“His Highness does not like meeting outsiders. He did not wish to alight from the carriage, and I could hardly force him,” Daiyu explained softly.
This was not a lie. Chu Heng truly had never intended to get down from the carriage. Whether Grandmother and the others would believe this explanation, however, was something Daiyu could not be certain of.
There was no one else in the room at the moment. Grandmother Jia frowned and thought for a while, then asked, “Yu’er, was it Prince Duan himself who suggested escorting you home?”
Daiyu shook her head and answered truthfully, “It was Her Majesty the Empress who instructed His Highness to see me home.”
Grandmother Jia was puzzled. “The Empress? Why would the Empress… Yu’er, tell your grandmother in detail what happened when you entered the palace today.”
Daiyu paused, then recounted how she had met Prince Duan under the Empress Dowager’s arrangements and later dined with the imperial family. As for the details of her interactions with Prince Duan and her own thoughts, she said nothing.
After listening, Grandmother Jia pondered for a long time. Once she had sorted out the logic, she said, “The Empress Dowager values you, the Empress understands her intent, and as for Prince Duan—he is known for his filial piety and follows the Empress Dowager’s wishes. That is not bad at all. However, Yu’er, Prince Duan will be your husband in the future. You should still try to win his favor.”
Not to mention that Daiyu did not believe Prince Duan wanted a princess consort who flattered him—even if he did, she could not give him that.
Daiyu did wish to live, but she would not abandon all principles simply for the sake of survival.
As things stood now, Prince Duan suited Daiyu’s expectations quite well.
Lowering her eyes, Daiyu said, “Grandmother, we are not yet married. Men and women should keep their distance, and it would not be proper for His Highness and me to meet frequently. Such matters can be discussed later.”
Grandmother Jia thought she was merely shy and laughed. “What rules or propriety could outweigh the Empress Dowager? The royal household is not like ordinary families. If we speak of strict rules, of course they are strict—but if the nobles insist on disregarding them, can an arm really twist against a thigh?”
As she spoke, Grandmother Jia took Daiyu’s hand. “Yu’er, once you marry into the royal family, you must be clear about many things. If something were to happen in the future, even your grandmother would not be able to protect you before the nobles.”
From the moment the imperial decree was issued, Daiyu had already understood that before the imperial family, no one could protect her.
Daiyu nodded. “Grandmother, I understand.”
Grandmother Jia patted her hand. “You met Prince Duan today and spoke with him. Did you sense any preferences of his? Poetry, calligraphy, painting, music, chess—you are skilled in all of these. Oh yes, don’t you have a poetry society? The next time you see Prince Duan, show him your poems.”
Daiyu had no intention of adopting Grandmother Jia’s suggestion, nor did she plan to argue with her. She merely smiled and brushed it off for the moment. “Yes.”
In any case, the next time the Empress Dowager arranged for her to meet Prince Duan, Grandmother Jia would not be able to accompany her.
For Grandmother Jia now, since Daiyu no longer required her worry, it was time to begin planning how much benefit this marriage could bring to the Jia family.
Daiyu understood this clearly. Though she felt a trace of sadness, it was not much. Over the years, she had long seen through it—Grandmother Jia truly cared for and loved her, but she had never cared for and loved only Daiyu alone.
Naturally, Grandmother Jia could not disregard everything else and plan solely for Daiyu’s sake.
“Besides your marriage to Prince Duan, your eldest sister is also in the palace. Our family can hardly be considered outsiders to His Highness,” Grandmother Jia continued. “There will be opportunities to meet in the future. Once you grow more familiar, your Cousin Zhen and Second Cousin Lian can meet with him often.”
Daiyu understood the implication of these words. Her days with Prince Duan would be long; there would always be chances for her to speak well of the Jia family before him and facilitate familiarity between him and the Jia men.
Now that many of the Jia family’s old connections and relatives were no longer favored by the Emperor, they indeed urgently needed to befriend a relative like Prince Duan.
Daiyu had grown up in the Jia household for so many years. In the future, the Jia family would still be half her natal home. Naturally, she hoped the Jia family would prosper, but—
Would befriending Prince Duan truly bring benefits to the Jia family?
Daiyu harbored doubts.
If Prince Duan wished to associate with outside officials, he would not have remained so reclusive. Daiyu, as Princess Duan, did not carry enough weight to make him change his temperament and habits.
Or perhaps Prince Duan was deliberately so—given his sensitive status, distancing himself from court struggles was the wisest way to protect himself.
—And if the Jia family sought to befriend a Prince Duan of such sensitive standing, putting aside any potential benefit, should things turn unfavorable one day, they might regret it beyond measure.
With Prince Duan’s status, aside from the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, no one in this world could force him to do what he did not wish to do.
The wrinkles at the corners of Grandmother Jia’s eyes and the white hair at her temples were right before Daiyu’s eyes. She could not bear to speak too plainly.
Perhaps her grandmother was not unable to see through it—she was simply at her wits’ end.
The Jia family lacked capable descendants, and those they had were busy squandering the family’s fortune and reputation. Grandmother Jia could not control the men of the older generation, and could only do everything she could think of and manage in an attempt to save the Jia family.
Daiyu smiled again and responded softly. Grandmother Jia smiled and stroked her head. “Good child.”
No one knew how much longer the Jia family could hold on. Daiyu only hoped that her grandmother would not live to see that day.
……
The next day, the Jia household once again welcomed female officials and eunuchs from the Palace of Benevolent Longevity.
Lady Xing cast a glance at Lady Wang, her eyes filled with undisguised mockery. That noble consort of the second branch had only managed to summon eunuchs asking for silver, never any rewards from the Empress Dowager. A noble consort was inferior even to a princess consort—who knew what she was so ostentatious about all day, endlessly picky over a daughter-in-law.
Shuangyun handed a large red note to Grandmother Jia and said with a smile, “These are the dates calculated by Master Pingyi for the performance of the Six Rites. Please keep them safely, Madam.”
Grandmother Jia held the rank of First-Class Lady by Imperial Decree, while Shuangyun was a First-Class female official. Though inner and outer first ranks were not the same, Shuangyun was a favored attendant before the Empress Dowager. To receive something from her hands, Grandmother Jia had to stand.
“Thank you for your trouble,” Grandmother Jia said with a smile. “Please convey to the Empress Dowager that our household will make preparations early.”
Shuangyun nodded with a smile. “Madam has experienced great occasions before. Such a small matter will naturally be handled properly by your esteemed household. The Empress Dowager has no worries at all.”
Grandmother Jia smiled. “Please have some tea.”
Shuangyun sat down and took a light sip of tea, then said, “There is one more matter. There was much going on yesterday, and the Empress Dowager forgot to mention it to Miss Lin. She asked me to convey it today on her behalf.”
Daiyu was seated beside Grandmother Jia. Hearing this, she stood and said, “Please convey the Empress Dowager’s instructions.”
Shuangyun also stood and said with a smile, “This time, His Highness’s recovery was entirely thanks to the master’s compassion and the Buddha’s protection. Therefore, on the twenty-fifth, the Empress Dowager will go to Longhua Temple to worship the Buddha. First, to fulfill her vow and thank the Buddha’s mercy; second, to pray for the imperial family and all the people under Heaven.”
Grandmother Jia rose as well. No one could remain seated. They all stood as Shuangyun continued, “The Empress Dowager means that Miss Lin should accompany her to chant sutras and offer incense, to keep her company.”
Accompanying the Empress Dowager in worship! For a moment, no one remained calm—this was an immense favor!
Daiyu curtsied. “Yes.”
Shuangyun smiled again. “Early on the morning of the twenty-fifth, the Empress Dowager will send someone to fetch the young lady.”
Daiyu curtsied once more. “Yes.”
Only yesterday Grandmother Jia had said that no rules or propriety outweighed the Empress Dowager. Today, the Empress Dowager had come up with a new move.
Among those accompanying the Empress Dowager to Longhua Temple, Daiyu was certain that Prince Duan would be present.
Shuangyun did not linger. After completing the Empress Dowager’s instructions, she declined Grandmother Jia’s attempts to detain her and directly took a sedan chair away from the Jia residence.
Grandmother Jia held Daiyu’s hand and smiled. “Yu’er, the Empress Dowager truly dotes on you.”
No matter how sour they felt inside, everyone around had to echo Grandmother Jia’s words, and the room immediately grew lively.
After hearing all the flattery, Grandmother Jia instructed, “There are only two days until the twenty-fifth. Feng girl, help your younger sister pack her things for Longhua Temple. If anything is lacking, just tell me.”
When going out with the Empress Dowager, one could not be stingy with fine items—otherwise, the one who would lose face was the Duke’s residence.
Lady Xing’s expression immediately darkened. Grandmother Jia had many fine possessions, but giving some today and some tomorrow—when it came time for the elder branch, who knew how much junk would be left!
Lady Wang was also displeased. A mere princess consort—how could she compare to her daughter the noble consort? How could the Empress Dowager take a liking to such a little girl! So many of Grandmother Jia’s good things belonged to her Baoyu, yet that Lin girl was sticking her hand in as well—it filled her with seething resentment!
Yet no matter how much anger there was, no one dared vent it before Grandmother Jia.
When the gathering at Grandmother Jia’s place dispersed, Wang Xifeng went with Daiyu to her room to pack. Lady Xing watched their retreating figures and snorted loudly.
What a fine Second Madam Lian—she had probably long forgotten which family she belonged to!
Lady Wang pretended not to hear or see anything. She led her people back to the main hall of Rongxi Courtyard, changed her clothes, and after chanting scriptures before the Buddha for half an hour, said, “Where is Baoyu? Call him here.”
Yuchuan answered and went to fetch him, but soon came running back in a panic, shouting, “Madam! Second Master Bao isn’t in his room, and Xiren doesn’t know where he’s gone!”
Lady Wang’s head buzzed. She steadied herself with the help of a maid, then hurriedly said after regaining her senses, “Why are you still standing there? Go find him at once!”
On the day the marriage decree was issued, Jia Baoyu had made a scene and fallen ill for several days. After that, Lady Wang confined him to her own courtyard. To avoid further trouble, Grandmother Jia temporarily hardened her heart and forbade Jia Baoyu from coming to her courtyard, thereby preventing him from meeting Daiyu.
Jia Baoyu, however, had no intention of obeying the elders. He wanted to see Cousin Lin again, to speak with her again. Even though he knew he could not defy the imperial decree, still—
Did it mean that for the rest of his life, he could never say another word to Cousin Lin?
He was unwilling to accept that!
Making a fuss was useless. Lady Wang had steeled her heart this time. No matter whether Jia Baoyu cried or protested, she would not allow him to step outside the main quarters.
The maids around Jia Baoyu coaxed and persuaded him, barely managing to keep him calm for a few days. Yet he would not give up, constantly thinking of how to avoid everyone and secretly slip out to see Cousin Lin.
With such thoughts, Jia Baoyu pretended to resign himself to fate. He stopped protesting and no longer mentioned seeing Cousin Lin, merely playing and chatting with the maids.
Once everyone completely let down their guard and no longer kept constant watch over him, Jia Baoyu quietly slipped out, avoided all the servants, and went straight to Daiyu’s door—only to be spotted by Chunxian, who was embroidering under the corridor.
“Second Master Bao!” Chunxian exclaimed in surprise. “How did you—”
“Cousin Lin!” Jia Baoyu called as he stepped over the threshold. Seeing Daiyu’s slender figure beyond the beaded curtain, tears immediately streamed down his face. “Cousin Lin…”