The Good Concubine of the Qing Dynasty [Red Mansion]

Since the Fourth Prince was coming along for the visit, not only was Dachun nervous, but everyone else was too.

After all, he was a royal prince, and his reputation was not that of a good-tempered person. Among the princes, the Eighth Prince was famously kind, while the Fourth Prince was known for his stern demeanor and lack of humor.

Everyone wondered if he would smile while accompanying his second aunt back home.

For the old lady, the Fourth Prince’s status was even more significant, as she knew he would one day ascend to the throne.

He was the future emperor.

Now that he was coming with her granddaughter, she repeatedly asked the servants if everything was prepared properly and if there would be any breaches of etiquette.

She had heard rumors that the Fourth Prince had an excellent memory, and if he noted any lapses in decorum, it would be quite terrible.

Concubine Mei watched the bustling activity in the Lin residence, feeling once again like she had fallen into a vat of vinegar. Although she was also nervous about the situation, it didn’t stop her from feeling jealous.

Concubine Chu didn’t understand why Mei was acting this way. Was life too peaceful for her? If she had experienced the same things, losing her child shortly after birth, would she not be filled with hatred toward the heavens and envy for everyone else?

Or perhaps her heart was simply not calm enough.

Thinking this, Concubine Chu walked into the Buddhist hall. No matter whether it was the Fourth Prince or anyone else, they wouldn’t disturb her tranquility; this was her sanctuary.

Naturally, Concubine Mei didn’t care about Concubine Chu’s thoughts. She often overlooked her, as her presence was simply too weak. Though she was also a concubine, Concubine Chu’s son had died young, which made her situation less enviable than Mei’s daughter, who would at least marry off safely.

At the Fourth Prince’s residence, preparations for the return visit gifts were also necessary. This was naturally the responsibility of the Fourth Princess. Once everything was prepared, she would present the list to the Fourth Prince. If he approved, nothing would change; if he thought adjustments were needed, they would be made accordingly.

The Fourth Prince reviewed the list presented by the princess and added two jade Buddha statues.

He was devout in his Buddhist practices, and the old lady of the Lin family was equally pious, which was well-known in the capital.

The two Buddha statues were made of translucent jade and were quite valuable. When the Fourth Princess saw that the list included these two items, her brow furrowed slightly, though she said nothing and let the servants quietly prepare. Inside, she felt heavy.

This was also a test from her. The list was sufficient for the other concubines’ visits; if additional items were added, it would indicate that in the Fourth Prince’s eyes, the status of concubine Lin was even higher than she had imagined.

This was indeed troubling.

She recalled how concubine Lin had entered with the Fourth Prince during her first visit, shy and timid, and that sense of crisis still lingered in the Fourth Princess’s mind, causing her to grip the handkerchief tightly.

Concubine Lin was educated, wealthy, had a family background, and was also beautiful.

Previously, the most beautiful woman in the Fourth Prince’s courtyard was sister Li, who had the added advantage of being able to bear children, which earned her extra favor from the Fourth Prince. However, concubine Lin surpassed sister Li in beauty, being even younger and so fresh that she seemed to exude youthfulness.

Her only weakness was her background as a Han Army banner, which could not compare to her noble Manchu lineage, and she was also a secondary wife. But if the Fourth Prince was willing to favor her, what did that matter?

“Master, sister Li reported that the wet nurse is not diligent. I’ve reported it to the Ministry of Internal Affairs…”

After discussing matters within the household, the Fourth Princess suddenly realized that aside from these comments, she had nothing else to say. After a moment of silence, she watched as the Fourth Prince left, having spent several nights in Lin’s courtyard.

Once the Fourth Prince departed, an old nanny approached, saying, “Princess, should we do something?”

Before concubine Lin even arrived, the nanny sensed that she was a formidable opponent. Now, the Fourth Prince’s reaction confirmed her suspicions; they needed to plan ahead, or else it would be difficult to suppress Lin’s influence once it grew.

Although the princess held the title, there were instances when a concubine of a prince might carry more weight than her, leaving the princess to sit on the sidelines with nothing but her rank.

The princess lowered her eyelids. “There’s no rush; there will be others more anxious than us.”

They only needed to sit and watch. Most importantly, her hand slowly moved to her belly as she stared blankly ahead, then she took out a small piece of clothing—it was the clothing of her eldest son, Honghui. “Oh, Honghui, why did you leave?”

“Mother’s Honghui, will you return to your mother’s side?”

As the princess thought of her young master, the old nanny sighed quietly, standing silently by her side in companionship.

Indeed, if the princess were to have another son, according to the Fourth Prince’s strict rules, the future heir would only be a legitimate son. However, the matter of offspring was unpredictable.

The next day, the Fourth Prince and Luoyu boarded the carriage heading to the Lin family.

Luoyu became lost in thought during the ride. It hadn’t been long since she left, yet she was already longing to return. Still, she needed to maintain her composure. “Rumble rumble—” As the carriage moved, she felt the need to distract herself and opened the drawer in the carriage. “Master, I have some snacks. Would you like to try some?”

These snacks were unique to the Fourth Prince’s residence, recipes passed down through generations, representing their heritage. They were not easily shared, but her situation was different; most of these treats were made by her concubine mother, and she had all the recipes.

One of these pastries was milk jelly, which looked similar to those from other families, but only by tasting it could one appreciate the difference. It was sweet, melted in the mouth, fragrant, tender, and left a lingering aftertaste. Luoyu loved eating it, and coincidentally, the Fourth Prince liked it too.

He tentatively took one, found it delicious, and took another. Unknowingly, he finished an entire plate of milk jelly. When he reached for another, his hand fell into emptiness. He paused, then shifted his hand toward the chestnut cake on the other side.

Luoyu: “…”

At this rate, would there be room left for the banquet?

Moreover, looking at the empty plate, Luoyu’s eyes lit up as if she had discovered something significant.

The Fourth Prince liked sweets.

“Huai Zhen.”

The Fourth Prince felt a bit helpless; her smile was too obvious.

He gave Luoyu a courtesy name, Huai Zhen.

Luoyu and the others were currently using their nicknames; their formal names were given much later, and they had long been accustomed to their nicknames. In the family, hardly anyone called them by their formal names, which were only used in social settings.

When women marry, some receive a courtesy name while others do not. This courtesy name is either given by their father or chosen by their husband.

The Fourth Prince gave Luoyu the courtesy name Huai Zhen, meaning “cherishing treasures and embodying virtue.”

In the family tree, Luoyu’s name is recorded as Lin Tian, while Yingyu is Lin Yi, Daiyu is Lin Xin, and Chenyu’s formal name, following the generation with the character “fire,” is Lin Yu.

When they were alone, the Fourth Prince would call her by her courtesy name, which Luoyu liked.

It was a form of intimacy.

Luoyu knew he was usually serious in public, but in private, his expressions were not always the same; he would show his joys and sorrows. However, he was naturally reserved, so his emotions were not very apparent, requiring patience and attention to notice.

“Rumble rumble—” The carriage came to a stop; they had arrived. The main gate of the Lin residence swung open, welcoming the second young lady back home.

Since it was a family gathering and the household wasn’t large, they simply divided into two tables, one for men and one for women, without any screens between them. At the men’s table were the Fourth Prince, Dachun, and Chenyu, while the women’s side included the old lady and her three granddaughters.

The two concubines were also present, but they didn’t sit at the table.

Yun Shuyao, aside from hoping for good news from Lin Ruhai soon, felt powerless.

Ah, this cursed feudal era.

After her daughter entered, she carefully scrutinized her.

Today, she wore attire appropriate for a side concubine, with a hairstyle and adornments suitable for a married woman, making her look considerably more mature, even though it had only been a few days apart.

Her complexion looked good, and her eyes shone with life, indicating she hadn’t suffered any grievances.

The atmosphere during this meal was far less lively than when Dachun first arrived at the Lin family, but it didn’t fall flat either, as the Fourth Prince initiated a bit of small talk before taking on the role of a mentor, guiding the conversation as an elder.

Although Dachun was the elder brother-in-law, who could really see the Fourth Prince as just a brother-in-law to his second sister-in-law?

Moreover, the Fourth Prince was ten years older than him.

Dachun was sixteen this year, while the Fourth Prince was already twenty-six.

For Dachun, this meal was somewhat difficult to swallow. He didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of the Fourth Prince, his younger brother-in-law, his wife, and the rest of the Lin family, so he racked his brain, unsure of how much tea he had drunk.

For Chenyu, it was easier; he handled the questions with ease. However, they couldn’t keep this up forever, so he took the initiative to ask about things in Yangzhou, which sparked a conversation and allowed Dachun to breathe a sigh of relief.

Seeing that the atmosphere remained pleasant, the old lady also relaxed and began to speak softly.

Afterward, the Fourth Prince suggested taking a stroll in the garden, and Dachun accompanied him, creating space for the women to talk freely.

With men present, some topics couldn’t be discussed.

The old lady sent the others away, leaving only Luoyu. She held her hand and smiled, asking, “So, how does the Fourth Prince treat you?”

Luoyu looked down and smiled.

From that smile, the answer was clear.

The old lady felt relieved. “And what about the Fujin?”

At the Fourth Prince’s residence, the Fourth Prince held the highest position, followed by the Fujin. As long as these two didn’t specifically target her, she didn’t need to fear anyone else.

Luoyu replied, “The Fujin is also someone who values rules. As long as I follow the rules, there shouldn’t be any issues.” So far, that was the case.

“What about sister Li?”

Luoyu thought for a moment. “Sister Li has two sons and one daughter. Her focus is on her children.”

The old lady understood; this meant sister Li’s arrogance was bolstered by her children.

“Stay away from the children. As for the rest, isn’t the Fujin strict about rules? If she oversteps, the Fujin will not tolerate her. Don’t confront her head-on, even if it means enduring some grievances.”

Children are far too important.

Sister Li had given birth to two sons, the only two male heirs in the Fourth Prince’s household. If she and the granddaughter had a falling out, even if the Fourth Prince favored her granddaughter, the blame wouldn’t fall on sister Li, and he wouldn’t overly favor her. If the children were harmed, any favoritism would mean nothing.

Luoyu nodded solemnly. “Grandmother, I understand.”

After talking for a long time, the old lady told Luoyu to go back and rest, allowing the mother and daughter to share some private words.

Who knows when the next opportunity like this would come.

Luoyu understood, smiled, and quickened her pace as she returned to her courtyard, where her aunt was already waiting for her.

“Aunt…” She had so much she wanted to share with her.