I am a man in a dream

But when Master Lin came to his senses, he quickly wiped away his tears. He sighed, sat up slowly, and said softly, "Excuse me!"

The child felt uncomfortable being looked at, but he didn't have any fear, and continued: "The kid was in trouble. I thought I was dead, but I had to meet Master Lin's mercy and let the kid be born again. I can't thank you enough for the kindness of Master Lin!"

After hearing what the child said, Master Lin turned serious and asked, "It looks like a child taught by a scholar. Where does he live? What's his name? How old is he? How did he end up on the street?"

The child thought for a while, and replied: "In the case of Master Lin, my name is Gao Hongji, I am ten years old, and I am from Yangzhou. My father Gao Dan is a squire in the town, and my mother Zhang is from a scholar family. A lot of children’s food and clothing. The children in the family are weak, and I am the only seedling. For this reason, my parents love me a lot. I was enlightened at the age of three, hired a teacher to educate me, and entered school at the age of six, so I can know a few words. Last year, it rained continuously in Yangzhou, the river dam collapsed, the houses collapsed, and the fields were flooded. The whole family lost their livelihood immediately, so they had to leave their homes and come to Suzhou to make a living. The kid lives alone in the world. I thought I would go with my parents, but my parents told me repeatedly before I was alive that I should stand upright as a human being, and not be overwhelmed by one moment, one place, one meal. If the boy committed suicide, how could he be worthy of the kindness of his parents? I am lucky today, and it was my luck to meet Master Lin, if I am lucky in the future, I will definitely repay my kindness."

"He is a clever boy, and his mind is clear." Master Lin stroked his beard and looked him up and down, "To tell you the truth, I have a son who is three years old. He looks a bit like you, so I saw you think of him, Feel sad for a moment."

The child's mood sank, thinking of his parents in the previous life, he was also sad for a while, and comforted Master Lin with tears, "A child is the heart of the parents, and losing a child is like losing the heart. The boy understands the pain of Master Lin, but he can be your mother." The child is very lucky. Even though it is only three years, the son must be satisfied. Furthermore, although the relationship between father and son is important, it is not lacking in destiny. Master Lin has fulfilled the responsibility of being a father before the son was alive, so it can be regarded as the father-son relationship. , I hope that Master Lin will take good care of him, nothing more than grief."

"I didn't expect a child to have such insights. It's because I'm a little girl. I'm not as good as a child like you at such a young age."

"A man doesn't shed his tears lightly, because he hasn't reached the point where he is sad. Mr. Lin loves his son so much that the kid is very envious."

After listening to Master Lin, he thought for a while and said, "I have an idea. I want to recognize you as the son of the moth. I wonder what you want?"

Hearing this, the kid was startled, then thought for a while, and said, "Master Lin is sympathetic, and I am very grateful. It is a blessing for me to be the son of Master Lin. It's just that I come from a poor family and have no manners. I'm afraid of being lost." Master Lin's face."

"Then what's the matter?" Master Lin smiled with satisfaction, "I recognize you as my son because you have a good heart and will be able to provide me with retirement in the future, not just to show you."

The child immediately shed two lines of tears, and bowed his head: "Thank you, Mr. Lin, for your pity!"

"Why do you still call him Master Lin?" Master Lin laughed.

The child choked up and changed his words: "The son pays his respects to the father!"

"Okay! Okay!" Master Lin's voice also changed slightly, "I can be considered a future! Your name is too flamboyant and not suitable for giving birth. I will change the word for you, Hongming. What do you think?"

"It's all up to the father to decide!"

"Tomorrow I have something to go out, you first learn the rules from the old mothers, and when I come back the day after tomorrow, I will take you to the sacrificial ceremony, so that you can enter the ancestral temple, be named in the genealogy, and let relatives know each other. Two tables of good wine to celebrate." Master Lin nodded, took a sip of tea, and continued, "Since then, you have changed your name and surname, it is Lin Hongming!"

"Hongming, thank you father for your careful arrangements, just?" Lin Hongming stopped talking, as if there was something difficult to say.

Master Lin asked, "But what's wrong?"

"Father always thinks of Hongming. Hongming is not a person who doesn't know what is good or bad. However, my parents gave birth to me. How can Hongming focus on wealth and forget the fundamentals? I hope that my father will allow me to write calligraphy and painting inscriptions on weekdays. Annotation, to show filial piety by Quan Hong."

Master Lin nodded and said in admiration, "It's rare that you don't forget the fundamentals. It's up to you! It's just that I have something to tell you, so you must remember it."

"Father, please tell me!" Lin Hongming was grateful, "As long as father tells you, as long as you don't violate your original intention, Hongming will go all out."

Master Lin smiled and said: "It's not a fatal thing. I have a daughter who is nine years old. She loves her like a pearl. Because she was not raised by anyone, she was sent to her grandmother's house at the age of seven. Today you are my adopted son. It is her elder brother, I hope you will take good care of her in the future, and don't make her lose her parents and have no one to rely on."

"Father, don't worry, Hongming will remember it, and he will not make my sister feel wronged in the slightest." Lin Hongming replied solemnly.

"That's good!" Master Lin seemed to have completed a major event, and he relaxed all over. He was extremely tired for a while, and the servant girl hurriedly waited on him and lay down.After a while, he ordered the servant girl: "Call Chief Wei, I have something to order. Then you tell the girl in the mansion. From now on, this is the young master of the Lin family. No one should be neglected. If he is slightly underestimated, he will not be forgiven lightly. "

"Yes!" The servant girl hurriedly leaned over to answer, and went to deliver the message.

Master Lin pointed to the stool beside him: "Sit down!"

"Yes!" Lin Hongming sat next to Master Lin and asked, "I don't know what my sister's name is?"

"Daiyu."

"Daiyu?" Lin Hongming was surprised, thinking to himself, this must be Lin Ruhai, Lin Daiyu's father. There must be a reason in this world. Since she has received the favor of Master Lin, she should protect Lin Daiyu. Fortunately, she was born a man and changed her gender. Otherwise, how would she live?

Seeing his strange expression, Lin Ruhai, master Lin, was puzzled: "Why, my son knows him?"

Lin Hongming hurriedly said: "I don't know it. I just think the name is novel."

"It was started by her mother. Her mother was born in a great family. She is proficient in all kinds of piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. She is a rare and virtuous wife!" Lin Ruhai mentioned his dead wife, both sad and admired.

Lin Hongming continued to ask: "Where does my grandmother live now? If I have free time, I can visit her and see my sister, to show my brother's heart."

"It's hard for you to think about it. Her grandmother's family is the ancestor of the Jia family in the Rongguo Mansion, and the Rongguo Mansion is hereditary princes. You will know when you see it. I will write a book tomorrow and tell the Jia family and Daiyu about you. Let them know you." Lin Ruhai spoke of Jia's family with respect.

While the two were talking, the servant girl went back and forth: "Master, Chief Wei is here!"

"Let him in!"

When I was young, I saw a middle-aged man in his 40s stooping in, wearing brown clothes, half old and not new.He is tall and tall, with a slightly fat body, a Chinese character face, and a serious face. When he entered the room, he bent down to salute: "I have seen the master!"

Lin Ruhai ordered: "I have seen your second master!"

"This?" Director Wei was startled, and went in without knowing.

Lin Ruhai explained: "This is the adopted son I recognize, and he will be the young master of the Lin family in the future. From now on, you have to take good care of him, send a few clever servants to follow, send a careful old mother in the inner room, and two maids to take care of you." , don’t be negligent. Tomorrow, go to Mr. Chen’s place to handle the matter of the young master’s admission, and you will be qualified for the exam after two years of township exams.”

"Yes!" Manager Wei agreed after hearing this, pondered for a moment, and then bowed to Lin Hongming, "My slave, Wei Jinzhong, has met the second master. The slave is the housekeeper of the mansion. He follows the master to work everywhere throughout the year. Just do what the second master has to say. Just find me."

Lin Hongming took a look at Director Wei, stood up and returned a half-respect, and said with a smile: "Hongming is a newcomer and needs Manager Wei a lot, so I will trouble him to take care of him in the future."

"Second Lord, you've been flattered!" Director Wei raised his brows and raised the corners of his mouth slightly, quite complacently.Lin Hongming saw his expression in his eyes and kept it in his heart.In the evening, Lin Ruhai asked Lin Hongming to have dinner together, and arranged Lin Hongming to spread out in the Tongxin Pavilion one step away from the main hall.

When the news reached Rongguo Mansion, the old lady was speechless for a long time after reading the letter. After a while, she asked calmly, "Where is the person who delivered the letter?"

Jia Zheng hurriedly said, "Wait outside the second gate, waiting for my mother to summon me."

"Tell him to come in, I have something to say." Mother Jia seemed unhappy, "Young master is usually shrewd and clear. Why did he do such a foolish thing? Is this adopted son easy to recognize? Return to the ancestral temple?"

While complaining, the servant of the Lin family came in to say hello: "Greetings to the old lady, and my uncle!"

"Let me ask you, what's the matter with the second master?" Jia Mu asked immediately, "But who made it happen?"

The little servant hurriedly replied: "In the words of the old lady, the second master is a child picked up by the master when he was patrolling salt. Because of his outstanding appearance, his talent and conduct are very good, the master liked it very much, so he recognized his son."

"So the origin is unknown?" Mother Jia was even more displeased when she heard that.

"The origin is very clear. The master checked the details. The second master is indeed a child of a good family. He was born in a good family. His parents are both scholars. A few days ago, he worshiped the ancestral hall and entered the genealogy. The second master is very stable, and even his relatives are friends What about Chen Zan." The servant hurriedly explained, "The young one has only served outside the second door twice, the second master is generous and kind to others, he is a lucky person at first sight."

"It didn't take long to coax all of your family to turn to him, which shows that he is capable." Mother Jia sighed, "Forget it, this is your family's business, and I shouldn't care about reasoning, but Yu'er is my relative. Granddaughter, I have to ask a few questions. Go and tell my aunt, I haven’t seen you for a few years, and the whole family is estranged. This year, I will reunite at least once during the Mid-Autumn Festival, so that I can meet your second master.”

The servant smiled and said, "Where is the old lady? You are the wife's mother, and the whole family is flesh and blood. You thought about asking me a few words, and the master is even more happy. Even if you don't order, the master will think about it. After two months It's the country test, and the master told the second master to come and visit after the country test."

"It's hard for him to think thoroughly." Jia Mu nodded.

Jia Zheng raised his eyebrows when he heard this, "The child is only ten years old and he has to take the provincial examination. Isn't it too hasty?"

"My master originally planned to take the exam in two years, but he sent the second master to the school a few days ago. The grandfather in the school said that the second master is very knowledgeable, so you can try it. If you don't pass it, you can accumulate experience. After three years Don’t panic if you take the exam again.”

When Jia Zheng heard this, he felt sorry for him: "If Baoyu can make one or two advancements, it will be my luck." Jia Mu was very displeased when she heard this, and told the boy, "Go and eat!"

"Thank you, old lady!"

When the boy left, Mother Jia told Yuanyang, "Go and invite the girl, and have lunch here, and also call Baoyu."

"Yes"

Instead, he told Jia Zheng: "Go ahead. Although you are not from the same family, you have to pay all the etiquette. After the boy eats, you reply to the letter and seal the gift. Let him take it over."

"Son, write it down!" Jia Zheng saluted and left.

About a stick of incense, Baoyu and Daiyu came in through the curtain. I don't know what Daiyu felt when she heard it.