Chapter 59: The Steward's Authority

Now, let us speak of Jia Lian.

Upon returning home, he first spoke with Dai Wei and the other soldiers of Prince Qian, before entering the estate through the side gate.

"The Second Master has returned!"

The page boys gathered around, eager to glean some news. Jia Lian waved his hand, signaling them to make way, and strode hastily through the ornamental flower gate, heading straight toward the Old Dowry's chambers.

The servants exchanged uneasy glances, each feeling a sinking premonition of disaster.

When Jia Lian entered Lady Jia's courtyard, he heard the Old Dowry laughing and chatting with Dowager Shi and the aunts, accompanied by three or four young matrons and maidens. The moment he stepped inside, the laughter abruptly ceased.

Seeing the tear tracks staining his face, everyone in the room immediately realized something was amiss.

"Lian'er, speak quickly! What has happened?" Lady Jia sat up straight from the kang, her voice fraught with urgency.

"Old Dowry...!"

Jia Lian dropped heavily to both knees before his grandmother, tears welling up anew. He frightened everyone present, yet he found himself unable to speak, mindful of Eldest Sister Yuanchun's strict warning never to blabber or let his tongue run loose.

Though his heart was full of words, not a single one could pass his lips!

After a long moment, he wiped his tears, stood facing south, and bowed deeply with clasped hands in the distant direction of Prince Qian's residence. "I bring the imperial decree of Prince Qian," he announced. "The Jia family is to have their estate confiscated. For all members of the Ning and Rong households, their daily provisions and expenses shall henceforth be supplied at the standard rate of maids and servants..."

When the three edicts were fully delivered, Lady Jia, Dowager Shi, Lady Wang, and everyone else in the room stood frozen in shock.

Looking at Lady Jia, Jia Lian conveyed Yuanchun's message: "Old Dowry, Elder Sister instructed that the family must once more bow in gratitude to Prince Qian, and commanded Miss Lin, Miss Xue, and Lady Qin to set up an incense table to kowtow in thanks for the imperial grace. Above all, you must remember not to commit any discourtesy."

"You saw the Imperial Concubine?!" Lady Jia asked in haste.

Jia Lian shook his head. "Old Dowry, she may no longer be called the Imperial Concubine. Eldest Sister said she is no longer a noble consort, and only the old retainers within the palace may still address her as the Virtuous Consort!"

Hearing that he had seen Jia Yuanchun, the household felt a mix of joy and deep anxiety for her. It was only after Jia Lian urged them a second time that Lady Jia, Dowager Shi, and the others hurriedly left the room to bow outside and formally receive Prince Qian's decree.

"Hurry and summon Miss Lin and Miss Xue here!" Lady Jia commanded anxiously.

Several maids and older women rushed off to find them. Meanwhile, Jia Lian added, "I must go to the East Mansion to deliver Prince Qian's decree as well, and will return once that is done." With that, he hurried away once more.

***

The Xiaoxiang Lodge.

Lin Daiyu was resting quietly in her room when she suddenly heard a commotion outside. Shortly after, several maids and matrons entered to offer congratulations, their faces wreathed in smiles as they babbled, "Miss! Prince Qian has issued an order—from now on, you are to manage the entire household!"

Daiyu furrowed her brow and stared at them for a moment before she grasped what had happened. A wave of profound bewilderment washed over her. "Why would Prince Qian appoint me to manage the household? There are plenty of people here capable of doing so, and I am currently ill. Since he has the family's affairs mapped out as clear as the palm of his hand, he must surely know this. Is he trying to work me to death?"

The more she understood Prince Qian, the more vigilant she grew of him. Now, for him to suddenly issue a decree appointing her as manager only deepened her suspicions.

Zijuan, Xueyan, and the others were equally baffled by the women. Zijuan hastily demanded, "Have you all been drinking too much wine to come and frighten my young mistress? She hasn't even made her debut yet, and at her tender age, how could she manage so many affairs of the household? Besides, she is still unwell!"

An older woman laughed, "I would never dare to casually fabricate Prince Qian's decree! It was Second Master Lian who said it himself, fresh from his return from the palace. He even specified that Miss Xue is to join in managing the estate!"

"Miss Xue? Which one?"

"That I do not know. But the matter is absolute truth! Miss, hurry and change your clothes so we can set up the incense table and kowtow in thanks for the imperial grace!" the woman urged.

Upon hearing this, Daiyu grew even more indignant. *It would be one thing if he were merely toying with me,* she thought, *but to demand I set up an incense table in gratitude? Forcing a young girl like me to take charge of the household—this is clearly a malicious trap harboring evil intentions!*

The gargantuan Rongguo Mansion housed hundreds of souls, their interpersonal relations intricately convoluted. How was she, an outsider by surname, supposed to govern them?

Zijuan retained her doubts, prompting another matron to chime in, "Prince Qian also decreed that the soldiers outside the gates are at the young mistress's disposal. Anyone who dares disobey shall be taken and punished!"

***

Hearing this, Daiyu frowned and lowered her head in deep thought, suddenly recalling Baoyu:

*He still dwells on the matter of entering the palace. If he learns that Prince Qian has appointed her as the household manager, how could his mind not run wild with suspicions?*

***

The Hengwu Courtyard.

"Ah?!"

Exquisite as a painted picture, Xue Baoqin was utterly stunned when the reporting maid brought word that Prince Qian had handed the management of Rongguo Mansion over to the Xue family maidens. For a moment, she suspected her own ears.

Xue Baochai was also frozen in momentary shock before she hastily asked the maid, "Is what you say true?"

"Truly true! How could I dare deceive the young mistress?" the maid giggled. "The Old Dowry sent me to tell Miss Bao to quickly change her clothes and go set up the incense table to kowtow in thanks for the imperial grace!"

Seeing her elder sister deep in thought, Baoqin asked the maid, "Did she ask for my sister alone, or did she summon both of us?"

The maid shook her head. "Second Master Lian only said 'the Xue family maiden,' and did not specify which one."

"Sister Qin, come with me."

Baochai took her hand and instructed, "Whether the summons was meant for me or you, it is only proper that we both change our clothes first. Furthermore, Prince Qian's decree stipulates that only those managing the household may enjoy the food and clothing of the young ladies, while all others shall be supplied at the standard of servants and maids. Since Prince Qian has bestowed such immense favor, we cannot refuse to receive it."

She had already figured out the underlying stakes:

Accustomed to a life of utter luxury, how could the members of Rongguo Mansion stomach the coarse fare of common servants? Their silks and satins would also have to be replaced with the simple garments worn by junior maids—a move that would inevitably offend countless people.

She needed to devise a method that would neither offend anyone nor violate Prince Qian's decree.

Yet, lingering doubts remained in Baochai's heart. She had no prior acquaintance with Prince Qian; why would he specifically select her and Miss Lin—both outsiders by surname—to manage Rongguo Mansion?

Lady Qin was the young mistress of Ning Mansion, and she managed the Ningguo estate...

Baochai thought of the graceful and enchanting Qin Keqing she had met in the past, then glanced at Baoqin, who looked like an immortal stepped down from a painting. Her face flushed slightly, and she lowered her gaze in silence.

She had finally grasped Prince Qian's true intention.

***

The Xiaoxiang Lodge.

Daiyu had changed into the luxurious attire worn during festive occasions: a goose-yellow circular-collared tunic adorned with plum blossoms and bamboo leaves, paired with a turquoise horse-face skirt patterned with scattered blossoms. Her hairpins were replaced with filigree golden phoenix ornaments. Though naturally slender and graceful, she now looked like a divine fairy of the court—both opulent and exquisitely slender.

Just as she stepped out of her room, she saw Baoyu rush in frantically. The moment he laid eyes on her, he stood transfixed, rooted to the spot like a wooden chicken.

"..."

The two looked at each other in silence.

Daiyu knew what was passing through his mind; he must have mistakenly assumed she was about to be taken into the palace!

Turning her head away in annoyance, she demanded, "What are you doing here?"

A single sentence was enough to bring tears streaming down Jia Baoyu's face. "Good, good, good!" he repeated three times. "You too are entering the palace! From this day forth, you will be Consort Lin, Empress Lin, and I shall never be able to play with you again!"

Overcome with exasperation, Daiyu pointed a trembling finger at him. "Baoyu! Even you utter such preposterous nonsense!" Her breath hitched, and Zijuan hurriedly rushed over to support her, gently patting her back.

Jia Baoyu blinked, jolted out of his daze, and frantically pleaded, "Sister Lin, it was entirely my fault for speaking wrongly! Please, don't enter the palace. I will go beg the Old Dowry not to let you go!"

Daiyu's delicate face was flushed crimson. After a long moment, she caught her breath and said, "When did I ever say I was entering the palace? It is merely a stratagem of alienation sown by that Prince Qian! He is a warlord... a prince who leads armies in battle, and he excels above all in such cunning schemes!"

The words "bandit prince" she dared not utter aloud.

"A stratagem of alienation?"

Jia Baoyu failed to grasp her meaning and was about to press for answers when Yangyang, Lady Jia's personal maid, hurried over to urge them: "Miss Lin, please make haste! The Old Dowry is waiting for you, and Miss Bao and Miss Qin are already there."

Daiyu had no choice but to go, with Jia Baoyu trailing close behind.

Upon arriving at the incense table, Baochai and Baoqin were already waiting. Maids and matrons from all over Rongguo Mansion looked on from the sides; many of them had only just learned the news and were chattering excitedly among themselves.

"Is Prince Qian really handing the household over to Miss Lin and the two Xue lasses?"

"Hehe, Prince Qian has quite an eye, instantly spotting those three exquisite girls!"

"You mean...?"

"Can't you tell? Prince Qian intends to take them into the palace as his imperial concubines later on!"

"No wonder... So that's how it is!"

Jia Baoyu overheard these speculations, and his mind plunged into a frantic, agonizing whirl. He longed to halt the proceedings, yet he feared his father, Jia Zheng. He could only stand by helplessly and watch as his beloved Sister Lin, dressed in full ceremonial attire, prepared to bow in gratitude for the imperial grace.

It looked precisely as though she were entering the palace to serve Prince Qian!

Before long, Jia Lian returned. Everyone rushed to ask him, "Which Xue family maiden is it?!"

"..."

Jia Lian was equally struck dumb. Back at the Jingjing Hall, Prince Qian had asked him if he had heard clearly; at the time, not anticipating this complication, he had replied that he had.

Now, however, everything was fouled up—there were two Xue maidens!

It was Lady Jia who stepped forward to resolve the impasse, declaring, "No matter which one it was, let both Miss Bao and Miss Qin go together to kowtow in gratitude for Prince Qian's imperial grace. They shall consult with one another regarding the management of the household."

Thus, Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai, and Xue Baoqin, under the watchful gaze of the Jia family members and the crowd of servants, bowed before the incense table in kowtow to Prince Qian.

Shortly thereafter, Wang Xifeng and Lady Wang handed the keys symbolizing household authority over to the three maidens, signifying that from this day forward, the gargantuan ducal mansion would be governed by the trio!

Watching her daughter accept the keys, Aunt Xue felt as though in a trance, as if she were witnessing the glorious scene of her daughter being officially invested as a noble consort, enveloped in supreme honor and favor.

With a single word from Prince Qian, the management of Rongguo Mansion had been transferred from Wang Xifeng's hands to those of three unmarried girls.

"!!!"

Having handed over the keys, Wang Xifeng turned her head to cast a sidelong glance at her husband, Jia Lian. Her emotions at that moment were far more complex than anyone else's.

When she married into the Jia family, she had first served the Elder Madame for a year before transferring to the Old Dowry's side, and later to Lady Wang, eventually winning Lady Wang's trust. With Lady Wang's petition to Lady Jia, she had finally earned the right to assist Lady Wang in managing the estate.

Yet now, Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai, and Xue Baoqin needed to do nothing more than accept Prince Qian's single decree to strip away what she had striven years of bitter toil to achieve.

How could she possibly resign herself to this?!