Chapter 40: Lin Hongyu Accepts Her Fate at the Pavilion of Green Delights, Lin Daiyu Softly Reproaches Baoyu

The news reached Lin Zhixiao, the steward in charge of the Jia family’s silver treasury and accounts. A man of quiet disposition who, along with his wife, generally avoided gossip, he could not help but let out a long, heavy sigh upon hearing the report, his heart weighed down with anxiety for the future.

His wife sat still for a moment before suddenly standing up. "Xiaohong is still in the garden. I must go and tell her to be careful these days."

With that, she hurried toward Prospect Garden.

After entering the garden and heading right, she made her way toward the Happy Red Court, where her daughter, Lin Hongyu, served as a menial maid for Master Baoyu. She had only taken a few steps when a matron called out to her from ahead:

"Mistress Lin Zhixiao!"

The woman stopped and turned to see a matron who stood guard at the Aojing Pavilion. She smiled and asked, "Greetings, Mother Zhao. What can I do for you? I am on my way to the Happy Red Court to see my daughter."

The matron walked over, pulled her aside, and whispered, "The garden has not been peaceful lately. Your husband manages the estate’s silver treasury—you must be careful!"

Mistress Lin Zhixiao looked at her in surprise and laughed. "I don’t quite understand what you mean. It is not just the garden that is unsettled; the entire estate and the city itself are filled with panic. Do you not know that King Qian has entered the city?"

"That is exactly why!" the matron whispered. "Didn't the Master order two hundred servants to practice martial arts in the garden? Even though it is shielded by curtains, there are bound to be slips... Two days ago, I saw a few men who did not follow the rules; they were peeking through the gaps in the curtains into the garden. When I scolded them, they spat out filthy language."

Mistress Lin Zhixiao frowned. "Have you told the Second Young Mistress about this?"

The matron smiled bitterly. "I was worried it might shake the soldiers' morale, so how could I speak of it lightly? But this morning, I saw them peeking again. I am worried that they fear the city is lost and are planning to take advantage of the chaos to loot the estate and flee!"

It was not uncommon for servants to turn to looting during times of upheaval, especially when the forces of King Qian were breaking through the city gates.

After a moment of thought, Mistress Lin Zhixiao said, "Later, I will mention it to the Mistress. You go and tell those servants that King Qian has already entered the city and surrounded the estate, so they should behave themselves. They will not be called to defend the walls!"

"What?!"

Hearing that the Jia estate was surrounded, the matron was shocked, muttering about what could be done and whether the Jia family was truly finished.

Mistress Lin Zhixiao ignored her and went straight to the Happy Red Court, where she found her daughter in the outer room.

Upon hearing that the Jia estate was surrounded, Lin Hongyu did not seem particularly distressed. Instead, she advised her mother, "Mother, do not worry too much. If I may speak bluntly, King Qian has entered the city to topple the Jia family; it has little to do with us. If the estate changes masters, we shall continue to work and serve just the same. His arrival is actually for the best—it keeps the city from descending into total chaos. If the city were to fall into anarchy, with hundreds of servants here in the garden, they would surely join in the looting, and that would be our utter ruin."

"Oh, my dear child, hush!" Mistress Lin Zhixiao covered her daughter’s mouth, terrified of being overheard, while inwardly feeling a surge of astonishment. She had only just learned from the matron that the servants practicing in the garden were unruly, yet her daughter had seen at a glance that they were hidden disasters.

Once she let go, Lin Hongyu added, "I know you have always meant well for me, hoping I would serve as a maid in the Happy Red Court so that when Baoyu grows up, we might be released. Most of the young maids in Baoyu’s chambers feel the same, but that is impossible now. Do not blame yourself, Mother; it is simply fate. No one is to be blamed."

Mistress Lin Zhixiao could only sigh. Her daughter was too sensible—far more so than she could have expected, and no less refined than the young ladies in the garden who spent their days writing poetry and painting.

After urging her to be careful and ensuring the matron at the Happy Red Court locked the main gate for the night, Mistress Lin Zhixiao returned home.

Lin Hongyu sat for a while before hearing a commotion outside. After opening the door to listen, she realized the news of the Jia family being besieged by King Qian’s soldiers had reached Qiuwen and Bifen. Once they started shouting, all twenty or so maids and matrons in the Happy Red Court were aware of the situation.

Lin Hongyu walked out and leaned against the corridor, listening to their clamor. A moment later, Xiren came out and commanded, "Quiet, all of you! When Master Baoyu returns and hears you gossiping about King Qian wanting the girls of the garden to enter the palace, he will surely fly into a temper again!"

The maids and matrons, intimidated by her status as the head maid of the Matriarch’s chambers, dared not speak further. Yet Lin Hongyu knew they were certainly unconvinced. With the Jia family teetering on the edge of destruction, everyone had their own plans.

Soon, Jia Baoyu returned in a rush. Lin Hongyu watched as the purple-gold crown on his head swayed, his black satin boots with pink soles moving rapidly.

"Disaster, disaster! Have you heard? That bandit king has sent men to surround our home!"

"My dear Master Baoyu, why do you still call him a bandit? You should call him King Qian!" Qiuwen hurriedly interjected.

"Can't you see?" Qingwen walked out and laughed. "Master Baoyu bears a grudge against King Qian because Miss Lin’s father was killed by him in Yangzhou, so he insists on calling him a bandit."

Qiuwen said anxiously, "You must never let that be heard outside! King Qian’s troops are surrounding our gates. What would happen if they heard you?"

Jia Baoyu entered the room, and Xiren brought him tea. She handed it to him, saying, "Master, please speak less recklessly. Even Miss Lin only dares to call him King Qian now."

Jia Baoyu took the tea, sipped it, and smiled. "Miss Lin calls him a bandit in her heart as well; she only fears bringing trouble upon herself, so she dares not say it aloud. It is fine for me to curse him a few times here at home; it will not reach outside."

As he joked, the beautiful maids filling the Happy Red Court—Xiren, Qiuwen, Bifen, Sheyue, Qixian, and the others—remained sullen. Only Qingwen seemed unbothered, laughing and chatting with Baoyu as usual.

After a while, news came from outside that the Master had returned. Seeing that Baoyu made no move to leave, Xiren said, "Master, the Master has returned. Will you not go and find out the news?"

With the Ning and Rong mansions surrounded, everyone was anxious, yet only Master Baoyu remained calm. He was worried, but he did not take it to heart.

Jia Baoyu replied, "If I see him, I will only be scolded. Why seek out such misery? Once the Master and the Matriarch have finished their discussion, I will go over and hear what kind of chaos is happening outside."

At that moment, Lin Daiyu walked in, her slender figure swaying like a willow branch in the wind. Zijuan followed, as if to support her.

"Cousin Lin!"

Jia Baoyu jumped up to greet her. "Why have you come? Your health is poor; you should be resting. I was going to visit you later."

Xiren glanced at her. Miss Lin looked increasingly frail; she had to catch her breath just from walking from the Xiaoxiang Pavilion. With the estate in such turmoil, she feared that even a stray breeze from King Qian’s soldiers might knock the girl down. The young master wanted to marry her, but in such a sickly state, how could she ever be a proper mistress of the house? It would have been better if Miss Bao were to be the mistress.

"Do you know yet?" Daiyu sat down, holding her teacup in both hands. After taking a small sip, she looked toward him and asked.

"Know what?" Jia Baoyu smiled. "That the bandit king has sent troops to surround our home?"

Daiyu knitted her exquisite, misty brows, and Baoyu could not help but stare in a trance; no woman in the world possessed brows and eyes as beautiful as hers.

"What will you do in the future?"

Daiyu asked him. She was filled with such worry that she did not notice him staring fixedly at her.

Jia Baoyu was silent for a moment before saying, "At worst, we shall become commoners. I will go work the fields, and you will stay home and wait for my return. We will still be as we are now!"

His eyes were filled with such sincerity that he might as well have said they would be husband and wife living in perfect harmony.

Xiren quickly signaled to Qiuwen and Bifen, but Qingwen laughed. "Master, you have never worked a day in your life. You even complain about wearing armor for martial practice—how could you work the fields? In my view, you would be better off applying to be a private tutor in someone else’s home."

Daiyu glanced at him and said softly, "With your skills, I fear you would not even find a job as a tutor. Never mind, I am leaving. Set your mind at ease and do not let your thoughts run wild."

After urging him, Daiyu left, swaying as she walked, with Zijuan following closely behind, terrified that a gust of wind might blow her mistress away into the heavens.

Jia Baoyu felt that her words today were strange. After sitting for a while, more news arrived: the Imperial Concubine—his eldest sister—had sent a letter from the palace.

Jia Baoyu shared a close bond with his sister, Jia Yuanchun. Upon hearing this, he hurriedly called for Xiren and went out with her to the Matriarch’s quarters.