LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 43 - You can do it yourself
Dong Wenyi had an idea, but making it a reality wasn’t easy.
First, how could he even approach his cousin Yingyu?
As a refined young lady, she rarely left the house.
Although this description might be a bit exaggerated, it generally reflects the daily life of women from prominent families.
Especially since the Lin family is still in the mourning period for their elders. As children, they must observe three years of mourning, and they have only completed the first year.
Many events don’t actively invite the younger members of the Lin family, so the Lin sisters spend most of their time in the inner courtyard.
Dong Wenyi, now thirteen, was strictly bound by gender norms at his age. He could only visit the old lady and had no other options for entering the inner courtyard.
At the entrance of the inner courtyard, there were always servants guarding the area. Even if he managed to bypass them, he wouldn’t know where Yingyu lived.
He couldn’t think of a good solution, so he went back to find his mother. “I really like my cousin Yingyu. Mother, please talk to Aunt and have her agree to marry me. I promise I will treat her well in the future.”
Xie Ruozhen felt helpless and a bit frustrated. “Treat her well? That’s even more reason not to let her marry you.”
She came up with an excuse: “My dear, haven’t I told you? They haven’t had their selection yet; they are still going through the process.”
Dong Wenyi turned around. “Mother, don’t try to fool me. I know there’s a selection, but it’s not uncommon for people to just go through the motions, and some find ways to avoid it altogether, though it involves some risk.”
He grabbed Xie Ruozhen’s sleeve and shook it. “I don’t care! Mother, I must marry my cousin! Mother, Mother—”
He used his usual persistent tactics, making Xie Ruozhen’s headache. She had already been rejected by her aunt, and even if she brought up the matter again now, the chances of success were slim.
But Dong Wenyi wouldn’t understand his mother’s predicament. He had always been like this—if he wanted something, he would keep asking until he succeeded, no matter how many times it took.
Dong Wenyi’s persistence put Xie Ruozhen in a difficult position. She rubbed her forehead and finally relented, “Alright, alright, you troublesome child. I must have owed you something in my past life.”
She shook her head with a sigh, trying to figure out how to approach her aunt in a way that might yield better results.
Dong Wenyi was delighted: “Mother, you’re the best. You’re the one who loves me the most. Once I succeed in the future, I will definitely reward you well. I’ll get you an official title so you can be the respected matriarch of the family…” His flattering words continued, making Xie Ruozhen smile with pleasure.
But after the smile faded, she still had to face reality.
She went to see her aunt and said many things, but when she brought up the marriage proposal, the old lady cut her off immediately.
The old lady, who had been in a good mood talking about her nephew and brother, was suddenly displeased when the topic of the cousins came up: “Ruozhen, I’ve said it before. Don’t bring this up again. Your Wenyi is still young, and my granddaughter is still in mourning. It’s not appropriate!”
Xie Ruozhen’s face turned awkward. “Aunt, can we discuss this privately…”
The old lady, expressionless, picked up her teacup and signaled for her to leave.
Seeing her aunt’s reaction, Xie Ruozhen could only swallow her words and leave.
Dong Wenyi, waiting for good news, could tell from his mother’s expression that things hadn’t gone well. His brows furrowed immediately.
Xie Ruozhen tried to comfort him: “Since this approach isn’t working, let’s have your father talk to the cousin directly. He might succeed. In matters of marriage, the decision is ultimately up to the cousin.”
It might be better to let them finalize it directly; even if the old lady disagrees, there would be no way to stop it.
Xie Ruozhen had a good plan, but when she went back and suggested it to Dong Gaocheng, he flatly refused: “The old lady has already turned it down. Why make things harder for yourself?”
He wasn’t willing to take the risk of offending her.
“Foolish. Instead of wasting effort on matchmaking, you’d be better off urging him to pass the imperial exams as soon as possible.”
Xie Ruozhen felt truly unfortunate. She hadn’t even specified which daughter she wanted, yet he had hastily rejected her suggestion and insisted she focus on urging their son to study.
Isn’t it the father’s responsibility to care about their son’s education? How could she supervise him on the classics and the teachings of the sages? How could she manage that?
In his eyes, there was no room for them; he only cared about those other people!
With reddened eyes, she went back.
Dong Wenyi saw immediately that the matchmaking was off and was forced to start thinking for himself.
He began to investigate the people in the Lin family’s inner courtyard, trying to understand the power dynamics there.
He learned that his ideal match, Yingyu, was the daughter of Concubine Mei and had a strained relationship with another concubine, Yun.
This was normal; in his own father’s inner courtyard, the concubines rarely got along, always vying for favor. He assumed it was the same here.
Perhaps he could use Luoyu to his advantage?
In his view, Yingyu was more attractive than Luoyu. He thought that Luoyu must be jealous of Yingyu, and Luoyu’s mother would also likely harbor resentment towards Yingyu’s mother. If he could win over people from Luoyu’s side, they might be more willing to divulge information to him…
So he frequently visited the inner courtyard to pay his respects to the old lady and smartly brought his sister and cousin along each time.
However, once he was inside the old lady’s quarters, he had few opportunities to slip away.
One day, he went into the inner courtyard, claiming he needed to visit the old lady. On the way, he said he needed to take care of something and dismissed his maid, looking around to see if he could chance upon Yingyu.
Yun Shuyao, who had just returned with a maid after delivering something to her daughter, happened to pass by. She saw Dong Wenyi wandering around the garden as if searching for someone, and noticed he was alone without any maid.
Yun Shuyao stopped and stood in place, instructing her senior maid, Hongqin, to check if he was lost.
She decided not to approach him herself. She had no interest in dealing with him.
She had no good impression after hearing Luo Yu’s account of their first meeting and was too lazy to put on pretense.
“Young Master Yi.”
Hongqin approached to offer her greetings, asking, “Young Master Yi, are you lost? The old lady’s quarters are in that direction; I’ll take you there.”
Seeing that the maid wasn’t from the old lady’s quarters, Dong Wenyi’s eyes brightened. “Sister, please wait a moment. I’m going to visit my great-aunt, but I have a question I’m unsure about. Could you help me with it?”
Hongqin smiled, “Young Master Yi, please go ahead.”
Dong Wenyi, somewhat shyly, asked, “May I ask where you serve?”
Hongqin replied, “…You needn’t call me ‘Sister’; just call me Hongqin. I serve Miss Yun.”
Dong Wenyi’s eyes lit up even more. “I see. I’ve heard that Miss Yun and Mei Niang aren’t very harmonious. Is that true?”
Hongqin was taken aback.
It was the first time she had encountered someone asking about her in such a manner.
Was Young Master Yi unaware of his own problems, or was he genuinely clueless?
Hongqin replied, “Young Master Yi, you must be joking. The two aunts get along harmoniously.”
Dong Wenyi frowned, “Is that so? I heard that Mei Niang has a spoiled temperament. Is it not true? Miss Yun must have suffered a lot, right?”
Hongqin remained silent once more. What kind of suffering did Miss Yun endure?
She had never heard of such things.
Moreover, Mei Niang’s temperament… Hongqin hadn’t observed anything that would suggest she was spoiled towards Miss Yun.
Hongqin said, “That’s not the case.”
“Haha, is that so? I heard that my cousin Chenyu…” He rambled on for a while before finally asking what he really wanted to know.
“My second sister and little sister have a good relationship with the two cousins. I vaguely heard they were going to visit my elder cousin. Do you know the way? I’m going to find my second sister.” He asked this with much more excitement than before.
Hongqin paused, then glanced towards Miss Yun’s direction. After receiving a response, she answered, “Young Master Yi, if you have something to convey, let me know, and I’ll pass it on.”
After all, he was a relatively unfamiliar young master and seemed somewhat suspicious.
Dong Wenyi was a bit disappointed but then seemed to think of something else and brightened up: “Then please help me pass a message. It’s for my elder cousin. I have something I’d like to ask her. Could she come to the garden for a meeting? It’s related to my second sister.”
Hongqin immediately became cautious. He had mentioned wanting to find his second sister before, but now he was asking for the eldest miss? She quickly declined, “That won’t do. I’m not familiar with the eldest miss and wouldn’t be able to speak to her.”
Dong Wenyi didn’t believe her, “You’re being too modest. From your attire, I can tell you’re an important figure among the maids. How could you not have the means to speak with her? You simply don’t want to help, but I understand.”
He took a small gold ingot from his sleeve and pressed it into Hongqin’s hand, “Please, help me out. I know you’re beautiful and kind-hearted. Once the matter is resolved, I will reward you handsomely! I really need to speak with my elder cousin. Please make an exception.”
Hongqin hesitated, trying to return it, but he pressed it back into her hand. After repeatedly refusing, she finally accepted it under Miss Yun’s subtle encouragement, “…I’ll give it a try, but I can’t guarantee that the message will reach her.”
“Thank you, sister.”
Dong Wenyi was excited. Finally, he had made some progress today. With money, one could accomplish things that weren’t otherwise possible. Even if it was against the rules, the amount he offered was enough to persuade someone to pass on his message.
He waited contentedly in place.
Hongqin took a few turns and handed over the two small gold ingots she received.
At first, he had offered one, but after some hesitation, it became two.
Yun Shuyao wrapped the gold ingots in a handkerchief and frowned as she looked in Dong Wenyi’s direction.
From the conversation she overheard earlier, she sensed something suspicious. What exactly was he trying to do?
At first, she thought he might be trying to create a rift between her and Mei Yiniang. However, he later specifically inquired about Yingyu…
Considering his age, Yun Shuyao’s frown deepened further.
In modern terms, he should be just starting middle school, but here he was at an age where marriage was a possibility. Now he wanted to meet with Yingyu, yet still avoided being seen… No matter how she looked at it, it didn’t seem like a good sign.
However, to catch a thief, one must catch the stolen goods.
Hongqin waited until the timing was right and then reluctantly approached Dong Wenyi, who was hiding in the flower bushes to avoid being seen.
“Young Master Yi, Miss Da is currently occupied with Miss Er’s studies. I couldn’t deliver your message.”
Dong Wenyi’s disappointment was evident: “… In that case, could you please wait until they finish and then make another trip for me? I’ll come back at this time tomorrow.” He needed to hurry to his great-aunt’s place; the delay had been too long.
The next day, Hongqin reported, “I did see Miss Da, but she said it wasn’t convenient. If there’s anything, she asked me to pass on a message.”
Dong Wenyi anxiously paced in place, wondering why Yingyu didn’t want to come.
Could it be because he was too abrupt during their first meeting?
Dong Wenyi felt frustrated, wishing he had been more restrained at that time. But it was too difficult.
Thinking about the scene from his dream, Dong Wenyi felt a rush of excitement and his desire grew stronger. “Sister, would you be willing to make another trip for me and deliver a letter to her?” With this request, he offered two more small gold ingots.
Hongqin: “…”
Delivering letters privately? That’s a big taboo!
She stiffened but kept a smile on her face: “… I’ll try.”
She had no intention of actually trying; if she did, she would be unable to stay at the Lin residence.
As soon as Dong Wenyi left, the letter ended up in Yun Shuyao’s hands.
Yun Shuyao coldly opened the letter and, upon reading it, found it full of adoring and flattering language.
The conclusion of the letter revealed his true intention: he wanted to meet with Yingyu the next day to express his feelings.
There was also an implication that if Yingyu didn’t go, he would wait indefinitely.
Yun Shuyao put the letter back in its original place. It was safer to nip the issue in the bud.
Although Yingyu was not her biological child, she had watched her grow up. Despite their strong sisterly bond, seeing Yingyu being pursued in such a disrespectful manner made Yun Shuyao uncomfortable.
In this era, private exchanges were definitely not considered proper, and the societal norms were even harsher on women. For men, such behavior might be seen as mere flirtation, but for women, it was seen as an affront, reflecting poorly on their modesty and character. The gossip and judgments from others could ruin a girl’s reputation.
Furthermore, Yun Shuyao felt they were not a good match.
She had heard Chenyu mention that Dong Wenyi, as a guest, was entertained, but he behaved like any spoiled, idle young master—restless, disinterested in learning, and only interested in pleasure. His attendants were all attractive, which only emphasized his frivolous nature.
If he truly cared for Yingyu, he should have made a formal proposal.
However, the old lady, who doted on her granddaughter, would surely see through Dong Wenyi’s true character. He was not only unmotivated but also indulgent and frivolous. If he had already been rejected once and resorted to such underhanded methods, it showed a complete lack of consideration for the girl, making him far from a suitable match.
Yun Shuyao then asked someone to invite Lin Ruhai over.
It was rare for Yun Shuyao to request such a thing, and it was usually for important matters.
Lin Ruhai came over as soon as he finished his work.
Upon seeing the gold ingots and the letter, his demeanor instantly turned cold.
His mother had told him about rejecting the proposal for his niece, and he thought the matter was settled. Now it seemed that this young man was still not giving up and had resorted to such underhanded tactics!
He took the letter and handed the gold ingots to Hong Qin: “You did well. Keep these for yourself.”
He smiled at Yun Shuyao: “I understand the situation now and will handle it properly. Thanks to Shuyao for this.”
If another maid had been bribed and sent the letter, it would have created a scandal about private exchanges.
Yun Shuyao sighed: “Yingyu has been wronged this time.”
When the old lady saw the letter, her anger flared up immediately.
He even resorted to bribing the Lin family’s maid; what exactly does he want to do!
And the letter, arranging a meeting…
The old lady didn’t want to think badly of her great-nephew, but considering that her niece had brought up marriage proposals again, her optimism was waning.
So, Chenyu arranged to have a drink with Dong Weny.
Drunkenness was the best time to extract information.
However, despite getting the information, Chenyu was far from pleased.
He felt utterly disgusted.
Whether it was that dream or the vile thoughts of this cousin.
If not for his self-control, he would have wanted to beat him up and throw him out right away.
The old lady, upon learning of this, was so enraged she almost laughed: “I was previously worried that he might become spoiled by his mother and, if not properly restrained, could cause trouble later. I feared he might face a major setback. It seems he indeed needs to learn a lesson. Let me, as his elder, be the one to give him that first big lesson.”
Lin Ruhai gladly accepted his mother’s suggestion, and so Dong Weny was taken to the brothel.
The consequences of indulging in lust would be taught to him by someone who understood this lesson well.
When Dong Weny woke up groggily from his drunken state, he realized something was terribly wrong.
His hands and feet were bound to the bed, his clothes were gone, and the room was unfamiliar. Panicking, he suddenly saw a few maids, scantily clad, smiling as they entered the room and approached him closer and closer.
“Ah, is this handsome young gentleman waiting for us?” one of them said.
Dong Weny’s body trembled with fear: “Who are you? Let me go! Do you know who my father is? Who my uncle is? If you release me, I promise I won’t hold this against you. Don’t come any closer—”
Such a pampered young master had never experienced anything like this. Even if nothing had actually happened to him, the fright from that night had nearly driven him to madness.
Returning home, he cried like a fool, shivering in his mother’s embrace.
Xie Ruozhen was furious: “Cousin, what’s going on?”
Lin Ruhai replied calmly: “What’s going on? Ask your precious son. Since we’re relatives, you should take care of it yourself.”
Xie Ruozhen felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her. Seeing her trembling son, she wondered what he had done to provoke such anger from her cousin, disregarding their family ties.
The next day, the Dong family left the Lin residence in disgrace.
Jing Huan, watching through the mirror, frowned and sighed softly. This person is truly useless.
However, she hadn’t had high expectations from the start.
She looked at the healthy figures of the old lady and Lin Ruhai in the mirror and smiled slightly. It was okay; she still had time to plan slowly. As long as she could create trouble for the Lin family before Daiyu grew up, Daiyu could still grow up alongside Bao Yu, achieving her goal.
Suddenly, the reflection in the mirror changed, revealing Mei Niang, who was joyfully holding a string of Buddhist beads.
This was a precious item she had managed to obtain with great difficulty—the beads of the Goddess of Childbirth. They were reputed to be very effective. It was said that if one worshipped them sincerely for twenty-one days, they would conceive a child as wished.
A month later, Mei Niang’s menstrual cycle stopped. After smelling the fish soup and vomiting, she was initially stunned but then overjoyed: “Am I… pregnant?!”
The maidservants around her were also thrilled and hurried to fetch Doctor Zhou.
However, after examining her pulse for a long time, Doctor Zhou’s brows gradually furrowed.
At first, he thought it was a pregnancy pulse and was about to report the good news. However, considering the difficult fertility situation in the Lin family, he decided to be cautious and did not immediately confirm it. As he continued to examine, he noticed something unusual. The pulse seemed slippery but with some oddities.