Chapter Thirty-Three: The Ocean's Rebuke

  Daiyu didn't stay out with Yongzheng for long, and Yangping was still considered fair and honest, so the matter passed like this. The people of Yangzhou city had some gossip to talk about after tea and dinner, but it also quickly dissipated. Daiyu also didn't have the interest to linger, and returned to the Lin family with Yongzheng.

  "Miss, Master has called you back, go to his study." Lin Fu waited at the door and approached Daiyu as soon as he saw her.

  "Is it only Amah?" Daiyu asked tentatively, hoping that Emperor Kangxi was not also there, but since Amah had called her at this time, Daiyu had a bad premonition in her heart. She could probably guess what Lin Ruhai wanted to say - she had been too arrogant and showy lately.

  "Yes, miss. Eighth Beile, this way please." Lin Fu said and led the way in front, gesturing to Yongzheng to follow him, "The Emperor is waiting for you in the room."

  "I understand." Yunyi turned around and glanced at Daiyu, then walked away in a different direction from her.

  "Snow Goose, you go back first. No need to follow and serve." Daiyu waved Snow Goose away, Snow Goose was just about to say something when she saw that Daiyu had already left, so she could only return to her room alone.

  Daiyu arrived at the door of the study, and always felt that the atmosphere inside was a bit eerie. Thinking of some secret things she had done recently, Daiyu had a feeling of being found out.

  "Amma, Yu'er is here."

  "Come in." Lin Ruhai's voice was icy, he had never spoken to Daiyu in such a tone before. Daiyu was taken aback, pushed open the door and went in, then closed it behind her.

  "Ah Ma..." Daiyu's words had not finished, when suddenly a loud slapping sound was heard. Several letters and pages of paper fell to the ground, making a huge noise with their light and thin bodies, showing how angry Lin Daiyu was.

  "What have you been up to lately?" Lin Ruhai's tone was filled with unspoken anger, "I allowed you to use the Lin family's power, not for you to use it like this. Have you overstepped your bounds?"

  Daiyu hung her head, pouted and thought to herself that she hadn't done anything wrong. Lin Ruhai had such a powerful force like Lin Jia Shi under his command, yet he didn't utilize it, instead choosing to be conservative and self-contained. If things continued this way, sooner or later someone would come along and uproot him completely.

  "What are you thinking? Look at your letters, investigating the illegal evidence of Jiangnan officials and controlling them? What do you want to do? Turn Jiangnan into a small imperial court?" Lin Ruhai's voice couldn't help but rise. "And these, your hands have reached the capital, and you also have connections with Mingzhu and Suo Ertu, do you think that because the emperor is good to you, you can do whatever you want?" Daiyu had written letters to both of them, speaking disrespectfully about each other's enemies, wanting to restrain them while using them at the same time. Did Daiyu not know that politics was not something she could play with? If these two letters were really sent out, trouble would be big.

  "Amah, I..." Daiyu opened her mouth and was about to speak.

  "Shut up! Do you think the Emperor favors you that much?" Lin Ruhai held his head with his hand, feeling a bit dizzy.

  "Amah, how are you?" Daiyu hastily stepped forward to support Lin Ruhai as she sat down excitedly. "Amah, don't be angry, Yu'er was wrong." Although Daiyu said this with her mouth, in her heart she didn't think so, she just wanted Lin Ruhai to feel a bit more comfortable.

  "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking, you say you're wrong with your mouth, but in your heart, it's not so. The Emperor isn't favoring you, he's harming you." Lin Ruhai sighed, too much honor and favor is poison, when the honor and favor are over, those who have lost favor will make you die without a whole corpse.

  "Yu'er understands that the Emperor just wants to take advantage of her, so she doesn't respect him in her heart. That's why she always argues with him. If you want to take advantage of me, you have to pay a price."

  Lin Ruhai looked at Daiyu and understood that she was telling the truth, "Yu'er, he is the Emperor! He holds the life and death of everyone in his hands."

  "What's the use, he's just a person after all. If he slaughters innocent people, he's not a sage ruler either. Moreover, he employs treacherous officials like Mingzhu and Xiang Ertu, thinking that this can maintain balance and stability in the court, but never knowing how many people they have harmed. He frames those he distrusts with false charges and sentences them to death, what kind of ruler is he?" Daiyu's words became more agitated, when suddenly a loud slap interrupted her. Daiyu covered her cheek, Lin Ruhai had actually slapped her, no one could just hit themselves, but this person...

  Daiyu's eyes showed a hint of grievance, she had been so protective of him, even enduring other people's threats for his sake, yet he actually hit her. Lin Ruhai looked at his own hand, then glanced at Daiyu's face which instantly swelled up, and knew that he had hit too hard, but how could Yu'er say such words, actually calling the Emperor a foolish ruler?

  "Jade..."

  "I don't want to listen, you hit me for the sake of a foolish lord!" Daiyu's eyes were filled with tears, she had invested her emotions and was willing to sacrifice her life to protect him, yet he treated her like this.

  "He is not a tyrannical ruler!" Lin Ruhai glared with her eyes, "He is diligent in governance and loves his people, he has proposed to never increase taxes, he is a good emperor."

  Daiyu gazed at Lin Ruhai without speaking, "Yu'er, I know you resent his exploitation and manipulation of you. In fact, he is also doing it out of necessity, he is trying to protect you. If you continue to live under his nose, it can also be considered as protecting your own safety. You..." Lin Ruhai wanted to speak but stopped herself, these things couldn't be told to Yu'er.

  "Ah Ma..." Daiyu waited for Lin Ruhai to continue, but he stopped instead.

  "In fact, his temper is not that good, don't provoke him in the future. He is your elder, even if you don't like him as the Emperor, but as your father's brother, you shouldn't provoke him either." Lin Ruhai walked to Daiyu's side, took down her hand, and looked at her swollen face with a heartache, his hands attached to help Daiyu massage it with internal force.

  Daiyu looked at Lin Ruhai, not knowing what to say. She knew that everything Lin Ruhai said was right. After coming to this world, she had warned herself to respect imperial power. But why did she feel a rebellious heart whenever she saw Kangxi? What was the reason for this?

  "Yu'er, I know you're stubborn and proud. But remember my words, I won't harm you." Lin Ruhai gazed straight into Daiyu's eyes, as if trying to see into her heart.

  Daiyu nodded, "Auntie, I will think carefully about it. Interfering with imperial court affairs was my mistake, and in the future, I won't do it again without your permission. However, for self-protection, I need my own power, and I hope Auntie won't interfere too much."

  "As long as you don't break the law, that's all. I'll get Lin Fang to send some ice over." Lin Ruhai nodded, knowing this was already Daiyu's greatest concession.