Chapter 257: Luo Zijun's Harem

"Sister Daiyu..."

When Jia Yingchun brought Su Qingling into the room and saw Lin Daiyu lying on the bed, her breath already as thin as a gossamer thread, she immediately collapsed by the bedside and began to cry.

Lin Daiyu's eyes were hollow, having already lost their focus.

Su Qingling walked to the bedside, sat down on a chair, extended a slender jade finger, and placed it on her thin, snow-white wrist.

Seeing this, Jia Tanchun hurriedly stopped crying and signaled for the others not to make any sound.

A moment later.

Su Qingling removed her finger, stared at the young girl's complexion and pupils for a while, then took a White Jade porcelain bottle from her sleeve, poured out a crimson Spirit Pill, and fed it into her mouth.

The moment the Spirit Pill emerged from the porcelain bottle, it immediately emitted an alluring medicinal fragrance; its surface shimmered with luster, and liquid seemed to flow within its center, appearing to be of extraordinary quality.

Jia Tanchun hurriedly brought over a cup of clear water, helped Lin Daiyu sit up slightly, and used the water to help her swallow the Spirit Pill.

"Sister Su, will Daiyu... will she be alright?"

Jia Tanchun set down the teacup, tears welling in her eyes, and asked with a trembling voice.

Su Qingling did not answer; she let Qingwen open the Medicine Chest, took out a porcelain bottle and three packets of medicine from inside, placed them on the table, and then said indifferently: "There are nine pills in the bottle; take three daily, two hours apart. As for these three packets of medicine, decoct one packet each day for three consecutive days. If she is still like this after three days, then prepare for the funeral."

Having said this, she prepared to leave with Qingwen.

Jia Tanchun hurriedly said: "Sister Su, how much is the medical fee?"

As she spoke, she hurriedly took out her own purse.

Su Qingling stopped, turned her head, looked at her with a cold and clear gaze, paused, and said: "The medicine on the table is not worth much; thirty thousand taels of silver will suffice. As for the Spirit Pill I fed her, it is a Superior Spirit Pill. If you want to pay for it, you can give me five hundred thousand taels first, and the rest later."

Jia Tanchun: "..."

Never mind five hundred thousand taels, even five hundred taels was more than she had right now...

The entire room suddenly fell silent.

Those few maidservants with tear-stained faces were all startled by this amount.

Jia Yingchun also opened her mouth slightly.

Jia Tanchun was both embarrassed and at a loss: "Sister Su, I... I don't have..."

"You don't?"

Su Qingling's gaze turned toward Lin Meimei on the bed, a flicker of light in her eyes, and she said indifferently: "If you don't, that's fine too. However, if she survives, have her come find me; her life is mine now."

After saying this, she did not linger and left the room with Qingwen.

Jia Yingchun hurriedly stood up to see her out, her face full of trepidation as she asked: "Sister Su, will Sister Daiyu... be alright?"

Su Qingling did not answer; once outside, she left with Qingwen.

After Jia Yingchun returned to the room, Jia Tanchun was examining the medicine on the table, then looked at her and said: "Is this medicine really worth that much silver?"

Jia Yingchun did not know how to answer, only saying: "Sister Su would not deceive anyone..."

Just as Jia Tanchun was about to speak, a weak voice suddenly came from the bed: "Was that... Sister Su just now?"

Lin Daiyu, who had been breathing like a gossamer thread and unable to speak, now had some color returning to her pale-as-paper cheeks, and she was actually able to speak.

Everyone was both shocked and overjoyed.

Jia Tanchun hurriedly went over to hold her soft, boneless hand and said: "It was Sister Su, Daiyu. How are you feeling?"

Lin Daiyu's originally hollow and dull eyes had regained some luster; her eyelashes fluttered a few times, and she breathed slightly as she said: "I feel... my whole body is warm... my throat is so dry, I want to drink water..."

As soon as these words were spoken, Zijuan hurriedly went to fetch hot water.

Jia Tanchun touched her arm, forehead, and neck, then said in disbelief: "Daiyu was ice-cold all over just a moment ago, but now she is already warm..."

Zijuan hurriedly helped her up to drink the water.

Lin Daiyu actually drank all the water in the cup in one breath, then said again: "I'm hungry..."

Everyone immediately wept with joy.

Xueyan hurriedly wiped away her tears, left the room, and went to get food.

At this moment, Lin Daiyu's spirit had actually recovered some more, and she was no longer coughing.

Beyond her surprise, Jia Tanchun was full of admiration and wonder: "Sister Su is truly a fairy reincarnated; so many doctors were at their wits' end, yet after Sister Su came and fed her just one Spirit Pill, Daiyu is better..."

Chunxian said: "Third Miss, should we decoct the medicine..."

Jia Tanchun realized and hurriedly said: "Go quickly, go and decoct the medicine Sister Su left behind!"

Chunxian hurriedly took the medicine and left the room.

At this time, Cuimo suddenly said in a low voice at the doorway: "Miss, Miss Bai Qingtong is still standing in the corridor."

Jia Tanchun was stunned for a moment.

Jia Yingchun, who was to the side, hurriedly said: "Tanchun, Qingtong came with Sister Su, and there is also... also Young Master Luo. Young Master Luo is waiting outside the manor and did not come in..."

Jia Tanchun remained silent.

Jia Yingchun added: "We cannot blame Qingtong for this matter..."

Jia Tanchun was silent for a while longer, then looked out the window and said: "Qingtong, come in."

Bai Qingtong then entered the room, glanced at her with a face full of apology, then walked to the bedside, held Lin Daiyu's hand, and asked: "Daiyu, how are you feeling?"

Lin Daiyu said softly: "Much better..."

There was silence in the room for a while.

Bai Qingtong looked at Jia Tanchun and said: "Tanchun, there is something I want to tell you. That Daguanyuan of yours has been bestowed upon my brother-in-law by the Queen, along with some fields and shops."

Jia Tanchun lowered her head slightly and did not speak.

Bai Qingtong sighed softly and said: "My brother-in-law feels sorry for you, so he didn't dare to come in. My brother-in-law said that if the maidservants in the manor do not wish to leave, and you all as well, you can all live in Daguanyuan together. The rent and income collected from those fields and shops will be entrusted to you to manage, to be used to maintain their livelihoods."

Jia Tanchun raised her head, her eyes flickering.

Bai Qingtong said softly: "My brother-in-law did not want to see this situation either, but his family feud had to be avenged. He never intended to harm you; he..."

"Qingtong, say no more."

Jia Tanchun interrupted her, gave a bitter smile, and said, "This matter truly cannot be blamed on him. If we must blame someone, blame our Jia Mansion for failing to recognize talent, blame our Jia Mansion for bringing this upon ourselves. Eldest Sister had long ago warned us not to be too ostentatious, not to form cliques, yet our uncles and the others would not listen... Actually, I had long foreseen that our Jia Family would fall into this current state..."

"As for Young Master Luo pitying us and wanting us to move into the Daguanyuan, I cannot..."

Bai Qingtong hurriedly said, "Tanchun, if you won't think for yourself, you should at least think for those maids, and for the other sisters. Think about it yourself: if you lose the protection of the Jia Mansion, if they are driven out, what will they do? Including you, Daiyu, and Xichun, you will likely be hastily married off soon. As for who the other party is or what their character is like, they will not care. Are you willing to let your fate for the rest of your life be decided by them like this?"

Jia Tanchun's lips moved, and she lowered her head.

Bai Qingtong urged again, "If you go to the Daguanyuan, food and lodging will be no problem. With your intelligence, you can manage those fields and shops very well. You can decide your own fate instead of handing it over to them. My brother-in-law said he had long calculated your fates and that they were not very good. He is now giving you a chance to change your own fate. If you do not grasp it, then no one can help you."

While Jia Tanchun was still silent, Jia Xichun behind her suddenly said, "Sister Qingtong, can my maids go too? They have all been driven out and are still kneeling outside the main gate..."

Bai Qingtong looked at her and said, "They can go, and you can go too."

Jia Xichun immediately said happily, "Then I will go notify them now!"

Having said this, she immediately ran out.

At this moment, Lin Daiyu, who was lying on the bed, also suddenly spoke up: "Sister Qingtong, I want to go too..."

Bai Qingtong nodded: "Once your health improves, you will move over immediately."

She then smiled and added, "The person my brother-in-law welcomes most should be you."

As soon as these words were spoken, Lin Daiyu's face instantly turned red, full of shyness, and she dared not speak again.

At this time, Jia Tanchun's three maids suddenly knelt at the doorway, crying as they said, "Young Miss, the Madam wants to drive us servants away. We also want to go to the Daguanyuan; that way we can see Young Miss every day..."

Jia Tanchun glanced at the three of them and could only sigh, saying, "Then go, all of you go. If Father agrees, I... I will also move over..."

The three young maids wept with joy.

Jia Tanchun added, "Cuimo, go outside the main gate and tell the other maids that those who do not wish to leave can all go to the Daguanyuan to live first. Remember, only those who are clever and obedient."

At this, Cuimo asked, "Young Miss, what about those nannies?"

Jia Tanchun's gaze turned toward Bai Qingtong at her side.

Bai Qingtong felt a bit awkward, hesitated for a moment, and said, "If there are honest and diligent nannies, they can be brought along too."

The Daguanyuan is so large; if they only took in a few young maids, she feared it would be impossible to manage.

Cuimo agreed and hurriedly ran out, full of joy.

Bai Qingtong said, "Get the people selected first and wait at the gate of the Daguanyuan. I will come over later and take you all in together."

"Mm!"

Cuimo agreed and ran out the door.

At the same time.

Su Qingling took Qingwen out of the Rongguo Mansion and boarded the Bai Family carriage directly.

Inside the carriage, Luo Zijun was closing his eyes to rest.

After Su Qingling entered, she sat opposite him and fixed her gaze upon him.

Qingwen also entered, sat with Su Qingling, and together they looked at him.

Luo Zijun opened his eyes and hurriedly asked, "Senior Sister, how is Lin Guniang? Is there any hope?"

Su Qingling said indifferently, "No hope, she won't last past tonight."

Luo Zijun frowned, stunned for a moment, and could not help but sigh: "I knew this was her ending long ago, I had thought... alas, it seems the fate of some people truly cannot be changed."

He had tried his best to help change the fates of these people in Dream of the Red Chamber, but he also knew that not everyone's fate could be changed.

Su Qingling stared at him intently and said, "Are you sad?"

Luo Zijun was silent for a moment and said, "I should be a little sad, but there is more regret."

He then added, "Senior Sister, do not misunderstand. I have no improper thoughts of a romantic nature toward her; I just feel that such a..."

"No need to quibble."

Su Qingling coldly interrupted him.

Luo Zijun shrugged and did not explain further.

This emotion of his could not be understood by anyone in this world; no matter how much he explained, in the eyes of others, it was merely a cover-up.

"Senior Sister, are you and Qingwen going back first?"

Luo Zijun asked.

Su Qingling said indifferently, "Waiting for you."

Luo Zijun glanced outside and said, "I still need to go to the Daguanyuan in a moment; there are some things that need to be resolved."

"Matters of the inner palace?"

A hint of sarcasm appeared in Su Qingling's eyes.

Luo Zijun gave a bitter smile and said, "No, it is a mission."

Su Qingling was slightly startled: "A mission?"

Luo Zijun did not say anything more.

Although there was only the White Snake mission when he arrived, once he learned that there were characters from Dream of the Red Chamber here, he secretly decided in his heart that if there was an opportunity, he would help change the fates of these people.

Therefore, this was also his mission.

People have their joys and sorrows, the moon has its brightness and darkness; if it is within one's power to make the world have a little less tragedy and regret, why not do it?

At this moment, a commotion suddenly came from outside.

Luo Zijun lifted the curtain and looked out; many maids at the main gate had stood up from the ground, weeping with joy, while other maids and nannies were still kneeling and begging.

Jia Xichun and Cuimo appeared on the steps and began to select some maids and women.

Su Qingling also glanced outside and suddenly tutted, "I thought they were all young and pretty ones; I didn't expect you wouldn't even spare the married women and wives."

Luo Zijun's mouth twitched, and he said, "Senior Sister, can you stop being so sarcastic?"

In fact, those so-called married women and wives were only in their twenties or thirties.

In this era, most people's lifespans were forty or fifty years; by the time one reached forty, one was already an old person.

"Hmph."

Su Qingling let out a hmph and continued looking outside.

Qingwen stood to the side, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh.

Luo Zijun glared at her, and seeing she was still laughing, he quietly stretched out his foot and stepped on her small foot beneath her skirt.

Qingwen hurriedly pulled her foot back, two blushes flying onto her pretty face, and she gave him a reproachful look.

Just as Luo Zijun was about to stretch his foot out again to scare her, Qingwen, with a flushed face, hurriedly said, "Young Lady..."

Su Qingling's gaze turned toward the two of them.

Luo Zijun hurriedly pulled his foot back, his gaze fixed outside, looking straight ahead.

At this moment, Bai Qingtong came out of the manor with her maidservants, spoke a few words in a low voice to Jia Xichun and Cuimo at the entrance, then walked down the steps and led the group toward Daguanyuan.

She looked up at the carriage and had intended to come over to speak, but Luo Zijun hurriedly waved his hand at her, signaling for her to go first.

Seeing Su Qingling's figure inside the carriage, Bai Qingtong immediately understood, smiled, and left with the group.

"Senior Sister, I will take you back first."

Luo Zijun turned his head and said.

Su Qingling said coldly, "I said, I am going with you. Let's go, take me to see your harem."

Luo Zijun: "..."

Qingwen let out a "pfft" of laughter from the side.

(End of this chapter)