Three Wives and Four Concubines in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Page 8

After sitting there lost in thought for a while, Xueyan came in carrying a few books, followed by several old women who brought over his tiger-skin chair.

Gu Yu thanked him and sat down in the chair, absentmindedly flipping through a book to pass the time, while keeping a close eye on the movements on the bed.

Less than an hour later, a soft moan was heard from the bed. Xueyan quickly got up to serve her, helping Daiyu sit up and putting an outer robe on her.

Seeing that it was almost noon, Gu Yu instructed her to fetch some porridge. After Xueyan left, Daiyu finally calmed down.

"Brother Yu~!"

Her voice was hoarse with sobs, and tears streamed down her face. Her once bright eyes were now red and swollen, making her look like a rabbit.

Gu Yu quickly went up to her, took out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears, and comforted her softly.

Daiyu buried her head in Gu Yu's arms, as if she wanted to vent all the sadness and helplessness she had felt over the past few days.

She was standing in the courtyard, grieving as she was about to go see her mother, when she heard the monk say that he wanted to ordain her as a nun. The maids below were also somewhat unable to resist and were so frightened that they were at a loss for what to do.

Just then, Gu Yu, who was only a few months older than her but had always taken care of her, dismissed the monk with a few words. The sense of security made her completely relax, and she fell asleep again as her mind relaxed.

Unexpectedly, the first thing she saw when she woke up was her brother Yu sitting on a chair not far away, watching over her, but the room was decorated just like her own room.

If Xueyan hadn't stood up, she would have thought she was dreaming.

Gu Yu gently patted Daiyu's back while holding her, waiting for her to vent her emotions before speaking:

“Sister, don’t cry yourself sick. I’ve already chased that monk away, so don’t worry. Your uncle and aunt have always been concerned about you, so please don’t be too sad, or you’ll only cause them more worry.”

His once sharp tongue had now turned into a dry gourd. Looking at Daiyu, who was still crying in his arms, Gu Yu wanted to slap himself.

After racking her brains but still unable to come up with a good solution, Gu Yu gritted her teeth and had no choice but to resort to her ultimate move.

"...Although my younger sister no longer has her aunt's care, she still has her uncle to look after her. She should take good care of herself so that she can properly fulfill her filial duties in the future, and avoid ending up like me..."

The crying in her arms gradually stopped, and Daiyu raised her pretty face, which was still blurry with tears. The little girl, who was only half a child, looked at him with pity.

Looking at this bizarre scene, Gu Yu's lips twitched, but she still had to continue comforting him.

"So, sister, you must not grieve too much. Look at me, I have never cried myself to death. The more difficult things are, the more you need to take good care of yourself, not only for yourself, but also for those who care about you."

……

When Xueyan came in with two bowls of longan and lotus seed porridge from Wang Mama, she couldn't help but widen her eyes.

The young lady on the bed still had some tear stains on her face, but she was comforting the young master instead. Seeing the helpless look on the young master Yu's delicate face as he secretly rolled his eyes, Xueyan also felt that the heavy atmosphere of the past few days had finally become a little lighter.

After serving the two of them their meal, Gu Yu went back to the courtyard to change her clothes and waited for Daiyu to go to the main hall together. As soon as she entered, she saw Lin Hai standing to one side with the two of them.

Seeing Lin Hai gesture to him, Gu Yu stepped forward and secretly sized up the newcomer.

The man appeared to be in his thirties. Although not particularly tall, he was strong and muscular, exuding an aura of authority and nobility that made people feel intimidated.

The other man also looked to be in his thirties or forties, with a fair complexion and no beard. He looked at Gu Yu with a smile in his eyes, as if he were an ordinary scholar.

However, judging from the positions of the three people, it seems that this most ordinary person is the one who is respected.

Gu Yu was wondering why Lin Hai had asked him to come over when he heard the smiling man speak. Although his voice was relatively calm, it still had a hint of effeminacy.

"This is the young master of the Gu family? He is indeed a handsome man."

Although this was the first time Gu Yu had heard such a voice, and it was somewhat different from the eunuch voices in movies and TV dramas from his previous life, the first word that flashed through his mind was "eunuch"!

Thinking of the implications of being a eunuch, Gu Yu couldn't help but feel uneasy. He bowed respectfully to the group and pondered the purpose of calling him over.

Unexpectedly, after he finished his greetings, Lin Hai didn't say much and sent him to the back to accompany Daiyu.

Watching Gu Yu's retreating figure, the eunuch sighed softly:

"The Zhao family patriarch has already said everything and is willing to cooperate fully. We have been keeping an eye on all 236 members of the Bai family's nine clans. There are 42 people in Suzhou who are involved, regardless of rank. Let's just go together this time as an apology from both families."

"Since Patriarch Gu has entrusted those people to you, there's no need to rush to return them. It's not too late to hand them over when Young Master Gu has grown up and Yangzhou is stable!"

Lin Hai closed his eyes in anguish. If those people hadn't been temporarily transferred by Brother Jingyuan, how could this have happened...?

"Eunuch Dai..."

"Lord Lin! I'll say it one last time, even His Majesty is quite shocked."

The strong man next to him lowered his head in shame. The small flag bearers in Suzhou had become dull-witted after more than ten years of peaceful life, and they watched helplessly as that group openly retaliated.

Their brazen display made even them think that a fight had broken out in the imperial court.

The scene fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of servants moving about in the distance.

After a while, Eunuch Dai said again:

"Now that things have already happened, there's no point in saying more. His Majesty's intention is that since you have those people in your hands, you should issue a secret decree to remove the mourning period and send Young Master Gu to the capital to accompany him in his studies, so as to protect him as he grows up. During this time, he should not be allowed to show his face, and the fewer people who know about it, the better."

"...Yu'er performed the filial piety ceremony for my wife."

"..." Eunuch Dai's lips twitched, and he looked at Lin Hai, that shameless bastard, incredulously.

How old is he? And this family is already going to such lengths? A child son-in-law?

"...Yu'er is now studying under me."

“Great scholars abound in the capital.”

"...Yu'er is too young, and the journey to the capital is long..."

"This Commander Zuo personally led a group to escort them!"

Lin Hai fell silent. He truly did not want Gu Yu to enter the palace so early. At her age and with such a status, she would likely become a highly useful pawn in the world in an instant.

"...He has a deep affection for my daughter, I'm afraid it's difficult for him to..."

"Hmph, I just received a tip that your wife was seriously ill some time ago, and the Jia family has already sent people to Yangzhou. I heard it was the Old Madam Shi's intention that if she doesn't make it, they should take her granddaughter there."

"Now is the perfect time for you to purge Yangzhou. Wouldn't it be ideal to send your daughter away instead? Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Seeing that Lin Hai still didn't speak, Eunuch Dai gave a wry smile and said:

"You... alright, as long as Young Master Gu comes to the capital, everything will be fine. It's really not what you think. His Majesty only wants a little compensation."

Lin Hai automatically filtered out most of what was said. What difference did it make if everyone was already in the capital? However, it was best to avoid going to the palace if possible.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Hai said, "To be on the safe side, my daughter and I can go to the Rongguo Mansion together under the pretext of being close relatives. I will send someone to speak to the matriarch of the Jia family about this. This will also alleviate their worries about being far from home, and by confirming each other's identities, fewer people will inquire about our whereabouts."

"As for studies, the daughter of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy is the eldest mistress of the Rongguo Mansion. She can also enter the Imperial Academy through this channel without much trouble."

Seeing that he was organized and clear, and obviously not done in a hurry, Eunuch Dai could only mutter a few complaints in his heart.

"Now that this matter is settled, Lord Lin can rest assured at home. Just be wary of a counterattack, and leave the rest to us."

"...Since they want to use me as bait and send fifty skilled men over, we can't afford to lose our men so easily."

These words made the burly man roll his eyes, but since it was a good opportunity to purge the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he acquiesced.

Watching the two figures leave, Lin Hai stood there for a moment, then waved to the butler and said, "Go ask Senior Sun if he's ready. It's time to treat Yu-ge'er!"

"Hey!"

……

Chapter Fourteen: Time Travel Again?

Gu Yu felt as if she were trapped in an endless dream again.

Ever since that day when he went to Daiyu's courtyard, he was given a bowl of medicinal soup by Sun Lingxu, and immediately became delirious.

In a daze, he seemed to have turned into a fish, thrown into a pot and half-cooked. The next second, he seemed to be placed in a steamer and roasted. The next second, he seemed to return to that cold night, chilled to the bone.

I heard intermittent murmurs in my sleep, but I couldn't understand the words at all.

Just as I was feeling unbearably hot all over again and wished I could go back to the cold water, I vaguely felt myself being lifted up and moved to another place.

The next moment, a small body approached, and it was like a piece of cold jade that made him feel refreshed.

Gu Yu barely managed to open his eyelids, only to see a pair of familiar eyes looking at him with concern. Then, he clung to the medicine like an octopus, finally finding relief from the torment...

When Gu Yu finally woke up, she opened her eyes to find the room completely dark, and a familiar fragrance wafted into her nostrils.

Just as she was about to make a move, Gu Yu found that her hand was being held down by something. Startled, she instinctively pulled her hand away, which woke someone up.

"Hmm... Brother Yu? Brother Yu, you're awake?!" Daiyu rubbed her eyes, her sleepy eyes finally waking up. The noise also woke up Wang Mama and Xueyan, who were keeping watch outside.

Soon, two candles were lit, dispelling the darkness in the room. Gu Yu finally saw the scene clearly; she was on Daiyu's bed.

Gu Yu's mind was in a mess, and she didn't know what was going on when she heard Daiyu cough again. Wang Mama quickly handed her a handkerchief.

After she finished coughing, the pool of blood on her handkerchief startled Gu Yu, who immediately asked a question.

Daiyu had gradually gotten used to sleeping with Gu Yu these past few days, but now she felt shy being stared at by Gu Yu.

He told Wang's mother and Xueyan to turn off the lights and go back to sleep, then snuggled back into bed and only spoke when he felt his face was no longer so hot.

"This is because of the prescription given by Grandpa Sun. If you get emotionally agitated, you will cough up some old blood, but this will stop after six months. From then on, although you will still be a little weak, your constitution will no longer be weak."

……

The two huddled under the covers chatting, and Gu Yu learned that more than a month had passed since Jia Min's death, and that he had been sleeping in Daiyu's bed for almost ten days.

I heard that it was that old rascal Sun Lingxu who came up with the idea, saying that Daiyu was in a period of blood deficiency and yin deficiency, while Gu Yu was just forcing out cold qi and excessive yang qi, so the two complemented each other perfectly.

Gu Yu's lips twitched as she listened; she really wanted to give this shameless old man a good...praise.

Although neither of them is seven years old, and in principle there is no need to avoid the topic, they are both intelligent and precocious, and naturally they have more thoughts than ordinary young children.

However, the two tacitly avoided bringing up the topic and simply chatted casually.

Children are always sleepy more, but after talking for a while, they became sleepy again.

However, when the two first lay down, they were facing each other. At some point, Daiyu, just like she had been these past few days, snuggled into Gu Yu's arms and fell asleep.

……

When it was dawn, Wang Mama personally went to inform Lin Hai and the others that Gu Yu had woken up. The two maids who had previously served Gu Yu came over to help the two of them wash up.

As soon as Gu Yu stepped outside, he saw Gu Zhong appear before him. His gaunt face was unusually pale, and he said in a trembling voice, "Young Master... the revenge for Master and Madam has finally been taken!"

Gu Yu felt a little dazed, his mind went blank. Had he transmigrated again?

Why does it feel like five hundred years have passed since I woke up? Jia Min's forty-nine days are almost over. She has avenged her family. What should she do now?

Seeing him standing there in a daze, Gu Zhong assumed he was overwhelmed with joy and went forward to pull him to thank the people.

Gu Yu felt as if she were dreaming again, mechanically moving her body to see the three people from that day, saying and doing something.

When he returned to the courtyard at the end of the day, Daiyu shook his hand and brought him back to his senses. However, he could not remember what he had done at all, only that the eunuch had patted his head a few times.

Daiyu was startled to see her usually quick-witted cousin staggering back home like a lost soul, not even responding when she called him.

She managed to get to him and hold him tightly until he seemed to recover a little. A strange sense of responsibility suddenly welled up in Daiyu's heart, and she didn't dare to let him go back alone. She pulled him into her own courtyard.

reunion!

Today was a high school reunion, dinner and karaoke, so I probably won't be updating.

Chapter Fifteen: Intercepting Halfway

Ten days later, at the dock outside Yangzhou, just like when Gu Yu arrived, two boats were carrying luggage, and several carriages were parked across the dock, only this time they were reversed.

Even as the boat set sail, Daiyu could still vaguely see the slender figure waving from the dock, and she couldn't help but tear up.

After pulling Gu Yu back to the courtyard that day, I comforted her a few times in bed that night, and Gu Yu suddenly burst into tears, unable to stop them.

Seeing him with tears streaming down his face, yet still looking bewildered and asking what was wrong, Daiyu couldn't help but cry along with him.

Unexpectedly, after tossing and turning all night, she finally fell asleep, only to hear the next day that her father was going to send her to her maternal grandmother's house. Now it was Gu Yu's turn to comfort Lin Daiyu.

After explaining things to her and saying that Gu Yu would accompany her to the capital, she finally calmed down.

When Gu Yu remembered that Jia Yucun might be traveling with them, he learned that Jia Yucun had set off overnight three days before he woke up, truly living up to his name "Jia Yucun who runs away overnight".

Although the current emperor has secretly decreed that the death of the deceased should be commemorated, the heads of the Bai family and related personnel, numbering in the hundreds, must be used to pay tribute to the parents. Therefore, this trip to the capital also includes a visit to the Gu family residence in Suzhou.

Although Gu Zhong had already decided to let the rooster replace Gu Yu, Gu Yu still decided to at least return to his ancestral home to fast and observe mourning for seven days.

Not for anything else, but for the tears shed that day, and the sense of relief, gratitude, and a final trace of regret that came from the depths of my soul.

In fact, compared to their semi-secluded ancestral home in Suzhou, most of the Gu family's influence was in the capital.

A number of people have come from various places during this period, but now we don't need that many, so we only kept ten and sent the rest back.