I was greeted by warmth and the aroma of tea.

Before she could speak, Madam Zou, who doted on the child, insisted that she sit down and have some warm tea before speaking.

Just then, the maid Chun Tao, her hair covered in snowflakes, excitedly burst in.

"Madam, this is wonderful news, fantastic news!"

"What's making you so smug?" Madam Zou couldn't help but frown and scold her gently.

Chun Tao's face was beaming with joy, and her voice was filled with excitement. "Madam, the Xue family has made up for all the money. They said they wouldn't take a single penny from us, and only asked that we have more dealings with your family in the future."

"How could such a thing happen?" Zou couldn't help but stand up, her face full of surprise.

Sitting to the side, Lin Daiyu pondered, "I never expected that Sister Bao would be such a timely help, able to persuade my aunt's daughter to spend money to buy a horse's bones? She really has great courage. I must thank her properly when I get back."

"It seems that my previous preparations have paid off today. I'm truly worthy of my reputation."

Upon realizing this unexpected joy, Ms. Zou came to her senses and discovered that her son was still beside her.

"Chen'er, what do you want to talk to your mother about?"

Seeing the long-lost ease on Zou's face, Lin Daiyu swallowed back the words she was about to say, and only said a soft concern, "It's nothing, I just saw that the wind and snow were heavy outside, so I came to remind Mother to put on an extra layer of clothing."

Lin Daiyu got up to leave, but as soon as she reached the door, she heard two people behind her talking in hushed tones, yet still very clearly.

"Chuntao, have you heard why the Xue family is offering such a large sum of money?"

"I haven't heard of it, but..."

Chuntao glanced at Lin Daiyu furtively and said, "I heard that the Xue family has a daughter of marriageable age. A while ago, the young master of the Xue family even specially invited our young master to a banquet. Could it be that he has feelings for our young master? After all, our young master has changed his ways and is quite handsome..."

Merchants often sought to curry favor with the powerful and wealthy through marriage, a practice that even Zou Shi found reasonable.

Lin Daiyu had just stepped over the threshold when she abruptly stopped in mid-air, turning around with a look of shock and bewilderment.

"what?!"

(End of this chapter)