Chapter 8: The Militant Aura Invades the Grand View Garden

The next day, Daiyu was awakened by Zijuan.

When she opened her eyes, a sharp sting troubled them, and her head felt heavy and dull—clear signs of a sleepless night.

Seeing this, Zijuan touched Daiyu’s pillow and noticed it was slightly damp. She sighed, “Miss cried half the night again, didn’t she? Just as Second Young Master Baoyu said, you’re truly a daughter made of water.”

Originally lying sideways on the bed with her eyes closed, Daiyu heard Baoyu’s name and slowly opened her moist eyes. “Has Baoyu come?”

Just then, Xueyan entered carrying a basin of hot water. She smiled upon hearing the question. “Miss, you don’t even check the time. You’ve just woken, how could Second Young Master have come so early?”

Zijuan laughed, “Last night, Miss quarreled with Second Young Master. By past custom, he’d come early after such a fight.”

Xueyan was unsurprised; the two often bickered.

After helping Daiyu wash and dress, Xueyan stayed behind at Xiaoxiang Pavilion while Zijuan went out with her to pay respects to the Matriarch.

“Miss Lin.”

Just outside the pavilion, Daiyu heard someone call her. Turning, she saw her cousin-in-law Li Wan approaching, her expression troubled.

After greeting her, they walked together toward the Matriarch’s chamber.

Along the way, their talk turned to the rebel army besieging the city.

Li Wan sighed, “If the rebels break in, I do not fear death—dying preserves my honor. But I worry about Lan’er; if I perish, who will care for her? Even descending to the underworld, I would be ashamed to face your late elder brother.”

Daiyu comforted her, “Sister-in-law, don’t speak so gloomily. We will discuss this with the Matriarch soon.”

Li Wan fell silent, accompanying her into the Matriarch’s room.

The place was tightly surrounded, with maidservants and elderly women peering out, while inside, the housekeepers from every sector busied themselves.

Li Wan entered to find Jia Zhen and You Shi from the East Mansion present, apparently preparing to visit the ancestral hall to pray for the Jia family’s safety during this calamity.

She pulled Daiyu aside, avoiding Jia Zhen’s gaze, and joined the other ladies—Qin Keqing, Yingchun, and Tanchun.

Outside, the Matriarch, Jia Zhen, Jia She, Madam Wang, and Wang Xifeng discussed organizing the household guards to train with weapons and defend the estate. Over two hundred servants were called from various quarters, and the training ground was set inside the Grand View Garden due to their numbers.

Li Wan saw that Rong Da-Nai-Nai summoned Yuanyang, the Matriarch’s attendant, whispering to her before Yuanyang left.

Li Wan and Tanchun peered from behind the curtain to see Yuanyang approaching Wang Xifeng, whispering something to her.

After some time, when the discussion ended, Wang Xifeng spoke up, “Matriarch, Madam.”

All eyes turned to her.

Biting her lip, Wang Xifeng said, “There’s a saying: on sunny days, beware of rain. We have prepared thoroughly. Though the rebels cannot easily break in, should the situation change and they enter the city, what then of our household?”

Her words silenced everyone.

Tanchun quietly murmured, “Then we shall fight the bandits head-on. Shall we just wait to be slaughtered?”

Yingchun and Xichun looked at her.

Daiyu agreed, “Third Sister shows great spirit, comparable to Cao Zhi and Wang Zhaojun.”

Outside, the Matriarch asked, “What is Feng Girl’s plan?”

Qin Keqing pricked up her ears, hearing Wang Xifeng say, “If it comes to that, I fear we must abandon our wealth and luxury to save the lives of all in the household.”

Li Wan knew these words came from Qin Keqing; Wang Xifeng, with her usual greed, would never say such a thing.

To forsake wealth and rank was a euphemism for surrendering to the rebel king.

The room fell silent. The Matriarch shed tears, “Our ancestors rose with the founding emperor less than a century ago. Now, we face ruin and death. If the rebel king slaughters from princes down to dukes, and only I am left to be taken out for death, at my age, it would not grieve me. If only your lives are spared!”

“Matriarch!”

The Jia family hastened to console her. She wiped her tears and ordered Jia Zhen to return and prepare for the ancestral worship.

After the rites, nearing noon, Li Wan returned to Daoxiang Village in the Grand View Garden. Inside, she saw her son, Jia Lan, being tutored by a maid. A fresh wave of sorrow overwhelmed her.

Her husband had died young, and she had raised Jia Lan alone. Moving to this peaceful place, she had hoped to devote herself to his studies, urging him to succeed in the imperial exams.

Now, with the rebel army besieging the city, life and death hung in the balance.

What fate awaited mother and son?

As Li Wan wrestled with her worries, a commotion arose outside. She sent Su Yun to investigate, who soon reported, “Grandmother, the garden is being converted into a training ground. The maids and old women are busy putting up barriers.”

Li Wan nodded and sighed, “You all go help, then. At least you can be of some use.”

Su Yun agreed and gathered the others to help string up cloth screens, keeping the household guards from disturbing the young ladies inside.

The girls should have been moved back to the main residence, but everyone was preoccupied.

After an hour, the enclosure was complete.

The guards of both Ning and Rong households began entering, practicing drills with sticks and spears on the open ground.

The Grand View Garden, once the palace for the virtuous consort’s visits, had long housed the maids and elderly women, who were unaccustomed to such scenes. They crowded behind the screens, peeking inside.

Su Yun glanced over and saw Second Young Master Baoyu, Second Young Master Lian, and Lord Rong, all clad in armor, looking exhausted.

“What are you looking at?”

Suddenly, Lin Daiyu appeared, startling Su Yun. Seeing it was her, she smiled, “Miss Lin, why have you come? Watching the swordplay and spear drills is more entertaining than opera. Second Young Master Baoyu and Second Young Master Lian even wear silver armor—it’s quite a sight!”

“That sounds amusing. I’ll take a look, too.”

Daiyu would not confess that her true reason was to catch a glimpse of Baoyu in armor.

Su Yun stepped aside, and Daiyu peered inside. Among the guards brandishing sticks and spears, Baoyu was nowhere to be seen. Only Second Brother Lian and Jia Rong from the East Mansion were visible.

After searching carefully, Daiyu found Baoyu resting beneath a willow tree by the riverbank.

Two servants fanned him, perhaps because of the heat. Baoyu had removed his helmet and outer armor layers, looking rather untidy.

“What a pretty but useless show-off!” Daiyu scolded in annoyance. If the rebels truly attacked, he might not even manage to swing a sword—how could he fight?

After a short while, Yuanyang, the Matriarch’s attendant, arrived carrying a bowl of sweet soup. Smiling, she said, “The Matriarch worries Second Young Master Baoyu will be thirsty and ordered me to bring this to him.”

She then sent a maid to summon Baoyu’s servant Mingyan to deliver the soup. Yet upon learning that Sister Lin was present, Baoyu, unable to contain his excitement, dashed out.

Seeing Daiyu, he paused, sniffed himself, and stepped back repeatedly. “I’m covered in stinky sweat—I dare not soil Sister Lin!”

The maids and old women outside laughed.

Daiyu’s face darkened. “You’d better seriously train your martial skills. The rebels will attack in four days. Who knows how long the city’s defenders can hold?”

She turned and left.

Unexpectedly, Baoyu only trained for one afternoon. The next day, while others resumed drills, he went to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

Zijuan later explained that the Matriarch had excused him from further practice.

Hearing this, Daiyu was both angry and upset. She feigned drowsiness on her bed and refused to see him again.