After the rebellion was successful, I realized that this place was the Red Mansion

Chapter 7 Rongguo Mansion (Part 2)
Zijuan hurried back to Xiaoxiang Pavilion carrying a lantern.

After entering the room, he asked Xueyan and went into Lin Daiyu's room. He saw the girl reading a book with a light lamp. Her two curved eyebrows were slightly frowned, and there seemed to be a wisp of light smoke on the tip of her eyebrows. Her eyebrows were lightly drawn, just like they were painted.

But Zijuan knew that the eyebrows were just an inconspicuous part of the girl's body. The girl's pair of watery and dewy eyes were even more lovable. Every time the Second Master saw the girl crying, he would be very anxious.

"girl."

Zijuan called her softly. The spring night was a little chilly, so she took a piece of clothing and put it on Lin Daiyu who was reading. She advised, "Miss, go to bed early. As the saying goes, there is always a way out. There will always be a way out in the future."

In Zijuan's opinion, the girl was really pitiful. She lost her mother when she was young, and lost her father two years ago. She had no brothers and lived in a relative's house. There was no one who understood her sympathy and warmth. When she was wronged, she could only go back to her room and cry alone.

"How's it going out there?"

Lin Daiyu lowered her head to read and asked Zijuan.

She has a naturally small voice, as delicate and slender as she is.

Zijuan smiled and said, "The old lady, the mistress, and Second Madam Lian have discussed this for a long time, and finally decided that starting tomorrow, the mansion will close half an hour earlier, and more people will be sent to patrol the night, and each room will be required to count the property. We can't let those with dirty hands take advantage of the situation."

"Did he say anything else?" Lin Daiyu still lowered her head and flipped through the book in her hand.

Zijuan happened to recognize that the girl was reading the New Book of Tang, so she said, "Master Bao has gone to discuss matters with the master and others. He will tell the girl when he comes back."

Lin Daiyu finally looked up and asked, "How did you know he would come?"

Zijuan smiled and said, "Young lady, please don't hide it from me. Some time ago, Master Bao asked Qingwen to bring me an old handkerchief. I saw it all. Young lady even wrote a poem on it."

Hearing this, a trace of shame appeared on Lin Daiyu's pale face, and she cursed, "No one else saw it, but you are so sharp-eyed... cough cough cough."

When she got anxious, she couldn't help coughing. Her pretty face wrinkled up and she covered her chest with her hands and breathed rapidly.

"Don't be impatient, girl!"

Zijuan hurried forward and patted her on the back, complaining, "I've been with you for so many years, how could I not know what you feel?"

Only then did Lin Daiyu gradually stop.

Zijuan muttered to herself, "I've always seen Second Master treat the young lady with all his heart. Originally, he could have said he'd wait another two years. The old lady was still strong and could make the decision for the young lady. But now the enemy army is besieging the city, and the future looks bleak for everyone. We don't know what the future holds."

Lin Daiyu didn't answer, but just looked at the book in her hand aimlessly.

Zijuan continued, "I've heard that every time a dynasty changes, the family's property is confiscated, their official position is demoted, and they are beheaded. If they are beheaded, then that's it, and everyone is done with it. But if they confiscate the property, there's no telling what the women in the mansion will do to the enemy army. It's better for you to get married with Master Bao as soon as possible, so that you won't end up like a virgin in the world in the future."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Lin Daiyu's face flushed with anxiety. How could she do such a foolish thing? Even if Baoyu had said a few words to her earlier to tease her about her "beauty that could overwhelm a country", she would have glared at him and scolded him.

"Don't be angry, girl. I said the wrong thing."

Zijuan begged for mercy, but Lin Daiyu pointed to the New Book of Tang in her hand and said, "It's recorded in history books that when Emperor Taizong of Tang captured Chang'an, he took all the women and families of criminal officials into the Ye Ting Palace. I'm not afraid of being a slave, but if the thieves try to force me, I can hang myself from the beams with a foot of white cloth, and that won't defile me! I came to the Rongguo Mansion with a clean record, and even if I die, my soul will return to Yangzhou with a clean record!"

Zijuan was moved. Looking at her, the girl looked weak and petite, always sickly, and would cry one day out of three. However, the girl's character was stronger than a man's!
"Even if the girl dies, I won't live in vain!"

Zijuan told her about her ambitions and then tried to comfort her: "It hasn't come to that yet. Don't think about committing suicide all the time."

"What's this about life and death?"

There was a sound outside the door. Lin Daiyu quickly wiped away her tears and stood up, smiling at the young man who came in, "You really came, Zijuan, go and pour tea for the second master." Jia Baoyu hurriedly said, "Don't go, I'll sit for a while and then leave."

Lin Daiyu looked at him for a few seconds before she slowly sat down and asked him, "What did the uncles say?"

Her eldest uncle is Jia She, and her second uncle is Jia Zheng, Baoyu's father. Just now, the men went to discuss matters, and Jia Zhen from the East Palace should be there too.

Jia Baoyu sighed repeatedly, "Master said that I should go and practice martial arts tomorrow morning."

Lin Daiyu was startled, and after looking at him carefully, she couldn't help but laugh and said jokingly, "Second Brother Bao is going to ride on a horse and make military achievements. I won't accompany you anymore."

Normally, Jia Baoyu only hangs out in the inner house. He doesn't even study hard, let alone martial arts like swords, guns, sticks and clubs!
"Don't make fun of me, dear sister."

Jia Baoyu hung his head, dejected, and said, "It's all that villain's fault. Not only did he capture Nanjing and kill Uncle Lin, but he also attacked the capital, causing such outrage and resentment among the people that the world is in turmoil!"

Lin Daiyu did not answer. Now was not the time to complain. She should think of some serious ways to overcome the difficulties.

But Jia Baoyu was still saying, "My father wants me to wear armor and train with the servants starting tomorrow. My dear sister, what do you think of me pretending to be sick tomorrow?"

Lin Daiyu was furious. If the city fell, all the women in the mansion would suffer. She had already prepared herself for death, yet Baoyu still said these words. Had he never considered what would happen next?!
Lin Daiyu looked at him with her dewy eyes: "Brother Bao, why don't you want to go?"

Jia Baoyu said, "Those rough men are brandishing swords and spears, their bodies covered in sweat. From a distance I can smell the foul air, which lacks the pure and fragrant scent of girls. If I were to go there, wouldn't I also become stinking?"

He grinned and said, "When I came back wearing armor, I was afraid my sister would pinch her nose and stay away from me."

Lin Daiyu felt a little disappointed. If Baoyu really took up a sword or a gun to train martial arts, how could she dislike it?
Thinking this over, Daiyu asked half-seriously, "Brother Bao, if the enemy army breaks into the city, storms into the mansion, and kills me, what will you do?"

Baoyu was anxious, his face flushed, and he said, "If my sister dies, I will fight them to the death! I will accompany my sister to the underworld!"

Lin Daiyu laughed and said, "Who wants you to die with me? There are so many sisters in the family. If they die, will you also commit suicide?"

"Then I'll become a monk!"

"How dare you become a monk? Tomorrow I'll tell others about this and let them judge for themselves!"

Originally, she wanted to vent her anger at him, but now was not the time. Lin Daiyu handed him the New Book of Tang and said, "Take a look at the history books and see how the new emperors treated the princes and ministers of the old dynasty when dynasties changed."

Jia Baoyu soon came across the record of Emperor Taizong's attack on Chang'an and the imprisonment of all the wives and children of the convicted officials in the Ye Ting Palace. He could not help but look up at Sister Lin. Seeing her delicate figure, like a willow swaying in the wind, he sighed and said, "Sister Lin is such an extraordinary person. If she were to be defiled by this thief, it would truly pain my heart!"

Lin Daiyu frowned, feeling that this was not a good thing to say.

Just then, Zijuan came in with tea. Seeing her slender figure, Jia Baoyu could not help but say, "Sister Zijuan is also so beautiful. How could those traitors have the good fortune to enjoy the company of you two masters and servants? Don't worry, sister. They can't get in!"

These words left Lin Daiyu and Zijuan both stunned. Lin Daiyu's cheeks and ears flushed red, her brows half furrowed, her eyes half open, her cheeks slightly tinged with anger and her face thin with resentment. She pointed at him and said, "You damned bastard, you're talking nonsense! You've picked up some nonsense to humiliate me again. If I survive this thief's attack, I'll be mortally ashamed!"

Only then did Jia Baoyu realize that he had said the wrong thing, and hurried forward to bow and beg for forgiveness.

Lin Daiyu was annoyed that he was useless and was also worried about the enemy troops outside the city. She no longer talked and laughed with him as before and asked Zijuan to send him away.

At night, she lay alone on the bed in Xiaoxiang Pavilion, wrapped tightly in an apricot red silk quilt. Thinking of her mother's death and her father's murder by thieves, coupled with what Baoyu said during the day, she couldn't help but feel sad. Tears rolled down her face, intermittently, until the fourth watch was almost over, and she gradually fell asleep.

(End of this chapter)