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

Page 5

Since Qingfeng Courtyard and Chunhua Courtyard were located in the same place, the two returned along the same route. After spending a day together, Daiyu and Gu Yu gradually became more familiar with each other and started talking more.

Watching Daiyu return to her courtyard, Gu Yu couldn't help but sigh inwardly:

"Now that Jia Min's mindset is gradually improving, she will surely live a long life if she takes good care of herself in the future. Lin Daiyu will no longer have to go to the Jia Mansion alone and suffer all kinds of cold words and scorn, until she died with tears in her eyes. It's just a pity that she will never have the chance to see what kind of charm the Twelve Beauties have."

"However, Jia Yucun will surely be unable to resist going to the capital to seek an official position soon. When the monk in the gourd makes a mess of the case, there will be a chance to see Xiangling."

Thinking of this, Gu Yu's heart stirred. When he read Dream of the Red Chamber in his previous life, his favorite maid was the charming and naive Xiangling, and then there was Qingwen.

As for the gentle and kind Ping'er, she's already Jia Lian's concubine. The title of "God of Pure Love" is well-deserved. He would never covet what belongs to someone else.

But there's no use thinking about it now, let's think about how to solve the problem we just discussed!

……

Chapter Eight: Since I'm bored anyway, I might as well make Daiyu cry!

Since the arrival of the young master of the Gu family at the Salt Administration Office, the Lin family has shaken off the somber atmosphere that had prevailed recently due to the death of their young master, and has instead shown a long-lost vitality.

From that day on, Gu Yu would spend an hour every morning training his muscles and bones with a local martial arts master he had hired. After returning to his courtyard for a simple breakfast and a quick wash, he would head to Jia Yucun's place to practice his writing.

After taking a nap in the afternoon, Gu Yu studied the zither with Jia Min. However, Gu Yu later asked Gu Zhong to find a purple jade flute from outside and hide it in the room without telling anyone.

Jia Min usually asked him to stay for dinner and rest for a while before following Lin Hai into the study. So, in total, he was inseparable from Daiyu all day long.

In just half a month, Gu Yu felt that she had almost completely integrated into this antique world.

His past life experiences seemed as distant as clouds and smoke, appearing less and less frequently in his dreams, becoming increasingly blurry. Only the knowledge in his mind reminded him of his origins.

Perhaps it was because she was reborn into a child's body, but Gu Yu felt that she was becoming more and more childish.

She usually acts quite dignified and proper, so why was she able to act spoiled and stay in bed on her last day off because she didn't want to get up to do horse stance?

Is this something a model young person like me would do?!

If that were all, it would be fine. Looking at her maid's flushed smiling face, she could only blame herself for being corrupted by the sugar-coated bullets of the decadent feudal landlord life.

But why was Lin Daiyu able to come to my courtyard to find me? And why did she happen to witness the whole thing?!

When Gu Yu, who had completely let loose, heard a clear, melodious, yet extremely familiar laugh beside her, she turned her head and saw only a small head peeking out from outside the door, looking in her direction. She felt so embarrassed that her soul froze.

The childlike rosy cheeks on his face instantly turned bright red, like the skin of a dead pig scalded by boiling water. The feeling of wanting to faint but not being able to almost make him die instantly.

Gu Yu has forgotten how he survived that day, but he will never stay in bed again.

However, whenever he put on a serious face in front of Jia Yucun and Lin Hai, he felt that Daiyu's eyes were full of strangeness when she looked at him.

Another day off has arrived, and it's already early April.

Because of her frail health, Daiyu rarely moved around during the cold winter months, but now that the weather is gradually warming up, she is visiting Gu Yu's courtyard more and more frequently.

It was just a short walk around the corner, so the nannies didn't need to stop her to avoid getting tired and sweaty. Besides, they were very perceptive and could naturally see Jia Min's attitude, so they tacitly agreed.

Daiyu hadn't thought of this yet, but she had been frail and sickly since childhood. When she was a little over three years old, a younger brother came along and took away some of her affection. Recently, he died young, which attracted most of the household's attention, so her feelings were somewhat neglected.

Now that a cousin from the Gu family has come to visit, he is not only close in age to her, but also almost as intelligent as her. He is also good-looking, interesting, and knows many novel things that others don't. Of course, she is happy to go to his place to play.

"Brother Yu, you said yesterday that if I could solve the problem better than you, you would teach me a new way to solve it? Here you go, are you willing to honor your bet?"

Early in the morning, Daiyu came to Gu Yu's courtyard again. She followed the maid into the room and saw Gu Yu sitting at the desk by the bed practicing calligraphy. She smiled and took out the half-sheet of paper she was holding, winked mischievously, and her eyes were full of smugness.

Gu Yu put down his pen after writing that one big character, turned around and took the paper. He was stunned as soon as he saw it, and kept muttering to himself.

Daiyu confidently surveyed the calligraphy copybooks on the desk, nodded seriously, but what she said made people both laugh and cry.

"Compared to a while ago, the chicken's feet seem to have grown quite a bit and become somewhat sharp."

Gu Yu had just emerged from the shadow of losing to Daiyu in solving another puzzle when she heard such a seemingly plausible compliment, and couldn't help but twitch at the corner of her mouth.

He truly hadn't expected this little girl to have such a sharp tongue; even though he was mentally prepared, he often couldn't keep up.

“…What my cousin said makes sense. It really makes me ashamed. In that case, I’ll practice for five or six hours today since I have nothing else to do. I’ll just not have time to teach my sister those miscellaneous skills. Please forgive me.”

"No! If you don't teach me, I...I..."

Daiyu subconsciously objected, but after thinking for a long time, she couldn't think of any leverage she could use to threaten him.

Thinking about how he had spent half the night racking his brains to come up with a brilliant idea in order to win the bet, he realized that he had been thinking about it for a long time.

But now that Gu Yu has broken the contract so easily, and Daiyu has no way to retaliate, she can't help but feel wronged, and her eyes turn red with tears.

Gu Yu was just joking, but unexpectedly, tears immediately welled up in Daiyu's eyes, and she hurriedly apologized to make amends.

"Don't cry, little sister. I was just joking! A man's word is his bond. How could I lie to you? Hurry up and wipe your tears so your eyes don't look bad."

Upon hearing this, the sobbing subsided considerably, but she remained seated on the chair beside him, turning her head away from him.

Gu Yu took the half-sheet of paper, thought for a moment, and then used his special skill to overcome this difficulty.

Seeing that there was no more movement behind her, Daiyu tried her best not to turn around and look at him, but unexpectedly Gu Yu turned around and stood in front of her.

Before she could turn her head, Gu Yu placed a small toy in her hand and said, "Little sister, you can try pulling its tail."

Daiyu stopped crying and only calmed down after seeing Gu Yu's sincere expression.

She examined the head and tail, reached out and tugged at them, and saw the wings on both sides move as if they were a real bird.

"It's called a paper crane. Legend has it that if you fold one every day, and then give a thousand to someone you like, your wish will come true, and it will also protect you from illness and keep you healthy."

Daiyu's eyes lit up; she immediately thought of her mother, who had always been in poor health.

If I fold a thousand paper cranes and give them to my mother, she will definitely get completely better!

Thinking of this, Daiyu no longer hesitated and quickly pulled Gu Yu's sleeve to walk to the desk, asking him to teach her how to fold paper cranes carefully.

She had been focused on the calligraphy she was practicing, but as she tidied her desk, she noticed a letter under the books next to her, and a hint of curiosity flashed through Daiyu's mind.

She knew about Gu Yu's background, but she didn't know who wrote this letter.

But her upbringing prevented her from taking the liberty of rummaging through the things. As soon as Daiyu turned her head, Gu Yu knew what she was going to ask and could only smile wryly.

He spoke first:

"This is a letter from Elder Sun of the Gu family. He had been staying in Suzhou, but a while ago, I was thinking of having you, my cousin, checked on again, so I wrote to ask him to come over."

"Unexpectedly, the letter I received last night said that a few days ago, the old lady of the Zhen family in Jinling suddenly fell seriously ill, and her second master personally went to Suzhou overnight to ask him to treat her."

"Master Zhen has taken care of several of my family's businesses without my consent, so it's really hard to refuse. I can only do what's urgent and go to treat Madam Zhen first before coming to Yangzhou to help Lin Daiyu recuperate."

"Of course, saving people is the priority. As for my body, which is what it is, there's nothing worth bothering about it."

Daiyu shook her head and said, but her eyes were full of emotion as she looked at Gu Yu.

The two only asked the maids to bring more neatly cut pieces of paper, and did not want them to serve them. After teaching Daiyu, they folded fifty or sixty pieces themselves before stopping.

When Daiyu was about to leave, she prepared to take all the paper cranes with her. Gu Yu deliberately protested:

"Sister Lin, half of these were folded by me. If you take them to make up the numbers, wouldn't that be dishonest?"

Daiyu blinked, smiled, and said:

"I originally intended to give this to my mother to wish her good health. If it's not sincere, does Brother Yu have some bad intentions? Then I'll have to tell my mother! Hehehe."

Gu Yu raised his hands in surrender, indicating that he had conceded defeat.

Zhiyan Zhai, you're right, everyone wants to twist that mouth!

……

Chapter Nine: The Arrival of Sun Lingxu

Unfortunately, before Daiyu could finish folding a thousand paper cranes, Jia Min fell ill.

Seven or eight doctors came to the mansion to treat him, and they all said that he had been overly worried and had damaged his health, and that he should relax and rest.

Lin Hai wished he could arrest all these quack doctors. If it were a month or so ago, this argument might have been convincing to him.

But ever since Gu Yu came, Jia Min has placed her guilt and sense of compensation for her young son on Gu Yu.

Watching him and Daiyu bicker and argue, Jia Min's smile never stopped, and now she actually said she was too worried.

After the last locally renowned doctor finished speaking, he hesitated, about to say something more, when an impatient Lin Hai ushered him out.

Looking back at the back gate of the Yangzhou Salt Administration Office, the old doctor shook his head and sighed, a hint of pity on his face.

"Alas, troubles always arise in the inner quarters... What a pity for this good official!"

……

Gu Yu had visited Jia Min several times, and seeing the prominent cheekbones on Jia Min's beautiful face due to her sudden weight loss, she always felt that the illness came about strangely.

However, since Elder Sun was already on his way to Yangzhou, this matter should not be difficult for him. Jia Min was also afraid of passing on her illness to the children, so she did not allow them to visit her, and even the daily greetings were waived.

Although Lin Hai wanted to focus on taking care of the sick and young children in the family, the arrival of two people forced him to put aside his family matters. He would leave early and return late every day, and was rarely seen.

Jia Min's illness worsened, and Daiyu felt as if she had returned to the time when her little brother suddenly died. However, this time, apart from her mother, even her father had no time to take care of her.

After Gu Yu no longer needed to go to the main hall, he usually stayed at Qingfeng Courtyard and didn't go out. He just asked Gu Zhong to contact Sun Gongfeng to hurry up and get to Yangzhou.

In ancient times, with its poor medical conditions, not to mention that his age was hardly convincing, his limited knowledge of modern medicine was simply a case of a skilled cook trying to make a meal without ingredients.

Professional matters should be handled by professionals. As a child, all he can do right now is not to cause trouble.

Two days later, Gu Yu felt uneasy and restless, unable to concentrate on her book. She simply put down the book and asked the maid to move the recliner to the courtyard so she could bask in the sun.

This reclining chair had only recently become popular in Jiangnan. After hearing about it from Gu Zhong, Gu Yu asked him to buy one.

He then picked out a tiger skin from the furniture and laid it on the sofa. Lying on it was a hundred times more comfortable than the high-end leather sofa he used in his previous life. Not to mention, using a tiger skin instantly elevated the quality of the recliner.

When Daiyu came to his room, she would hog the recliner and wouldn't let him have it, and she actually used it for longer than he did.

It was afternoon, and the sun wasn't as scorching as at midday. It bathed the entire courtyard in a warm glow, making Gu Yu feel so comfortable that she wanted to hum softly.

He always felt a bit cold. He didn't pay attention to it when it was still chilly in early spring, but now that it's summer, he still wears more clothes than most people.

Everyone says kids have a lot of temper, but he's almost turned into an old man who stays in bed all day!

Just as Gu Yu was drifting off to sleep in the sunlight, she was suddenly shaken awake by her maid, who said with delight:

"Young Master Yu, Uncle Zhong has sent word that Doctor Sun from your household has arrived and is now at Madam's place. He wants you to accompany my young lady there."

His sleepiness vanished instantly, and Gu Yu couldn't help but feel happy. He had been really bored these past few days, and upon smelling the aroma, he quickly got up.

Ignoring the lounging chair left forlornly in the courtyard, he strode directly towards Daiyu's courtyard, wanting to tell her the good news.

These past few days, since Jia Min fell ill, the girl has been looking gloomy and hasn't even come to his yard. He's too embarrassed to go to her yard, so they haven't seen each other for several days.

"Hey, Young Master Yu, slow down! Be careful not to fall!"

The maid behind him looked helpless and quickly followed.

This young master of the Gu family is not only handsome and academically gifted, but he also doesn't have the spoiled temperament of a child from a wealthy family.

There's just one thing that's really worrying: she always travels alone and doesn't need anyone to wait on her.

Since it was inside the mansion, and the people coming and going were all servants, there was no fear of them getting lost or accidentally falling into the water. So, they simply turned a blind eye and let it pass.

But if they actually bump into something, the host family will inevitably punish them, making them both loved and hated!

As soon as they arrived outside Daiyu's courtyard, the door opened from the inside, and a little girl quickly walked out from behind it. She looked up and saw Gu Yu standing in front of her.

Daiyu's eyes lit up, and she grabbed Gu Yu's sleeve, saying eagerly, "Brother Yu, I heard that your family's old master Sun has come to the manor. Come with me to see Mother!"

Gu Yu never expected that Daiyu, who was always portrayed as weak and melancholic in the book, would have such a 'lively' side. She couldn't help but sigh to herself, 'A child with a mother is a treasure,' and then she and Daiyu walked directly to the main hall.

As soon as Gu Yu approached, she saw Gu Zhong and another steward from the Lin family standing at the door.

Seeing Gu Yu and Daiyu walking quickly towards him, their faces flushed and covered in a little sweat, Gu Zhong hurriedly ordered a servant to bring handkerchiefs and take them to a side room to tidy up, lest they catch a cold again.

After a quick wipe, Gu Yu and Daiyu went into the inner room together. They saw Jia Min lying weakly on the bed, without even using a curtain to cover her.

Her high, protruding cheekbones made her face look bloodless, a far cry from the gentle and beautiful aunt Gu Yu remembered from a few days ago.

Sitting on a low seat beside the bed was an elderly man who looked quite familiar to Gu Yu. His hair was already gray, but his eyes were quite bright, and one could vaguely see some of the dashing and unrestrained spirit of his youth.

Lin Hai sat restlessly on the chair next to him. When he saw Gu Yu and Daiyu come in together, he only nodded slightly and looked in Jia Min's direction with a worried expression.

The old man who was always calm and composed in her memory now had a solemn expression on his face. His hand was on Jia Min's wrist and he was not moving. His eyebrows were furrowed together, forming two knots.

Gu Yu silently walked to Lin Hai's side and stood there. Daiyu immediately noticed that something was wrong with the atmosphere in the room. Her originally joyful expression turned helpless, and she threw herself into Lin Hai's arms, looking up at her father.

The father, who would normally look back at her with loving eyes, now dared not look into his beloved daughter's innocent eyes. He turned his head away, concealing the heaviness in his eyes.

After a long while, Sun Gongfeng finally lowered his hand, sighed softly, and broke the silence in the room.