Chapter Twenty: Bustling Lin Manor

  The 37th year of Kangxi passed quickly, and a heavy snow buried the entire capital city, dressing it up as a white world.

  "It's so beautiful, yet so ephemeral." Daiyu wrapped her fox-fur cloak around her and stretched out her hand to catch the snowflakes. "What a pity it won't last long." As she gazed at the snowflakes that melted into water on her palm, Daiyu sighed, but indeed it was clean, unlike the black snow of modern times which was polluted.

  "Princess, you'd better go back, or you'll get sick." Xi Yue reminded her dutifully. It was New Year's now, and Daiyu had let Minghui go back home for the holiday, so Xi Yue had a good reason to follow Daiyu closely every day. After all, Liu Xiyue was lower than Minghui in both status and position, and she couldn't always be by Daiyu's side.

  "I understand, Sister Xiangyun, be careful of Minghui." Daiyu said in a low voice, although there were only the two of them here, she still had to be cautious, as walls have ears. Ever since she last went to see Yongzheng, Nala Minghui's attitude had changed, always carefully following her every day, and if she accidentally ran into Yongzheng, she would appropriately show herself off, her intentions were too obvious. She should find an excuse to get rid of her.

  "Princess, don't worry, I...” Yuxiue's words were cut off by Daiyu's glare, and she immediately changed her tone. "I know. But Princess, you should also be careful. You're already eight years old this year, so there will definitely be more people who want to take advantage of you." Yuxiue smiled wryly.

  "I'm not in a hurry, but you and Li Wei will probably have to wait a bit longer." Daiyu retorted. Li Wei had been assigned a task by the county magistrate and had gone on a long journey to Jiangnan. Before he left, he met with Liu Xiumei and was reluctant to part with her.

  "Princess... I won't bother you anymore." Liu Xiyue stamped her foot and turned to leave, just as Xueyan rushed over in a hurry.

  "Princess, someone from the Eighth Imperial Concubine's residence has come to invite you." Xueyan said breathlessly.

  "I won't go." Daiyu shook her head and said firmly.

  "I guessed Miss would say that, so I helped you decline." Xue Yan smiled slyly to herself, thinking she understood Miss too well. But recently, Miss had been getting close to Liu Xi Yue, why? Thinking of this, Xue Yan couldn't help but look at Liu Xi Yue with a hint of jealousy.

  "Let's go back to the house." Daiyu also lost interest in watching the snow, thinking about other things in her heart, and simply returned to the house. Baobei moved into his new home at the end of Kangxi 37, while Yongzheng, who received the mansion together with him, was ordered to move after the Spring Festival, probably because he thought there were no women in his family. Thinking of Yongzheng, Daiyu's eyes suddenly became fierce and cruel, she couldn't think about it anymore, this man who plotted against her, she would never let him off.

  "Princess..." Just returned home and hadn't even sat down yet when I heard Chun Xian's voice.

  "What's wrong?"

  "The princess, the fourth prince, the eighth prince, the ninth brother, the tenth brother, the thirteenth brother and the fourteenth brother have all arrived." Chun Xian took a deep breath and said, why did they all come to Lin's house on New Year's Day.

  "Did they all come together? Or did they arrive one after another?" The next post is so neat. No, there are still Prince Zheng and the Crown Prince who haven't arrived yet. And will Prince Xing of Cheng, who has never shown up, also come soon?

  "It's all right, but the atmosphere is a bit strange. Especially the 14th brother, it seems like he has eaten gunpowder, just now he almost got into a fight with the 13th brother because of one word, fortunately, the 4th and 8th brothers persuaded him to stop." Chun Xian told the truth, earlier the atmosphere was indeed very tense, but she didn't know what happened.

  "Xueyan, is Consort Minggui ill?" Daiyu looked at Xueyan, who hadn't entered the palace for a long time. She knew that all the things she knew about the palace were told by Xueyan.

  "Yes, miss. It's a pity that the thirteenth prince is so pitiful. Queen Min died at this time." Xueyan said with some sympathy.

  "Come on, let's go and take a look. Aren't they going to fight? I'll help them fight." Daiyu joked and walked out, her words leaving the three female officials behind her somewhat bewildered.

  Walking up to the entrance of the hall, looking at these familiar figures in the house, Daiyu felt somewhat helpless, "Auntie."

  "Yu'er has arrived." Lin Ruhai's face also showed some helplessness. At this time, he would rather read a book, drink a cup of tea and recall the bits and pieces between him and Jia Min, than to engage in these unproductive official conversations with these princes here.

  Yu'er heard that it was lively up ahead, so she came over to take a look. Daiyu's eyes sparkled with amusement as she scanned the faces of Xiangxiang and Xiangzhen. Xiangxiang's expression wasn't very good, probably still worried about Min'guifei. And Xiangzhen's gaze was puffed up with anger, darting back and forth between Xiangyan and Xiangxiang. Why did Fourth Brother bring out Old Thirteen, yet always seemed to forget himself? Even on New Year's Day, he had forgotten himself, it was really infuriating!

  "Is the princess well?" asked Yongqi with courtesy.

  "It's all right, but Lin Daiyu is weak and declined the invitation from Hui Xin just now. I hope you can convey Lin Daiyu's apologies to Baoyu." Lin Daiyu spoke in an official tone with a hint of impatience in her eyes.

  "The princess is right." Yun Chen replied with a warm and elegant smile.

  Yongzheng's gaze was fixed on Daiyu, who seemed to be in a good mood, but always with a hint of impatience. Was she really so unwilling to deal with the imperial family?

  "I wonder what brings several of you to the Lin mansion? If there's nothing major, I, Daiyu, do have something to ask. Since all of you are here for no reason, let me make use of it and solidify the brotherly affection."

  "Please, Princess," said Daiyu. Upon hearing Daiyu's words, Yun Chen's eyes flickered with a hint of emotional turmoil. She was actually going to let herself help with the task, which was truly not easy, but soon after, she had an unusual feeling in her heart, and she felt that this matter would be very strange.

  "The courtyard is too empty, Daiyu wants to pile up some snowmen or something there, I don't know if the Fourth Prince, Eighth Prince, Ninth Prince, Tenth Prince, Thirteenth Prince and Fourteenth Prince are willing to help?" Daiyu smiled sweetly, making it difficult for several princes to refuse.

  "It doesn't matter anyway, since Princess said so, why don't we just go together?" Yong Qi smiled and pulled Dai Yu into the water as well.

  "Daiyu was weak and didn't participate." Daiyu shook her head and chose to be an onlooker.

  "It's just building a snowman, I'm good at it." Yungui said with a big smile, "I'll build one first, is there a reward?" Yungui suddenly thought of Yangzhou's pastries and directly mentioned them.

  "The kitchen has just prepared glutinous rice balls." Chun Xian stepped forward and said.

  "Not bad, I'll go help first." Lao Shi directly rushed into the yard and started working.

  "Brother Shi, let's go together." Yi Bing jumped up and rushed out with Yi Ting. Yi Xiang pulled Yi Quan into the white courtyard, and Yi Jing turned back to smile at Dai Yu before going to help.

  In the courtyard of Lin's mansion, several princes started a snowball fight with great enthusiasm. In the blink of an eye, they felt like they had returned to their carefree childhood days, when they didn't have to think about anything and naturally didn't have so many worries.