A Crossover of Film and Television: Miao Miao's Life Transmigration

Chapter 185 Dream of the Red Chamber - Lin Jiyu 18

After pondering for a moment, the Emperor felt heavy-hearted. The retired Emperor was watching him closely, and he could not disobey his filial duty, so he could only continue to lie low.

Lin Jiyu is a talented person, but he shouldn't be exposed to the public too early.

"Minister Wu, Lin Ruhai was the third-ranked scholar back then, wasn't he?" the Emperor asked knowingly.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Wu Qianyi replied.

"Then let's give that Lin family boy the third-highest rank in the imperial examination. It would be a wonderful thing if both father and son were third-highest ranked," the Emperor replied casually.

"Your Majesty is wise." Wu Qianyi thought of Lin Jiyu's article, which was indeed excellent. In addition, Lin Ruhai was also a man of the retired emperor. Wu Qianyi readily agreed.

The Emperor then appointed Xu Yingshi as the top scholar, another person was a man of the retired Emperor, and the rest were to be discussed by the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel.

Officials worked quickly to revise and draft the results, and in less than three days, the results were released.

Lin Jiyu stayed peacefully in the Lin residence, while Mozhu had already gone to check the list of successful candidates. She waited for Mozhu's voice to come.

"He passed! He passed! Grandpa has become the third-highest scholar in the imperial examination!"

Steward Zhang hurriedly set off firecrackers. After the officials came to offer their congratulations, he gave them a reward and then arranged for a servant to scatter copper coins.

Lin Jiyu felt conflicted after learning that he had achieved the third-highest rank in the imperial examination. After so many years of hard work, he had finally passed the exam and entered the officialdom, where he was now surrounded by cunning and deceit.

Upon receiving the news, Lin Daiyu went to Lin Jiyu's courtyard and first comforted her younger brother. Her brother had always been easy to take care of and had his own opinions.

Lin Daiyu recently hosted a banquet for several daughters of officials and the three young ladies of the Rongguo Mansion, since Li Yumin had been urging Daiyu to hold another poetry club event for a long time.

In the past two years, Lin Daiyu has only organized two poetry clubs. This is the third time, which happens to coincide with Lin Jiyu's preparation for the imperial examination.

Xue Baochai from the Xue family was always very proactive, but the merchants, like Li Yumin, only put on a show. After being rejected several times, Xue Baochai could only try her best to show her talent and convince people with it.

The three young ladies of the Rongguo Mansion were always overjoyed, as they rarely had the opportunity to leave the Rongguo Mansion and the Grand View Garden.

"Should we hold a proper banquet? Last time I went to the Rongguo Mansion, the old lady asked me about it, and I declined because I was preparing for the imperial examination. Now that the imperial examination is over, I guess we can't not hold a banquet," Lin Daiyu asked.

"Sister can arrange it as she sees fit; I guess Father thinks the same way," Lin Jiyu said, rubbing her forehead with a headache.

There's no rush to hold a banquet. The grand spectacle of the top three scholars parading through the streets is something few can truly comprehend.

Lin Jiyu was thrilled. The top scholar's parade would start from the Golden Palace and go all the way to the Left Gate of Chang'an. What a grand spectacle! After all, only the emperor would enter through the front of the Golden Palace when he ascended the throne.

How could Lin Daiyu miss her brother's joyous parade? Everyone from the Rongguo Mansion came to join in the fun, booking two private rooms at Yufeng Restaurant. Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, Lady Xing, Wang Xifeng, Yingchun, Tanchun, and others all came.

Lin Daiyu had originally booked a private room at another restaurant, but was invited by Grandmother Jia to join her in the festivities.

"Ah, Master Lin is truly a literary star descended to earth! It's such a joyous occasion to have two scholars who have achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations," Wang Xifeng joked.

"I really don't know who will be able to marry the third-ranked scholar?" Wang Xifeng asked casually.

Grandmother Jia did have some ideas, but none of the girls from the Rongguo Mansion were quite suitable. First, Yingchun was three years older than the eldest son of the Lin family, so it was probably not possible. Tanchun's age was suitable, but unfortunately she was born out of wedlock. Xichun was from the Ningguo Mansion, so she was ultimately a little short.

"Haha, you little phoenix girl, Lin's marriage will be decided by his father," Grandmother Jia laughed.

Grandmother Jia did want to matchmake Lin Daiyu and Jia Baoyu, but unfortunately, the man was in love but the woman was not. In addition, Lin Daiyu was already engaged, so Grandmother Jia gave up on the idea. She was almost eighty years old, and her children and grandchildren had their own blessings, so she didn't want to worry about it.

"Oh, my granddaughter-in-law is just sighing. If I were a few years younger, I would definitely be vying to marry Master Lin," Wang Xifeng continued to tease.

Just as Tan Chun thought of Wang Xifeng's words, her heart was filled with unease. The eldest son of the Lin family was indeed a good place to go. Sister Lin was already engaged, and she was only a little over a month younger than Sister Lin. There was still no hope for her marriage. Turning her head, she saw Ying Chun, who was two years older than her and was already seventeen years old this year. Her father and mother were both irresponsible.

Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai still came to join in the fun. Xue Baochai was two months older than Yingchun and had long been seventeen years old. Aunt Xue wanted Xue Baochai to marry Jia Baoyu. Lady Wang was also interested, but Jia Zheng disagreed, saying that he wanted to find Jia Baoyu a scholarly family. So Xue Baochai had been delayed until now.

Every time Lin Daiyu's marriage was mentioned, Xue Baochai would feel secretly sad, but Xue Pan couldn't support her, and Aunt Xue was weak, so Xue Baochai could only pretend to be calm.

The voice of a young maid came to my ears.

"It's Master Lin!"

Lin Daiyu looked up and saw Lin Jiyu wearing a black gauze hat with gold flowers, a bright red robe, and golden boots on a red-maned horse. He was surrounded by a retinue of people, with drums beating to clear the way. He was very impressive. The officials around him were holding signs that read "Silence" and "Avoidance".

Lin Jiyu, as the third-ranked scholar, should not have been the main character, since there were the top two scholars ahead of him. Unfortunately, the top scholar was a middle-aged man in his thirties, and although the second-ranked scholar was in his twenties and very young, all he had to show for his appearance was his dignified appearance.

Lin Jiyu seemed to notice, and when he looked up and saw Lin Daiyu and the other people from the Rongguo Mansion, he waved generously and silently said "Sister".

Lin Daiyu was immediately filled with tears of excitement, and a warm feeling flowed through her body. Her younger brother had become the third-ranked scholar in the imperial examination. Was this what family honor was all about?

Lin Jiyu was in a bit of a mess. Many girls, seeing that Lin Jiyu was handsome and young, assumed that he was not yet married and threw handkerchiefs and purses at him. He could only try his best to avoid them.

After Lin Jiyu's figure disappeared into the distance, Lin Daiyu was about to sit down when she saw Wei Chi walking behind her. Her cheeks flushed red. Wei Chi's eyes shone as he gazed at Lin Daiyu, and Lin Daiyu felt her heart pounding wildly, as if it were about to jump out of her chest.

"What are you looking at, little sister? Your brother has already ridden far away on horseback," Wang Xifeng teased, then followed Lin Daiyu's gaze to Wei Chi.

"Oh, I thought you were looking at someone else? Turns out it's your lover!" Wang Xifeng's teasing voice echoed throughout the private room.

"Who, where? I want to see who Sister Lin's lover is?" Jia Xichun was the youngest, so she wasn't afraid of these things and asked Wang Xifeng directly.

Following Wang Xifeng's hand, the girls saw a young man in a red robe walking in the last few rows, holding a folding fan in his hand. His face was too far away to be seen, but his posture and temperament suggested that he was a spirited young man.

"Wow!" Xichun exclaimed. The only young men she had ever met were Jia Baoyu and Jia Rong, and she had barely even met Lin Jiyu. This fiancé of Lin Daiyu perfectly matched Xichun's expectations for her other half.

Once Wei Chi's figure had disappeared into the distance, Lin Daiyu finally came to her senses. Hearing Wang Xifeng's teasing, her cheeks flushed even more, and she retorted, "Look, Feng'er has gone mad, actually saying such things."

"Hahaha, now that you're engaged, little sister, there's no need to be shy," Wang Xifeng said, ignoring all of that and continuing to tease.

Grandmother Jia, Madam Xing, Madam Wang, and others all burst into laughter.

"Now that Lin boy has achieved the third-highest rank in the imperial examination, has Lin girl made any arrangements for the banquet?" Remembering the important matter, Grandmother Jia asked with a hint of doubt.

"Grandmother, Father also intends to do the same, but we still need to discuss it with him," Lin Daiyu replied. Logically, it should be Lin Ruhai's wife who makes the arrangements, as Lin Daiyu, being a young lady, doesn't understand many things.

"Feng'er, go and help Lin'er," Grandmother Jia instructed.

Upon hearing Grandmother Jia's words, Wang Xifeng's lips curled into a wide smile, and her whole body trembled with excitement. If she could handle this matter well, she, Wang Xifeng, would be able to gain face in front of the official's wife.

Lin Daiyu was somewhat reluctant to agree, but since Grandmother Jia had brought it up, refusing now would be a slap in the face to Grandmother Jia and Wang Xifeng. Lin Daiyu could only nod. She, Lin Daiyu, liked to argue, but she wasn't without emotional intelligence.

After returning home, Lin Daiyu first dealt with the affairs of the Lin family. After her father finished his work at the government office, Lin Daiyu first told him about the plans for the Rongguo Mansion.

Lin Ruhai did not prohibit Lin Daiyu from maintaining her relationship with the Rongguo Mansion because the Emperor ordered him to continue as before. As the former Emperor Emeritus's man, the Emperor instructed him not to alert the enemy.

Lin Ruhai was a shrewd man; he understood the Emperor's meaning perfectly well. Once the Emperor Emeritus fell from grace, the Emperor would settle scores.

"Father has invited the Wei family to help. We can have the Rongguo Mansion and the Wei family work together to help," Lin Ruhai said.

When this matter was mentioned, Lin Ruhai wrote a letter to the Wei family, apologizing to them. After all, he had asked the Wei family for help, but in the end, he found someone else to help him. He also implied that the Emperor needed him to maintain the relationship and hoped that the Wei family could understand.

In the Wei residence, Wei Feng showed the letter to his wife, Madam Meng.

“The Lin family has complicated relationships. If you help them with the banquet, many meritorious officials and nobles will attend. Who knows how chaotic it will get?” Wei Feng sighed.

Meng was a woman of good judgment. She also valued Lin Daiyu. Lin Daiyu was a pure and innocent girl, worldly-wise but not cynical, and extremely talented. She was a perfect match for Wei Chi.

"I understand, and I will prioritize the overall situation," Meng said.

After attending the Deer Cry Banquet hosted by the Emperor, which all the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) and Tongjinshi (successful candidates in the same imperial examinations) were required to attend, Lin Jiyu, adhering to the principle of not speaking unless necessary, and when speaking, to make a stunning statement, generously displayed the talents of the Lin family.

At the Deer Cry Banquet, Lin Jiyu, who was neither married nor engaged, became the most sought-after woman. Which official didn't have a granddaughter or niece? The Lin family's ancestral rule was that a man could only take a second wife if he was thirty-five years old and had no son, which made them very friendly to women.

Lin Jiyu could only say that her father would make all the decisions regarding her marriage.

Inside the Rongguo Mansion, Wang Xifeng was extremely excited.

"Second Grandmother, why have you been so happy ever since you came back?" Ping'er teased.

"You little rascal, you always tease me. Aren't I happy? You know, with this banquet for my brother's third-place ranking in the imperial examinations, I bet a lot of high-ranking officials and nobles will be there," Wang Xifeng said.

Her heart was truly unsettled. The last time she managed such a major event was when Qin Keqing passed away. Yuan Chun's visit home was a grand affair, but not many high-ranking officials and dignitaries were present.

Wang Xifeng was talking to Ping'er when she turned around and saw Jia Lian come in.

"I heard that the old lady arranged for you to help the Lin family with their banquet?" Jia Lian hiccuped, having just had a good meal with Jia Zhen and Jia Rong.

"Oh, our good Second Master is back," Wang Xifeng said, rubbing her head.

"That's right. I'm just a blockhead. The old lady tells me to go wherever she wants to knock, and I go wherever she wants. I'm just helping Lin Daiyu out," Wang Xifeng said smugly.

After returning home, Lin Ruhai discussed the banquet arrangements with Lin Daiyu and Lin Jiyu. Lin Jiyu would personally write the invitations for the groom's party, while Lin Daiyu would write the invitations for the bride's party.

The Rongguo Mansion also received the invitation, and on the day of the banquet, Wang Xifeng arrived at the Lin Mansion before dawn.

"Miss, Miss, Second Madam Lian from the Rongguo Mansion has arrived."

The maid's voice came from the sky, just as dawn was breaking, and a gentle morning breeze swept by, bringing a touch of coolness.

Not long after the sound disappeared, a figure appeared, wearing a gold-threaded eight-treasure pearl hairpin, a five-phoenix hairpin with pearls hanging in the morning sun, and a narrow-sleeved red satin jacket with gold-embroidered butterflies.

"Sister-in-law, I was just talking about you, why are you here so early?" Lin Daiyu said in surprise.

"Oh, I just thought the Lin family would be too busy today, so I came early to help out," Wang Xifeng interrupted Lin Daiyu, directly stating her purpose.

Lin Daiyu and Wang Xifeng had already said they would invite the Wei family, Lin Daiyu's future in-laws, to help. Wang Xifeng should be more diligent.

At 9:00 AM, Madam Meng, the matriarch of the Wei family, arrived at the Lin family. She chatted with Lin Daiyu for a few words and, seeing that the banquet at the Lin family was not in any major trouble, praised Wang Xifeng. Wang Xifeng could hardly contain her joy.

At 1:15 AM, wives of high-ranking officials and nobles began to arrive at the Lin family home. Lin Daiyu received the female guests, while Lin Jiyu and Lin Ruhai received the officials, princes, and meritorious officials.

The banquet was very elaborate, and boys and girls were not allowed to sit at the same table after the age of seven. Although Jia Baoyu came, he stayed by Jia Zheng's side and recognized people. He looked unwell, as if he wanted to see Lin Daiyu. Jia Baoyu still did not know that Lin Daiyu was engaged.

Grandmother Jia hasn't mentioned the "two Yu'er" matter lately. This obvious change shows that although Grandmother Jia is getting old, she still has some common sense.

Lin Ruhai helped Lin Jiyu get acquainted with people, since Lin Jiyu would be reporting to the Hanlin Academy soon.

After a busy day, the banquet finally ended as everyone gradually dispersed.

Wang Xifeng followed Grandmother Jia back to the Rongguo Mansion, where she lay down on the couch under the care of Ping'er.

"These high-ranking officials are indeed different. Look at the wives of ministers, first-rank noblewomen, and second-rank noblewomen, all coming to give congratulatory gifts to the Lin family. They are much more prestigious than our Rongguo Mansion," Wang Xifeng exclaimed.

When will she receive an imperial decree? Although Jia Lian holds the rank of Assistant Magistrate of the fifth grade, it was obtained through purchase, and she does not have an imperial decree.

"What is Second Mistress sad about again? You accomplished something important today." Ping'er tilted her head as if puzzled. Even though Ping'er could read Wang Xifeng's mind, she would never have imagined that Wang Xifeng's thoughts had jumped to the title of Lady.

"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. You said those ladies of noble birth asked me about Lin's marriage, are they all interested?" Wang Xifeng changed the subject.

"I don't know about that. Grandma, just listen to what I say. Lin's son-in-law will decide on Lin's marriage arrangements," Ping'er said.