Prince Bei Jing of the Red Chamber, starting from saving Qin Keqing

The imperial study was warm and inviting, the scent of ambergris filling the air and dispelling the cold snow outside.

Zhu Yiheng sat upright on the dragon throne, his gaze falling on the two kneeling below the steps. His eyes were full of gentle smiles, and his tone was as kind as that of an ordinary elder brother:

"Shui Rong, I just had a long talk with Minister Lin, and he spoke highly of you as his son-in-law."

Having said that, he turned his gaze to Daiyu, his tone gentle and teasing:

"Miss Lin, what is your opinion of my younger brother, the prince?"

Zhu Yiheng's words were not meant to be difficult; in fact, he valued Shui Rong's marriage from the bottom of his heart.

Shui Rong is already nineteen years old this year, which is already the age for marriage among the royal children. If it is delayed any longer, it will inevitably give others something to say and damage the royal family's reputation.

He gazed intently at Daiyu, his eyes filled with expectation.

Daiyu knelt on the ground, listening to the emperor's question, feeling countless gazes upon her—the emperor's gentleness, Lin Ruhai's relief, and Shui Rong's concern.

Her cheeks instantly flushed, even her ears turned red, the blush clearly visible through the thin, white veil.

She gripped the hem of her dress tightly, her fingertips trembling slightly. For a moment, she didn't know how to respond, and her heart was pounding.

Upon seeing this, Shui Rong immediately stepped forward and gently stood beside Daiyu.

Then she turned around, walked up to Zhu Yiheng, and with a slightly coquettish tone, gently patted her elder brother's shoulder:

"Your Majesty, let me and Miss Lin handle matters of the heart ourselves. I am already deeply grateful for your personal bestowal of this marriage upon me, so there is no need for you to ask any further questions."

His words both protected Daiyu from her embarrassment and pleased the emperor.

Zhu Yiheng was amused by his appearance and patted the back of his hand.

His gaze shifted to Lin Ruhai beside him, his tone becoming increasingly friendly:

"Minister Lin, look at my younger brother. His parents died when he was young, so as his elder brother, I have to take on the responsibility of 'the eldest brother is like a father' and keep an eye on him. To be honest, I am very satisfied with Miss Lin."

He paused, then seemed to suddenly remember something, a calculating smile flashing in his eyes:

"Perfect timing. Shui Rong is going to the south to investigate a case after the New Year. The journey is long, so why don't we have Miss Lin accompany him?"

"Spending so much time together on the journey will allow them to develop a better relationship, don't you think, in-laws?"

Upon hearing the words "in-laws," Lin Ruhai immediately stood up, bowed, and spoke with a mixture of apprehension and joy:

"Your Majesty is too kind to this old minister!"

"Get up quickly, get up quickly."

Zhu Yiheng quickly waved his hand, signaling Shui Rong to help Lin Ruhai.

"Lord Lin, in a few days, Daiyu will become my brother's wife, and you will naturally be my in-law. There is no need for such formalities."

Shui Rong stepped forward and steadily supported Lin Ruhai. Lin Ruhai looked at the two brothers in front of him, his eyes filled with relief.

Just then, a eunuch's high-pitched voice announced from outside the door: "Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"

Upon hearing the sound, everyone in the room immediately stood up and bowed in greeting as Empress Xu entered the hall.

"Greetings to Your Majesty the Empress! May Your Majesty live a thousand years!"

Empress Xu was dressed in a bright yellow palace gown embroidered with phoenix patterns, with a red gold filigree phoenix hairpin in her hair. Her appearance was dignified and elegant, yet her brows carried a hint of cheerful gentleness.

Her gaze immediately fell on the slender Daiyu in the crowd. She quickly walked forward, grabbed her hand, and said with a laugh:

"This must be Lin Daiyu, right? Shui Rong, you're such a heartless rascal!"

"Lin Daiyu is already frail, and in this cold weather, making her wear these heavy headdresses is too much trouble. Quickly have the maid take them away; she'll tire herself out."

Having said that, without waiting for Shui Rong's reply, she took Daiyu's hand, turned to the people in the imperial study, and smiled:

"You men should discuss serious matters; don't make Lin Daiyu feel wronged."

"I'll take her for a tour of the inner palace so she can get used to the place—after all, she's the future Princess Consort of Beijing, and she'll be spending a lot of time in the palace in the future."

Daiyu felt a warmth in her heart as she was pulled along.

He subconsciously looked up at Shui Rong, but before he could even say goodbye, Empress Xu half-pulled and half-supported him out of the imperial study.

She glanced back and met Shui Rong's gentle gaze, his eyes full of reassurance, which instantly put her at ease.

Inside the imperial study, Zhu Yiheng watched the Empress's hurried departure, smiled helplessly, and explained to Shui Rong:

"That's just how your sister-in-law is. When she sees a girl she likes, she can't help but get close to her."

Having said that, he stopped smiling, and his expression gradually became serious:

"Alright, now that Daiyu isn't here, we should get down to business."

"Shui Rong, when you go south to Jiangzhe to investigate the case, the local dialect and slang will be obstacles. I have already instructed Minister Lin to teach you properly these next few days. You must study hard."

Shui Rong bowed and replied, "Your subject obeys the decree."

"At that time, you will travel south with Daiyu."

Zhu Yiheng turned his gaze to Lin Ruhai, his tone carrying a mixture of entrustment and amusement.

"Minister Lin, I have entrusted my younger brother and his future sister-in-law to you. Whether it's teaching them the local dialect or giving them advice on the situation in Jiangnan, you must not keep anything to yourself."

Lin Ruhai immediately bowed, his tone firm: "Your Majesty, rest assured, this old minister will speak frankly and without reservation, and will never hold back!"

On the other side, Empress Xu pulled Daiyu along and quickly walked into Zhongcui Palace.

The hall was warm and inviting, filled with the faint scent of plum blossoms. The furnishings were elegant, and the tables were set with a variety of exquisite pastries and hot tea, exuding the gentle charm of a woman's residence.

Empress Xu pulled Daiyu to sit on the soft couch by the window, gestured for the palace maids to leave, and then reached out and gently removed the plain white veil from Daiyu's face.

When Daiyu's exquisitely beautiful face came into view, Empress Xu couldn't help but exclaim in amazement:

"My goodness, she's so stunningly beautiful, even more beautiful than a fairy in a painting! That Shui Rong kid has a really sharp eye, he's got a real bargain!"

Daiyu's cheeks flushed even more from the praise, and she lowered her eyes and whispered:

"Your Majesty flatters me. Daiyu is of such delicate appearance that she is not worth mentioning."

"What do you mean it's not worth mentioning?"

Empress Xu smiled and pinched her cheek, her tone as intimate as that of a sister.

"From now on, we're family, so there's no need to be so formal."

"If I had known that Lin Daiyu was so beautiful, I would have sent someone to the Rongguo Mansion to bring you to the palace to talk, so that you wouldn't be bored at home."

Having said that, she got up and walked to the dressing table to the side, opened a gilded lacquer box, which was filled with all kinds of rare rouge, face powder, and jewelry.

There was the finest rouge, and pearl earrings from the South China Sea.

There was also a jade hairpin, with a delicate magnolia flower carved on the head, which was very exquisite.

"Come here, let me dress you up."

Empress Xu pulled Daiyu over and made her sit in front of the dressing table. She picked up the box of rouge, dipped her fingertip in it, and gently dabbed it on Daiyu's cheek.

"Your skin is fair, and this rouge looks best on you. It's much more elegant than those gaudy colors."

Daiyu sat in front of the mirror, watching Empress Xu carefully dressing her up, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

Since her mother's death, no one has ever dressed her up so affectionately.

The Empress's warmth and gentleness gradually made her let go of all her restraint, and the shyness in her eyes slowly turned into docility.

As Empress Xu inserted the jade hairpin into her hair, she chuckled softly:

"Sister Lin, don't be afraid of that boy Shui Rong. He looks calm, but he's actually very protective of his own."

"After you marry into the royal family, if he dares to bully you, come to the palace and tell your sister, and she will take care of him for you!"

Upon hearing this, Daiyu couldn't help but laugh, her voice as clear and delicate as a nightingale's:

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. Prince Shui Rong has treated me very well and has never bullied me."

"That's good."

Empress Xu nodded in satisfaction, then picked up a kingfisher feather hairpin and inserted it into one side of her hair bun.

"You are gentle by nature. From now on, you can just focus on being the Princess Consort of Beijing in the Prince's mansion."

"If you get annoyed by the trivial matters of the household, come to the palace to play chess or card games with me, or we sisters can chat."

Her words were gentle and considerate, and her hand holding Daiyu's was warm and strong.

Daiyu gazed at her refreshed appearance in the mirror, then looked at the smiling Empress Xu beside her.

She felt a slight warmth in her eyes and softly replied, "Yes, Daiyu has remembered. I will come to talk with Your Highness often in the future."