Red Mansion Daiyu, the Rise of the Lin Family

"I wish the Concubine Dowager a life as long as the Southern Mountains and a fortune as vast as the East Sea!" Lin Daiyu followed the princess's team to the main hall for the birthday celebration, Songshou Hall.

The place was indeed packed with people. Some left directly after wishing the concubine a happy birthday, while others were asked to stay and chat with the concubine for a while longer.

Here, Lin Daiyu saw Princess Nan'an.

The princess who was once so domineering in Hanshan Temple now sits quietly beside the old princess dowager of Prince Zhongshun.

She lay motionless, with her head down, fiddling with her nails. No matter how cold or warm it was outside, she remained unmoved.

Standing beside her were her son, the Prince of Nannan, and her youngest daughter.

The old concubine seemed to be discussing something with the lady beside her, and occasional laughter could be heard.

Just at this moment, the voices of the princess and others wishing a happy birthday were heard, and everyone's eyes turned to the princess and her group.

The old concubine has a head full of white hair, but she is in good spirits.

With a smile on his face, he greeted everyone, "Don't be so polite. I'm old now and don't want to be polite all the time."

"Your Highness, you are embarrassing me like this."

He walked forward and pulled the two princesses to his side.

"I haven't been to the palace for many days. Children grow up so fast. They seem to have grown taller in just a few months."

……

The two princesses hurriedly presented their birthday gifts.

He casually greeted her, "Our mother misses the old concubine very much, too."

"But it's inconvenient to leave the palace, so we were sent to see the old concubine."

"Now it seems that the old concubine is in good health and spirits. There is no problem for her to live to be a hundred years old."

The old concubine turned her face towards the crowd and said, "Listen, this little mouth of the princess of the Heavenly Family is very good at talking, but if I live to be a hundred years old, I will become an old witch."

"What do you think? Princess Nan'an!"

When Princess Nan'an heard the question directed at her, she raised her eyes from her fingernails and looked at the group of people.

Her son and daughter beside her also followed her gaze and looked around.

Only then could Lin Daiyu see the true face of the "Prince of Nan'an".

Her heart skipped a beat.

When I saw the Prince of Nan'an, I was surprised! He was indeed elegant.

These eyes were no longer sharp, but rather gentle and affectionate.

I feel that his temperament looks quite similar to Jia Baoyu, but his appearance and facial features seem a little inexplicably familiar.

Like who?

The key point is that this person's eyes swept towards me and passed by. Doesn't this mean he doesn't recognize me?

Have I changed a lot as well?

I just wonder if he still recognizes his eagle?

Even Princess Nan'an just curled her lips when she saw Jia Min and Jia's mother.

It’s hard to tell whether this is a mockery or a greeting?

But when the princess came over to greet her, she reached out and took Princess Chaoyang's hand.

"Toffee! As for the question you just asked, I didn't think of the answer at first. But now that I see this pretty girl who is so good at talking, I have an idea."

"As for me, if I have a daughter-in-law, I will definitely treat her as my own daughter."

"Let her flatter me every day."

"How is my own daughter? I will let her be as she pleases."

As soon as the old concubine heard this, she knew that Princess Nan'an was killing two birds with one stone, and continued with what the princess had said before she came.

At the same time, he answered his previous question, which was actually quite right.

So the old concubine smiled and said, "Indeed, a family like ours will definitely treat our daughter-in-law well."

At this time, Princess Nan'an smiled in agreement, "Yes! The first thing my daughter-in-law should do is to be obedient."

"Listen to your husband and mother-in-law. Because my daughter does the same."

"Our family is a military law family. If we are wrong, we will really beat you."

"The first thing to be a daughter-in-law in my family is whether you have a thick skin."

"I'm really afraid of this white jade hand being covered in blood!"

"I really can't bear to let you go!" Princess Nan'an gently stroked the princess's hand when she said this.

The princess was so frightened that she shrank back as if she had been stung by a bee.

"You can't be a mistress of Nan'an Palace if you are timid."

"Princess, what do you think?" Princess Nan'an clapped her hands as if to shake off dust.

As soon as these words were spoken, not only the princess but also the old concubine was dumbfounded.

Everyone knows what these people are here for, right?

The Princess of Nan'an said it so bluntly and with such a hint of meaning.

What is the intention?

Everyone will accept the emperor's order even if they are not happy about it.

Who would want their only son to marry a princess?

This is digging your own grave.

However, no matter how bitter it was, I had to swallow it secretly.

All the land under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people in the world are the king's subjects.

At this moment, as if no one was noticing, the princess secretly withdrew her hand.

……

"Are you serious?" At this moment, everyone suddenly heard a surprised voice coming from outside.

Who is making that loud noise?

Lin Daiyu was startled. It was Jia Min's voice.

Lin Daiyu turned around and saw Jia Min talking to Lady Jia with a pale face.

Fang Zhengya and Shi Xiangyun beside them lowered their heads, not knowing what they were thinking.

"Who did I think it was? It turns out to be the old lady of Duke Rong. She is annoyed that we have been nagging for too long and can't wait any longer."

"Hurry up please!"

"We are all elderly people and we can't let you wait outside."

"The servants here have no eyes, they really deserve to be beaten."

The old concubine saw that it was the Jia family waiting outside.

The daughter with a pale face and the grandmother Jia who couldn't tell whether she was happy or angry.

Who couldn't see that the mother and daughter were having a quarrel?

"Old Concubine, you have many nobles, don't you? It doesn't matter if an old woman like me waits a little longer."

When Grandmother Jia heard what the old empress dowager said, she took her daughter Jia Min by the hand and followed her into Songhe Hall to pay her respects.

Jia Min seemed to be in a trance, and followed Lady Jia's steps forward to salute.

"This is your daughter. I saw her before. She still looks as charming as ever. It seems that the feng shui of Jiangnan is really good. It really nourishes people!"

"She is still tender and delicate, unlike us old barks." Although the old concubine's words were sharp, she still felt uncomfortable.

Then he continued,

"But after being outside for so long, I lost my sense of propriety."

The old concubine looked at the dazed Jia Min and felt unhappy, so she spoke a little harshly.

Grandmother Jia couldn't let her talk about her daughter in front of others.

So I politely retorted, "Like you said, outside, there is no mother-in-law to control me, I can do whatever I want."

"You are the only one who is in power, why do you need to know the limits?"

"I'm over thirty years old, but I'm still like a child. My children are my debt."

"For a family like ours, if we have too much sense, it becomes formality."

The old Queen Mother Zhongshun and Lady Jia were arguing with each other, neither of them giving in.

Lin Daiyu's heart tightened and she followed Jia Min closely.

Is there something fishy going on in the Prince Zhongshun's Mansion? In Dream of the Red Chamber, the Prince Zhongshun's Mansion and the Jia family are not of the same kind.

The final confiscation of property was also the work of Prince Zhongshun’s palace.

Because it was a birthday banquet and there were so many nobles watching, the two old ladies couldn't be too confrontational.

I made a fool of myself for nothing.

After the two old ladies finished speaking, they smiled at each other, which was a bit like the playful old age, and relieved their embarrassment.

……

After paying her symbolic birthday greetings, Lady Jia left Songhe Hall and prepared to go to the banquet venue.

This Songhe Hall cannot accommodate so many people.

Moreover, Grandmother Jia didn't want to stay with the old lady, the Princess Dowager Zhongshun.

Lin Daiyu also said goodbye to the princess and followed Lady Jia and Jia Min. She wanted to hear what had caused Jia Min to lose her composure.

The group walked to the rockery in silence. Seeing no one around, Jia Min asked her mother angrily,

"Mom! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Is what the girl from the Fang family said just now true? My cousin has been dead for several years?" Jia Min had been holding it in, but finally couldn't bear it anymore.

"Min'er, do you notice what kind of occasion this is?"

"Besides, what's the point of telling you?"