Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Lin Daiyu was dressed in formal mourning clothes, a mourning cap on her head, straw sandals on her feet, and holding a bamboo stick in her right hand. She knelt upright in front of Lin Ruhai's coffin.

She touched her waist.

The sash she removed during the Xiaoxiang ceremony made her mourning clothes less restrictive, but she felt uncomfortable.

She looked up at her father's spirit tablet, a little dazed.

That night in the Yangzhou villa, she had a conversation with her father, and the topic they discussed was her future destination.

Lin Ruhai heard from Jia Lian's words that she and Baoyu were in love, so after hesitating for a long time, he discussed it openly with his daughter and asked her if she wanted to marry Baoyu.

Lin Daiyu rejected this speculation.

Lin Ruhai breathed a sigh of relief and immediately asked her to get paper and pen to leave a letter for Tao Xingjian.

Lin Daiyu still remembered that her father said to her while writing furiously: "The Jia family has long been rotten. Although Bao is sincere, he is not a man who can turn the tide. He cannot protect you.

"What's more, your mother was extremely proud when she was in her boudoir, and the old lady favored her. The relationships with her brothers, sisters, and aunts and sisters-in-law were all... as indifferent as those between gentlemen.

"If you stay there for a while, you can still be safe with the money I left for you. But if you are completely deceived by others, if you want to stay there forever, I am afraid you will not have a good ending.

"So, you have to seize the opportunity and leave early!"

Daiyu sighed deeply in her heart.

Why wouldn't she want to leave sooner?

However, she was still young, and it was almost impossible for her to leave Rongguo Mansion and start her own business. Grandmother Jia would not let her go out to experience the ups and downs, and Jia Zheng and others would not give up the reputation of the Jia family.

Secondly, since she already knew that if she did not repent, the Jia family would sooner or later collapse and be broken up; and as Lady Jia's granddaughter, she could not really just watch and do nothing.

Especially, there are so many innocent people in this mansion.

For example, Li Wan and Jia Lan, Ying Xi, Yuan Yang, Zi Juan...

I always try my best.

Lin Daiyu lowered her eyes and kowtowed respectfully to Lin Ruhai's spirit tablet, saying in her heart: Father, mother, please bless me to bring those fools back to the right path, save this Rongguo Mansion, and save this place that my mother missed even before her death!

Daiyu's tears were still on her face as she kowtowed according to etiquette while crying.

Gradually, she cried until she became a little dizzy.

Tao Xingjian, who insisted on staying with Lin Daiyu inside the curtain and refused to be followed by that group of sycophants outside, saw that something was wrong and hurried forward to help Lin Daiyu:

"Don't cry too hard, it hurts your body."

Lin Daiyu looked up at him, her eyes were red and swollen. She forced her eyes open and hummed softly.

Seeing her crying like this, Tao Xingjian felt very anxious. He turned around and found Aunt Meng, beckoning her to come over.

Aunt Meng did not move, but motioned Zijuan and Xiaohong to go over and said, "Help the girl go."

The two men hurried over and knelt on either side of Daiyu.

With the two of them by her side, Daiyu was naturally distracted and less sad. She could not help but whisper to Tao Xingjian, "Uncle, go and sit down! I'm fine."

"Well, take care of yourself. I have something to tell you later." Tao Xingjian gave another instruction and then returned to his seat.

The family members of the Jia family who were accompanying her in the curtain on the right, and three or two female guests who came to pay their respects, looked at Lin Daiyu through the gaps in the gauze curtain with mixed jealousy and envy in their eyes.

The daughter of the Lin family looked like a delicate and weak little girl. She didn't seem smart, pretty, or charming. How come the eunuch in the palace valued her so much?

What is the connection between this palace eunuch and Lin Ruhai?

Because this sacrificial ceremony was carried out in the simplest manner according to the rules of the Ministry of Rites, it ended in just two hours.

The Jia family had originally invited Jia Yucun, now the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, to read the last and most important prayer. But when Tao Xingjian arrived, he stretched out his hand and took the prayer and said, "I'll do it."

Jia Yucun quickly put on a broad smile and bowed to the ground: "If Supervisor Tao prays for me, I think Brother Lin will be even happier if he is still alive in heaven."

Lin Daiyu was kneeling in a trance when she suddenly heard Tao Xingjian's voice, full of energy, sad and nostalgic:

"On the first day of the year, the orphan Lin. I, Tao Xingjian, dare to announce to the Imperial Censor of Salt that he was given the posthumous title of Marquis Wen'an Lin Gong, whose name is Hai: As time goes by, great auspiciousness will come. I long for eternity, and will never neglect my duty... Please enjoy the feast."

Lin Daiyu burst into tears!

Ancient ritual: After the great auspicious ceremony, there is no crying outside, but there are fish sauces and meat sauces inside.

Apart from the mourning clothes, his life returned to normal. In the eyes of outsiders and within the ritual system, the funeral for his father was over.

One must also step out of the mourning period, face the world and enter the world of mortals as an independent person.

If it weren't for a second life, the loneliness and fear at this moment alone would be enough to make such an orphan turn around and escape into the false illusion of endless pampering and nobility created for her by the Rongguo Mansion.

However, in this life, I am not here to endure, but to fight!

Lin Daiyu cried heartily, but she was determined: This was the last time, I cried like this!

Tao Xingjian followed the steps of rising, entering, kneeling, and offering sacrifices. He accompanied Lin Daiyu in shedding tears. He watched Lin Daiyu leave first, and then he left the mourning hall with those holding the vase and the jar.

Once the offerings and food are removed and the mourning hall is closed, the grand ceremony is considered over.

The female members of the family naturally went out from the other side, while the men outside were all eagerly waiting for Tao Xingjian to come out so that they could greet him.

At this time, Xiaohong came out quickly and quietly reported to Jia Zheng: "Tao Jian has gone to comfort Miss Lin. Please treat the guests first and don't be impolite..."

Jia Zheng immediately understood: Tao Xingjian didn't want to socialize with this group of people at all!

He could only force himself to smile and bow, pretending that he didn't know what these people were here for, and invited them to sit down and eat: "I have prepared some water and wine in my humble abode, please enjoy before you leave!"

Meanwhile, Tao Xingjian went to visit Daiyu.

Daiyu returned to the Pear Fragrance Courtyard, washed her face and combed her hair again, took off her mourning clothes, changed into a white cap and plain clothes, a leather belt and plain shoes, and then came out to see Tao Xingjian again and paid him a great respect:

"Thank you, Uncle Shi!"

Tao Xingjian helped her up with a sad look, and sighed, "Your father entrusted you to me, and I must follow the righteousness of a friend and be loyal to him. If you can be healthy and happy, I will not have let your father down."

Aunt Meng also greeted Tao Xingjian again, and smiled to take credit: "My sister is feeling much better now, how should Supervisor Tao reward me?"

"His Majesty asked you to come. Go and ask His Majesty for a reward."

Tao Xingjian had finally met Daiyu, so how could he have the heart to joke with Aunt Meng? He replied directly, then immediately turned to Daiyu with a smile:

"Last time, Aunt Meng said you wanted a book stamp, and you asked me for some books. But I lost the list of books. I'm afraid things didn't go as you wished, so don't blame me!"

Daiyu was surprised and shook her head with a smile: "How could it be?!"

Tao Xingjian smiled, took out a small box from his bosom and handed it to Daiyu: "This is a book seal."

Then he handed her a booklet and said, "This is the book record."

Daiyu opened the box and found a piece of chicken blood stone. She picked it up and looked at the bottom of the seal. There were two lines and eight characters, written in a powerful and vigorous style: The Imperial Gift to Lin Daiyu’s Collection of Books!