The Good Concubine of the Qing Dynasty [Red Mansion]

Madam Lu ended the flower-viewing banquet feeling frustrated; she left with no useful information, just a sense of annoyance.

Upon returning, she planned to tell the matriarch that the Lin family completely disregarded the Zhen family.

Yun Shuyiao and Concubine Mei returned in high spirits. Lin Ruhai, upon learning of this, simply smiled. He and the Zhen family didn’t need to be overly “friendly”; excessive friendliness could lead to more problems.

Even if the Emperor showed favor to the Zhen family, he wouldn’t want his subjects mingling too closely with them.

“You two should prepare to return to the capital.”

At his words, both women fell silent.

Lin Ruhai smiled slightly. “Yingyu’s good days are coming soon, and then Luoyu’s days will follow. I can’t get away right now, but you can help by returning.” He felt regretful about this but realized there was nothing he could do.

They had to handle everything quickly and then return to the capital.

Seeing them silent, Lin Ruhai added, “My injury is healing well, and with Doctor Zhou and the others here, there’s no need to worry. You can go back and bring the dowries I arranged for them here.”

At the mention of dowries, Concubine Mei trembled, feeling quite wronged. “Master, Yingyu’s dowry can’t be lacking; she is the eldest daughter of the Lin family.”

Lin Ruhai sighed a bit helplessly. “We’ll follow the rules, but Luoyu’s must be a bit more generous since she’s entering the royal family.” Although their family hadn’t had a marrying girl for generations, there were established norms for dowries. They would certainly give more than stipulated, never less. As for her wanting Yingyu’s dowry to exceed Luoyu’s… Lin Ruhai looked at her calmly. The dowry he prepared for his eldest daughter was already enough to make her the envy of most noble girls in the capital; how could she feel wronged?

Concubine Mei lowered her head.

Yingyu’s suitor wouldn’t be lacking, but unfortunately, Luoyu had the better match—she was going to the royal family, so Yingyu’s dowry would inevitably be overshadowed.

It was indeed frustrating.

Yun Shuyao smiled slightly, “We all understand your good intentions for Yingyu, sister. It’s for the children’s future, so they can live well. The Master and the matriarch will provide support, and since I gave birth to Luoyu, I’ll provide support too. If you feel it’s not enough, you can add your own contribution.”

The dowry from the family would be more generous for Luoyu, but what truly set them apart were the personal items she prepared for her daughter.

Lin Ruhai also thought of the dowry she arranged for Luoyu, and even he felt a jolt of surprise.

Concubine Mei furrowed her brow, “Of course I’ll add my own contribution, but how much can that really be?”

Lin Ruhai: “…”

Yun Shuyao smiled but remained silent.

Concubine Mei recalled hearing the master and his daughter mention how the Yun family often paid for Luoyu’s jewelry out of her own pockets. She had never believed it, thinking it was the master’s support. Could it really be that they were using their own money?

“Where did you get so much money?”

Yun Shuyao’s smile brightened even more. “Of course, it comes from my business—legitimate and compliant.”

The flowers and plants she cultivated were popular, so naturally, she earned more.

Concubine Mei: “…”

She glanced at the master, who seemed to agree, feeling defeated.

Before leaving, Yun Shuyao met with her cousin Yun Changyi.

He was quite the busy person, constantly directed by Lin Ruhai.

During her visits, she had hardly seen him.

Yun Changyi had also narrowly escaped assassination during previous turmoil but was now mostly unharmed. He looked a bit thinner but was still full of energy.

“Elder brother, do you plan to take the imperial examination next time?”

Yun Changyi smiled, revealing his bright white teeth against his darker skin. “No, my mind isn’t calm. My talent isn’t great, so participating would just be a waste of time.”

Before coming here, he hadn’t made a firm decision, but after seeing so much in Yangzhou, he had resolved himself.

Yun Changyi sighed. “Shuyao, you may not realize how much change you’ve brought to everyone.”

He was overseeing salt production by the sea.

Previously, everyone only knew how to boil salt, which consumed countless human and material resources. Now, they just needed to dig a pond and, with good weather, they could produce endless coarse salt.

For the common people, coarse salt was sufficient.

They could also provide fine salt.

Why were the merchants so panicked?

It was because they knew that with the ease of obtaining coarse salt, their previously hard-earned advantages would no longer hold.

Having accomplished so much, he was certain he could smoothly enter officialdom. With Lord Lin’s support and his cousin, who had discovered all this first, he wondered how the emperor would reward them after their duties were completed. Surely, it wouldn’t be a small reward.

Thinking of this, Yun Changyi’s teeth seemed to shine even brighter.

Yun Shuyao and Concubine Mei organized their belongings together, heading north with a large entourage. To prevent any mishaps, they brought plenty of people, as well as items purchased for Lin Ruhai’s two marrying daughters.

Their return to the capital was much faster than Concubine Mei’s trip south, and although it was arduous, she didn’t complain this time—she was eager to return home.

As they were almost back in the capital and had chosen an inn as their resting place, Yun Shuyao overheard some rumors or perhaps amusing anecdotes about a lightning strike that had recently occurred.

“It just so happened to strike a rather peculiar monk and priest.”

“They were struck by lightning; they must be bad people, as they reportedly spat blood from the strike.”

“I heard it wasn’t just that—they died! They must have committed some unforgivable sins to face such divine punishment.”

Why did everyone think it was divine punishment?

Because there were other people nearby at the time, yet none were harmed—only these two were struck.

The accounts varied widely. Some claimed they were turned to charcoal on the spot, while others said they spat blood and then left as if nothing had happened. There were even claims that they were demons, struck by lightning and returned to their true forms, only to be stomped to death by someone.

Amidst the diverse tales, what caught Yun Shuyao’s interest was the description of the two individuals, which bore a striking resemblance to those who had intruded upon the Lin family before. They were still her prime suspects.

Could it be that Lin Ruhai had done something to bring upon them divine retribution?

Holding onto this doubt, Yun Shuyao and Concubine Mei entered the capital.

The old lady’s people had been waiting for them for quite some time. As soon as they entered, they were led to the old lady’s courtyard, where all four children were seated. When they looked over, their expressions were remarkably unified.

Yun Shuyao first took out a letter. “Grandmother, this is a letter from Master.” Lin Ruhai had written a letter to everyone, from the old lady to Daiyu.

In addition to the letters everyone received, each person also had a special gift prepared by Lin Ruhai, tailored to their individual preferences.

Seeing these gifts brought smiles to their faces.

The old lady read the letter several times before putting it down, her expression gentle as she asked Yun Shuyao, “How is the Master doing now? Is his injury better?”

Yun Shuyiao replied, “He’s basically recovered. He just needs to rest and take care of himself, and he’ll be fine.”

Upon hearing this, the old lady felt a bit displeased. Her son wasn’t fully healed, and there should be someone by his side to take care of him.

But then she looked at Yingyu and Luoyu and dismissed her dissatisfaction.

Well, with so many people around him, he wouldn’t be neglected.

Once her granddaughter’s wedding was settled, they could go south again.

The old lady then asked about Lin Ruhai’s daily life and the current situation over there. Hearing that things were stable, she nodded slowly, recalling that they had attended the Zhen family’s flower-viewing banquet before returning. “The Zhen family…”

She felt a bit sentimental; she almost forgot about this family. The Zhen family was like a local power in Jinling.

Their relationship with the Jia family was quite good.

After clarifying everything she wanted to know, the old lady decided not to keep the two concubines any longer, allowing them to return to their own courtyards. She also sent her two granddaughters and grandson back.

The three of them left, following their aunt.

Daiyu watched this scene with a hint of envy.

Her mother was no longer around; if she were, she would have walked behind her as well.

The old lady noticed and pulled her close. “Daiyu, what are you thinking about? Are you missing your mother?”

Her question caught Daiyu off guard, and her tears began to flow.

She remembered her mother’s tenderness and love vividly, and it always brought her sadness.

This made the old lady sigh every time.

“Daiyu, you must cherish your health. Your mother wouldn’t want to see you unhappy, and neither do I. Our Daiyu is the treasure of our family, and you will live a life filled with peace and joy…”

As she slowly expressed her hopes for her granddaughter, Daiyu’s tears gradually stopped, and a smile emerged on her face.

Yun Shuyao returned to the courtyard with the two children, and the maids greeted them joyfully, offering tea and snacks before quietly retreating.

With a clear view all around, anyone trying to eavesdrop wouldn’t be able to get close.

Luoyu clung to Yun Shuyiao’s arm, asking, “Aunt, are you tired?”

Yun Shuyao replied, “Not really.”

“Has anything happened in the capital during this time? Is everything smooth at the Fourth Prince’s residence?” It was Chenyu who answered first. “Father caused quite a scene at court, getting angry with many people, and there was even a ritual for heaven afterward.”

As he spoke, Chenyu smiled and said, “Speaking of which, there’s an interesting story. Aunt, do you remember that monk and Taoist who barged into our home? In broad daylight, they were struck by two bolts of lightning in front of everyone, spat out blood, and then ran away.”

This was exactly what Yun Shuyiao wanted to find out: “Where did this happen? Were there many witnesses?”

Chenyu replied, “Right around Rongguo House. There were servants from the Jia family and their relatives present, all of whom saw it. The news spread quickly throughout the capital and beyond.”

Yun Shuyao nodded. “I heard about it on the way, but there are many versions. What happened to them in the end? Is there any follow-up?”

Chenyu looked disappointed. “They escaped. I sent people to look for them, but couldn’t find anyone.”

Yun Shuyao also nodded in regret; it seemed likely that the two of them were still alive.

The next question was answered by Luoyu. Although she was a newlywed and usually kept out of many matters, she was well aware of the situation: “Everything is going smoothly. Aunt, you don’t need to worry about me; instead, we’ve been concerned about you during this time…”

The three of them chatted for a long while in the courtyard. In another courtyard, Aunt Mei was also speaking with Yingyu, asking, “Have you finalized your dowry list?”

Hearing this, Yingyu blushed. “Aunt, how would I know?”

“You still don’t know? This is about your lifelong happiness; how can you not know? I’ll ask the old lady tomorrow,” she comforted her daughter. “Your dowry will definitely be substantial; this time, your father has added many things for you.”

Yingyu felt a bit helpless. “Aunt, Grandmother loves us. Although I don’t know the exact amount yet, a lot has already been prepared…” Her voice grew quieter as she continued, “It’s already quite generous; Grandmother won’t shortchange us.”

Aunt Mei raised an eyebrow. “It’s true that your grandmother won’t shortchange your second sister, but it’s because of her good fortune to be chosen for the Fourth Prince’s residence. You need to pay more attention. If you don’t care and end up at a loss, you won’t have a leg to stand on. The Xilin Juelu family isn’t particularly wealthy, and you’re marrying into a middle-ranking position. Once the older generation passes, the family will split up. If you don’t have money in hand, how will you get by later?”

The news of their return had reached the Jia family, who sent someone to invite them.

They were invited to a flower-viewing banquet, which was a useful occasion; wherever there was a need, they would move quickly.

Even if their own garden didn’t originally have flowers, as long as there was a requirement, flowers could be arranged overnight for the banquet.

Among those invited by the Jia family, Yingyu and Luoyu, who were about to get married, were not included. Instead, Chenyu and Daiyu were invited, along with two other aunts, who wanted to inquire about Lin Ruhai’s current situation.

When the invitation arrived, the old lady initially wanted to decline, but then she saw the expression on Daiyu’s face.

It had been a long time since she had seen her cousins, and she missed them. Seeing Daiyu like this, the old lady’s heart softened.

Then she asked Chenyu to go along; his only task was to keep Jia Baoyu away from Daiyu, and that would solve the problem.

Neither Yun Shuyao nor Aunt Mei refused, but their reasons for accepting were different.

Yun Shuyao wanted to go and gather firsthand information about the monk and Daoist who had been struck by lightning. Additionally, she wanted to see how Jia Baoyu was doing.

After the recent upheaval, she couldn’t see any changes in Daiyu, but what about Jia Baoyu?

The invitation from the Lin family was sent back and delivered to Wang Xifeng.

As she listened to Ping’er read it aloud, her body, which had been reclining on the couch, straightened up. “The Lin family agreed to come?”

Ping’er immediately smiled. “Yes, they finally agreed to come. The Lin family is really hard to invite.” They had been refused many times for various reasons.

Even if they didn’t stay long, it would be nice to have them over for a visit.

At that moment, Jia Lian lifted the curtain and entered. “Cousin, are they coming over?”

Wang Xifeng handed the invitation in Ping’er’s hand to Jia Lian, who opened it and sighed a bit. “They are hosting two weddings. Old Lady Lin is really stubborn; when we said we would help, she never agreed.”

He wasn’t focused on how much compensation they might receive; he just thought it could strengthen the relationship between the two families. Wang Xifeng also felt regret, saying, “Old Lady Lin is being too stubborn; this is not an easy matter.”

Jia Lian sighed again. “Every time Daiyu and Chenyu come over, Baoyu either gets scolded by Father or even gets beaten. You need to be on your guard.” He realized that they should quickly inform the elders; otherwise, it would lead to chaos at home again.

Wang Xifeng fell silent, nearly forgetting about this issue.

She wondered if Baoyu, who was currently feeling delighted, had remembered this matter. Was he temporarily cramming for the occasion?