The Founding of the Red Chamber

Persuading the eldest sister Xu Nian to stay in Beijing, the clever arrangement for Lin Yi has a deep meaning

Xu Shangfei was about to leave for Datong to take up his post. Xu Nian was very reluctant to part with his fourth uncle, and privately talked to his fourth uncle, "Actually, if my uncle insists on staying with me to study with him in the imperial capital, why don't I talk to my father about it?" Here at my uncle Not only do they eat and drink well, but the key is that they rarely get beaten.Xu Nian felt that after living with his uncle for a few months, his butt was not as resistant to beating as before.

Lin Jing responded immediately.

Looking for an opportunity, Lin Jing took a lot of good things to Lin Chun, and he was very eloquent, "Eldest sister, you are so young, and you don't usually dress up very much when you see elder sister. Elder sister, this is what I gave to elder sister. Big sister, take a look, do you like it?" They are all good things from Queen Mother Lin, and there is nothing bad about them.

Lin Chun was relieved, but, how could she accept the younger brother's things?Lin Chun smiled comfortingly, "Jing'er, if you think of Eldest Sister, Eldest Sister will be very happy. Take these things back and keep them well, and keep them for your daughter-in-law when you get married."

Lin Jing insisted, "I still have some." He whispered to Lin Chun, "My aunt gave it to me when I came out of the palace. Big sister, you can take it. When I get married, I don't know the year of the monkey. Big sister, take it, and give it to Brother Nian and his daughter-in-law in the future."

Lin Chun smiled and patted Lin Jing's head, and said, "My dear brother, how many things do you have? My sister knows your heart, and nothing is better than anything." Lin Chun picked out the white jade bracelet and said, "This pair of bracelets will be given to my sister, and the rest will be taken back by my brother."

Brother and sister, there is no need to drag these things in vain.Lin Jing picked out another pair of blessing characters and stuffed them into her elder sister's hands, saying, "Elder sister, elder brother-in-law, it's just a pair."

Lin Chun didn't know if Lin Jing said this on purpose, or if he was making fun of her and her husband... However, the metaphor was so good, Lin Chun smiled and accepted it.

Lin Jing asked again, "Big sister, have you ever been to Shanxi?"

Lin Chun shook his head, "No, what's wrong?"

"I read a book and said that there are mountains connecting mountains, and there are many mountains. People there like to eat sour food, and they put a lot of vinegar in their meals." Lin Jing asked seriously, "Eldest sister, you and elder brother-in-law should also drink Do you want to take Nian'er with you to Shanxi? Many areas in Shanxi are not very peaceful, and I heard that there are many bandits."

Lin Chun, a woman in the inner house, doesn't know much about the outside world, slightly startled, "Is that so?"

"Isn't it?" Lin Jing's eyes were full of concern, "I thought, let the elder brother give the eldest brother-in-law a few guards, otherwise, it is really worrying about safety. When Jieshi arrives in Shanxi, she will be the elder sister You have to be extra careful when you go out, you have to bring enough guards."

Lin Chun became worried, and Lin Jing took the opportunity to say, "It's because of this that I want to tell my elder sister. Otherwise, I'd better not take Nian'er to Shanxi. It's easy for adults to say anything, like elder sister, even in the inner house. I will feel bored. But Nian'er is different. He is a boy and good at martial arts, so you can't make him bored in the room like a girl. Big sister, Shanxi is so uneven, Nian'er If I went to such a place with you, I would have to make my eldest sister worry about going out."

Lin Jing had a considerate face, "Even I, the uncle, don't worry about it."

Lin Chun was really worried, Lin Jing said, "I thought about it, and I think it's better to call Nian'er to live with us. I am the same age as Nian'er, and there is a master like Mr. Shu who teaches us homework." .”

"Big sister, think about it, even the husband that the ordinary big brother-in-law finds for Nian'er may not have the talent and insight of Mr. Shu." Lin Jing said, "After all, no one has been to Shanxi."

Lin Jing began to popularize all kinds of official knowledge to Lin Chun, saying, "As soon as the eldest brother-in-law arrives, don't look at it as a prefect, but there is a governor in the prefect. Also, a strong dragon does not suppress a local snake. The eldest brother-in-law has an official position. Yes, but if you really want to suppress those low-level officials, it is not an easy matter."

"Shanxi folk customs are extremely tough, especially in Datong Mansion, which is the front line against the Western Man." Lin Jing was full of worry, "Big sister, if you want to go, it's best to wait for your brother-in-law to really take hold in Datong Mansion." Heel, it’s safer to pick up Nian’er. What does Big Sister say?”

Given Lin Jing's gossip, Lin Chun really thought about leaving his son in his natal family.

After persuading her elder sister Lin Chun, Lin Jing went to talk to her elder brother Lin Yi again.

This time Lin Jing said directly, "Brother, Nian'er wants to stay and stay at our house for a longer time. He is also afraid of the eldest brother-in-law, so he dare not tell the eldest brother-in-law."

"A-Teng was with me in the past, but now A-Teng has gone to the palace to study with His Highness the Crown Prince. I am at home and have no companion. Big brother, I also miss him staying at our house all the time." Lin Jing looked helplessly. Looking at Lin Yi, he discussed with Lin Yi.

Lin Yi said, "It's not a big deal, you go tell your eldest brother-in-law, he will definitely agree."

Lin Jing whispered, "I don't dare to go. The eldest brother-in-law is very fierce, and often beats Nian'er's butt to bleed. I am very afraid of the eldest brother-in-law."

Lin Yi squeezed Lin Jing's little face, "Don't do this with me, who are you afraid of?"

Lin Jing leaned over, sat on Lin Yi's lap beggingly, leaned on his big brother's arm with his small face, and said, "I'm also afraid of big brother. I'm afraid that big brother won't love me after he has a son. "

"Troublemaker!" Lin Yi knocked on Lin Jing's head, "I'll tell your elder brother-in-law."

Lin Jing looked at Lin Yi and said, "Big brother, can I give you some advice?"

"what?"

"Can you stop knocking my head all the time?" Lin Jing's face was full of displeasure, his mouth turned up, "It hurts to keep knocking me out of my head. Although my elder brother is much older than me, he is from another family. Lord, you can't bully your weaker brother like this."

Looking at Lin Jing's round eyes, Lin Yi couldn't help laughing, and touched the place where he just knocked, "I also have a suggestion for you, can you be more honest with me in the future."

"Where is my dishonesty? It's because my elder brother is too picky. He picks on me."

Lin Yi knocked him again, "This is dishonesty, stubborn mouth."

Lin Jing was very dissatisfied, and sighed, "Big brother, Fangmin's mouth is better than Fangchuan."

Lin Yi was too lazy to talk to Lin Jing, put his arms around Lin Jing's small body, and said, "I heard that Ah Yun said that you are much stronger than before, and after another three to five years, you will be fine."

Lin Jing was also very happy in his heart, and said, "This autumn, I am not sick. When I walk, I won't feel tired if I go farther. Brother, I have also started to learn medicine from my husband."

"I was going to ask you about this." Lin Yiwei was displeased, and said, "It's enough to know a little about medical skills. We should focus on serious articles."

"There's nothing wrong with being a doctor." Lin Jing disagreed, "Even if I become an official in the future, don't tell me I really want to go to the imperial examination, my elder brother is reluctant to donate an official to me. Donating an official is the same as being an official."

Lin Yi was slightly annoyed, and reprimanded Lin Jing, "What do you know, although a donated official can be an official, but there is no one who is from a donated official who is above the third rank in the imperial court and who is appointed as a minister!"

Lin Jing was very stubborn, and said, "Who knows what will happen more than ten years later. Besides, even if I take the imperial examination, I may not be able to pass the third grade or above."

Originally, Lin Jing was not in good health, and Lin Yi never demanded much from him in his homework.Now that his health is looking good, since he is a child of the family, of course he has to contribute to the family.

Lin Yi was extremely displeased when he heard that Lin Jing had given up his literature to pursue medicine.

Lin Yi said in a deep voice, "Jing'er, you are different from me, you will be 20 years younger than me. 20 years means that maybe when I step down from the court, you can continue the glory of the family for 20 years. "

"The imperial court may not always be like this." Lin Yi looked at Lin Jing's small face and said, "Now the Lin family is a family of relatives. As long as the aunt is here, the family is safe. But since the father passed away, Your Majesty has doubts about me, and I have never reused them. After all, my aunt is not His Majesty's biological mother, and the power of the family is gradually fading. After a hundred years of my aunt, the Lin family will fall into the bottom of the valley. In fact, this is normal, and the family of foreign relatives cannot escape this catastrophe .”

"If you want to revive the family, you must have the children of the family to strive for success." Lin Yi said, "Your second brother and third brother are mediocre in writing, and it may not be easy to be admitted to the Jinshi. Since you have this talent, you can't waste it. In the future The affairs of the Zhen family depend on you, Jinger."

"At that time, you have to protect the family, protect the title of the family, and restore the glory of the family, so as to realize your ambition." Lin Yi held Lin Jing's soft little hand and said, "Jing'er, look, your hands He was born to hold power." Lin Yi wasn't forcing Lin Jing to do something he didn't like, but because of Lin Jing's temper as a "bad dad", he was born to be an official.

Lin Jing said in a low voice, "However, if a monarch like His Majesty is worthy of assistance?"

Lin Yi whispered angrily, "What are you talking about! Your Majesty is the lord of the world, and only His Majesty chooses his ministers. Are there any ministers who choose the monarch? You are so crazy."

"I told my elder brother what was in my heart, but my elder brother always reprimanded me." Lin Jing couldn't help being wronged, and said, "Elder brother doesn't know, your majesty is very confused. Eldest brother said that in 20 years, according to your majesty's ruling law Son, the imperial court may not be what it will look like 20 years from now.”

Lin Yi sighed, "The country belongs to His Majesty, but the family belongs to us. Jing'er, don't talk about benevolence and righteousness. Do you think wealth and honor are dung?"

Lin Jing was never that kind of high-minded, and said, "How could it be, I can't live a life of poor clothing and light food." Don't talk about poor clothing and light food, but Lin Jing can taste the slightest difference in the cook's skill.Therefore, the cooks at home were extraordinarily careful when serving Lin Jing.

"That's it." Lin Yi tried to reason with Lin Jing, "I can endure a life of poor food and clothing, but I don't dare to lose power easily. It's not just for wealth, Jinger, what do you think When you think about it, with so many people in the family and after so many years of reproduction, the Lin family is not without enemies. Look at the rich and powerful families, once they are defeated, the life of the family members is even worse than the lowest servants. If you want to live in rough clothes and eat lightly, the family will grow old , that was a dream."

"Do you think you are the only smart person in the world?" Lin Yi said, "But everyone is still working as an official in the court with trepidation, is it only for wealth and glory?"

"So what about wealth?" Lin Yi sighed, "If someone from a humble family wants to get promoted through the imperial examination, it can still be said that it is for wealth. But, like our family, there is no shortage of wealth and honor. What's more important is that the children of the family become officials. In order to live in peace!

"Everyone talks about wealth and prosperity, but in fact, this sentence is more appropriate for us to say wealth and prosperity."

Lin Jing had a flash of inspiration and said, "Big Brother, there is a line under the table in the ancestral hall, which says wealth, honor and safety."

Lin Yi stared, "How did you see that?"

"I saw it when I was offering incense to my parents." Lin Jing blinked and said, "I'm not as tall as my big brother, and I can see it when I lower my head."

"What else did you see?" Lin Yi asked.

"No la!"

"Huh?" Lin Yi half-closed his eyes, and looked at Lin Jing with a hint of danger.

Lin Jing could only say, "There is a small dark cabinet behind the portrait of the ancestor Hu Guogong, and there is a jar in the dark cabinet."

Lin Yi pointed at Lin Jing and reprimanded, "You dare to disturb the ancestral hall. If father is alive, he must kill you!"

"I didn't do it on purpose." Lin Jing said, "I saw that the offerings from my parents were not fresh. I went to change them, and I accidentally fell on the altar table and knocked over the spirit tablet, so I found out. And I didn't say anything. Seeing that Lin Yi was not angry, Lin Jing asked, "Big brother, what is that?"

"The ashes of His Royal Highness King Ning."

"Prince Ning?" Lin Jing, as a descendant of the Lin family and a descendant of the direct line, knew the history of the family very well. After thinking for a long time, he asked, "However, no one in the family has been crowned king since the protector of the country?"

Lin Yi's eyes dimmed, "I don't have it this morning, think about it in the future."

Lin Jing covered his small mouth and asked in surprise, "Could it be His Highness Prince Ning, the regent at the end of the previous dynasty?"

Lin Yi showed approval, "I read history books well." At Lin Jing's age, he hasn't officially entered school for a long time, but Lin Yi reminds him a little, and he can immediately think of the former regent King Ning, It can be seen that he is very familiar with this period of history.

Lin Jing exclaimed, "I thought the regent King Ning just happened to have the same surname as us, so our family is related to the regent King Ning?" When it comes to the former regent King Ning, he is definitely a famous figure.King Ning's nobility is not inherited from his ancestors. According to historical records, King Ning's father was just a small official. It is unknown in which life he accumulated virtue and gave birth to a remarkable son, who became King Ning.

It is rumored that King Ning is very intelligent and has a photographic memory. He has amazing talents and was the top student in high school when he was weak.It's a pity that after King Ning won the first prize, he was called to be Princess Guangning's son-in-law.According to the rules of the previous dynasty, concubines cannot discuss politics.As a result, King Ning's talent began to be idle before he could display it, and this idleness lasted for twenty years.

In the past 20 years, King Ning has gone through two generations of emperors, and Princess Guangning has also become the eldest princess of Guangning.When Emperor Xuanzong of the previous dynasty came to the throne, Emperor Xuanzong was still young at that time, and the government was in the hands of the powerful minister Da Sima.I don't know what kind of means King Ning used to eradicate Da Sima in one fell swoop, and he himself became the regent.

After that, King Ning was in power for 30 years. In 30 years, he changed five emperors, and when King Ning passed away, the last emperor ascended the throne, but within 20 years, the previous dynasty perished.

The historian of the former dynasty originally wrote the regent King Ning as a rebellious king, but the founding emperor said, "If it were not for the regent King Ning, the previous dynasty would have lost 30 years of peace." Therefore, the historian of this dynasty revised the history of the previous dynasty. At that time, the name of King Ning was re-established.

Lin Jing thought about King Ning's prestige back then, and he was sincerely envious, and said to Lin Yi, "A man should be like this."

Lin Yi twisted his mouth hard, and Lin Jing's painful eyes were filled with tears, and he sobbed, "It's not intentional, I slipped my tongue for a while, so I won't talk about it in the future."

"The next time I hear such bastard words, I'll be dragged to the ancestral hall and beaten to death!"

Lin Jing rubbed his mouth with one hand, and wiped his tears with his sleeves with the other hand, and asked without giving up, "Big brother, are we the descendants of His Royal Highness King Ning?"

"That's not clear."

"Why don't you know? Don't you know who your ancestors are?" Lin Jing was very dissatisfied, feeling that Lin Yi was perfunctory.

"Speaking of which, Lord Protector was the book boy next to His Royal Highness King Ning..."

Lin Jing clicked his tongue and said, "So it's just someone's book boy, I thought he was an ancestor." It's a shame that he dared to find a prominent ancestor through relatives, and now he secretly hides his family's ashes for fun.

Lin Yi frowned, "What do you know? Which book boy would collect the ashes of the master's family? What's more, King Ning's prominence was only during the regency period. I heard that Duke Hu is the heir of His Royal Highness King Ning... just His Royal Highness King Ning was the regent at the end of the previous dynasty, and he abolished five emperors, so there are many taboos in the royal family..."

Lin Jing's eyes were still slightly red, and he said, "So that's how it is. The surname of Lord Protector was bestowed by His Royal Highness Ning, right?" For servants who are more valued, the master usually bestows surnames.

"It should be." Lin Yi was not sure.

Lin Jing asked, "Big brother, who wrote the words for peace and wealth?" Children are forgetful, and Lin Jing didn't care about the twisted mouth just now. It's too earthy."

Lin Yi glanced at him, "I have the guts to talk about His Royal Highness King Ning."

Lin Jing said awkwardly, "Is it His Royal Highness Ning's name?"

"That was originally a plaque in Prince Ning's mansion. Later, Prince Ning's mansion was burned down, and only this plaque remained. The ancestor Hu Guogong cleaned it up and made an altar." Lin Yi scolded Lin Jing, "It's something that no one cares about."

Lin Jing rolled his eyes when he was scolded, and said in his heart: Maybe he will be more prominent than King Ning in the future.

Seeing Lin Jing's strange appearance, Lin Yi couldn't help but slapped him on the back of the head, and said, "Who complains about me in your heart?"

"Where is it? It's nothing." Either being beaten or pinched, Lin Jing jumped off Lin Yi's knee and said, "Big brother is fine, so I'll go back."

Lin Yi pulled Lin Jing back into his arms and scolded him, "What's the hurry, I'm so frizzy all day long that I don't have the energy to be steady. I haven't seen each other for several months, and I haven't made any progress. I wasted several months of food in vain. .”

Lin Jing muttered, "My son is not born yet, so he starts to look down on me."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Lin Yi spanked his ass, and picked Lin Jing up again and put him on his lap.Lin Jing suddenly said, "Brother, don't always bully me because of your age. Otherwise, in the future, I will bully my little nephew like you bullied me."

Lin Yi smiled, "As an uncle, you should teach him."

Lin Jing smiled, pretending to be generous, "Brother, don't worry, even though you always bully me, I won't hold grudges against you."

"Yo, my brother Jing is really open-minded."

"That's right." Lin Jing asked softly, "Brother, when you travel far away, do you miss me besides your sister-in-law and nephew?"

Lin Yi asked back, "Do you miss big brother?"

"I think about it, I think about it every day." Lin Jing has a cute mouth and is very good at saying sweet words, "I am looking forward to my big brother's return, and I am also worried that my big brother is not here. What about my expectations."

Lin Yi smiled, "I was thinking outside, with my brother Jing here, there is nothing to worry about at home. Brother Jing will definitely take care of my home."

Lin Jing was originally an overconfident character. Hearing what Lin Yi said, he immediately raised his head high and said loudly proudly, "Need to talk! For sure!"

"I also thought, come out, what kind of presents should I bring to my brother Jing so that Brother Jing will like it?" Lin Yi said intentionally, "I forgot to ask when I went out."

Lin Jing pouted, "If big brother pays more attention to me on weekdays, why do you need to ask? Is this an excuse that he didn't bring me a gift at all?" Thinking that there was no gift at all, Lin Jing almost wanted to It exploded.

Lin Yi smiled slightly, took out a small jade pendant from his sleeve and shook it in front of Lin Jing, Lin Jing reached out to grab it, and saw that it was a lifelike little jade rabbit.Lin Jing himself is a rabbit, and after playing with it for a while, he happily asked, "Big brother gave it to me?"

"When I was in Xiangyang, I got a good piece of mutton fat jade by chance. Thinking that my brother Jing likes mutton fat jade, I asked a famous craftsman there to carve this little rabbit."

Lin Jing held the little jade rabbit in his palm, smiled happily, and said, "As long as the big brother remembers that I think about me, even if you give me a piece of grass, I will be happy."

Coaxing Lin Jing to be happy, Lin Yi asked, "Yesterday I asked you to visit Mr. Chen, how is it?"

"Big brother brought an ambitious man here, and asked me how?" Lin Jing said, "He said he likes to read miscellaneous notes, so I asked Qingsong to go to the study to find some miscellaneous notes, and even brought a pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and gave them a copy. For the rest, there is no order."

"That's it, not bad." Lin Yi said, "The medical skills have stopped beforehand. Now you can study the career articles. You can learn medicine anytime."

Lin Jing said, "I'm not an idiot. There are routines to be found in the career essay. I'm still young, and I can learn it slowly. The big deal is to learn together. For the big brother's wish, there will be no delay."

Lin Yi was helpless, "Can't you be obedient?"

"I have my own head, so of course it's different from what big brother thinks." Lin Jing tilted his head and said, "Some people like to play the piano, some people like calligraphy, and I like to study medicine."

"Don't delay your homework. I will check it every day. If you can't keep up with your homework, you will stop studying medicine!"

Lin Jingxin said that the eldest brother is much more difficult to deal with than the eldest brother-in-law, and said, "Then the eldest brother must not be unreasonable and deliberately make things difficult for me. Otherwise, I will not be convinced."

Lin Yi sighed, "I was hoping that your sister-in-law would give birth to a daughter?"

"Ah?" Lin Jing was slightly startled, "Big Brother likes girls. I like my little nephew."

Lin Yi sneered, "If someone like you is born, if the two of you get mad at me together, I will lose ten years of life."

Lin Jing chuckled twice, stretched out her little hand to pinch Lin Yi's nose, and played with Lin Yi.Lin Yi slapped his little hand off, and said, "There is one more thing to tell you, Xia Liming's deficiency has come down."

Lin Jing asked, "So fast?"

Lin Yi glanced at Lin Jing inexplicably, "Do you think it will be all right if you send Xia Liming's official to the Ministry of Officials to say hello?"

"Does the official department dare not give our family face now?" Lin Jing raised half of his eyebrows faintly.The Empress Dowager Lin is still living well in the Charity Palace. The Lin family's heir is the duke, and the nephew is in the palace to accompany His Highness the Crown Prince. If such a Lin family can't even handle the lack of a small magistrate, they really don't need to live.

"That's not the case, but Xia Liming's shortage is not very good." Lin Yi said, "It's a county under Jinling Mansion, called Fengrao County."

Lin Jing's eyes lit up, "It was the county where the riot happened first. At that time, the county magistrate was promoted to the prefect of Jinling, and the former prefect of Jinling was transferred to the imperial capital as the prefect of the imperial capital."

Lin Yi nodded, and said, "The current prefect of Jinling is quite remarkable. He has handled a batch of cases of child abduction and trafficking within only two months since he took office. His Majesty once again ordered a reward. Prefect Li has registered in front of His Majesty. The future of people is just around the corner.”

Lin Jing raised his eyes upwards, showing a touch of sarcasm, "The riot in Fengrao County itself is very suspicious. It is simply incomprehensible that His Majesty rewarded him instead of punishing him. This man surnamed Li is not in the right position!"

Lin Yi smiled approvingly, and Lin Jing suddenly enlightened, and whispered, "Big brother, is that why you arranged Mr. Xia in Fengrao County?"