Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

Jia Jing examined it for a moment, thought for a moment, and then suddenly changed the subject and asked:

"Has Lin Meimei received any letters from Uncle Lin in Jiangnan lately?"

Daiyu raised her head, a hint of doubt in her eyes, and said softly:

"Why did you suddenly ask that, Third Brother?"

Jia Jing pondered for a moment, then said seriously:

"I heard His Majesty mention Uncle Lin a while ago, so I asked about it. I reckon Uncle Lin should be able to come to the capital to take up his post within the next year or two!"

"Then Lin Daiyu could be reunited with her father, no longer separated by distance, secretly grieving and longing for him!"

Jia Jing chose to reveal this matter in order to comfort Lin Daiyu.

A significant factor contributing to Lin Daiyu's emotional distress was her feeling of being utterly alone, living as a dependent in the Jia family mansion, with no one to rely on.

Just as the poem "The Burial of Flowers" describes:

"Flowers fall and fly, filling the sky; their beauty fades and their fragrance vanishes—who will mourn them?"

"Three hundred and sixty days a year, the wind and frost relentlessly assail us."

Her mental distress stemmed not only from her sensitive personality but also from the loss of her mother at a young age and the absence of her father, leading to self-pity, loneliness, sorrow, and insecurity.

The ending, in which she dies after she runs out of tears, is also closely related to Lin Ruhai's passing.

Therefore, Jia Jing's mention of Lin Ruhai's impending arrival in the capital was intended to give Lin Daiyu hope and alleviate her feelings of depression and loneliness.

It is likely that Daiyu's learning of this matter would greatly boost her spirits and help her focus on curing her congenital illness.

Of course, Jia Jing wasn't talking nonsense.

Ever since Emperor Jingsheng told him about Lin Ruhai's assassination, he immediately ordered the Zhuque Guard to send the Embroidered Uniform Guard and his personal troops to Jiangnan to protect him.

With the capabilities of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I believe Lin Ruhai will not suddenly die of illness in Jiangnan in this life!

As long as Lin Ruhai is alive, it's only a matter of time before he returns to Beijing to take up his post.

Jia Jing estimated that it should be within the next year or two.

With the 100,000-strong army of Ba Shang about to be completed, Emperor Jingsheng will no longer be constrained by military power and will surely vigorously promote new policies next year.

At that time, the Jiangnan region will become a key area of ​​reform for the imperial court, and those salt merchants will become the focus of the court's crackdown and rectification.

Once the imperial court stabilizes the new policies and salt administration in Jiangnan, given Lin Ruhai's achievements as a salt inspector over the years and his status as a trusted minister of Emperor Jingsheng, he will surely be transferred back to the capital, at the very least to a position as a vice minister.

In fact, according to the personnel system of the Ministry of Personnel of the Imperial Court, Lin Ruhai had been inspecting salt for many years and had made outstanding contributions. He should have been promoted to an official position in the capital long ago.

However, the salt tax revenue from Jiangnan was too important to the imperial court, and they couldn't do without Lin Ruhai, a capable minister, so they kept delaying it.

But times have changed. Emperor Jingsheng has gradually gained power, and the implementation of new policies is an inevitable trend that cannot be delayed. Once the new policies in Jiangnan are on the right track, Lin Ruhai will surely return to the capital in triumph.

Upon hearing Jia Jing's words, Lin Daiyu's eyes lit up, and her face lit up with immense joy. Then, her eyes reddened slightly, and she quickly asked:

"Third brother, is everything you said true? Father will be coming to Beijing in the next year or two? But he didn't mention it in his letter two months ago..."

Daiyu didn't disbelieve Jia Jing's words; it was just that Lin Ruhai's letter hadn't mentioned this matter.

Not only did he not mention returning to Beijing, but the letter also subtly hinted that they might never see each other again in this life, and told her to take care of herself in case of unforeseen circumstances.

This is also one of the reasons why Lin Daiyu's illness has not improved recently; she is worried about her father's safety.

If her father, Lin Ruhai, were to also pass away, she would become an orphan with no one left in the world to truly rely on.

She didn't even tell Zijuan about this; she kept it to herself, worrying and grieving alone.

Hearing Jia Jing's words, he was naturally half surprised and half puzzled.

Jia Jing carefully considered his words and slowly said:

"Would your brother lie to you? There are some matters of court that I can't discuss with you."

"Uncle Lin is a capable minister whom the Emperor relies on. Every year, he works tirelessly to deliver more than one million taels of salt tax to the court, which is a great contribution to the country."

"In principle, he should have been promoted and returned to the capital long ago, but the salt administration of the court has long been plagued by problems, and the matter is of great importance. Jiangnan cannot do without his uncle, so it has been delayed again and again."

"But next year, the situation in the court will change. At that time, a high-ranking official will be sent to Jiangnan to implement the new policies."

"The salt administration in Jiangnan is an important source of national revenue, and it will also be rectified. His Majesty has long intended to crack down on those lawless salt merchants."

"So, once things are settled over there, Uncle Lin will return to the capital with his mission accomplished, and he might even get a promotion!"

Upon hearing this, Daiyu felt more at ease and her face brightened even more, but then she became somewhat serious and said:

"This restructuring of the salt administration seems quite risky, doesn't it? My father has been writing to me these past few days, and his letters hint at a do-or-die mentality, as if he's entrusting his affairs to others..."

Upon hearing this, Zijuan suddenly realized and said:

"No wonder the young lady has been so worried and unable to eat or sleep well since receiving these letters from the south; it turns out she's concerned about her husband!"

Seeing the worry hidden in Daiyu's bright eyes, Jia Jing hesitated for a moment, then comforted her:

"I won't hide it from my sister, there's definitely danger involved!"

"Uncle Lin was also assassinated recently, but he narrowly escaped unharmed!"

"After all, the salt administration is related to the vital interests of those big salt merchants in Jiangnan and the official positions of some connected officials. They've been secretly vying with Uncle Lin all along!"

"However, you don't need to worry. His Majesty already knows about this and has specially sent Imperial City Guard personnel to protect your uncle."

"A few days ago, I sent dozens of my personal guards south to secretly protect him. As long as the salt merchants don't openly rebel, Uncle Lin should be fine!"

"Don't worry, sister. Uncle Lin is an important official in the court. I will keep an eye on this matter and will let you know if there are any developments."

"My sister can also have Zijuan fetch some official gazettes from my courtyard to read. If there is any news from Jiangnan, it will be published in the official gazettes."

"Yes, thank you for your trouble, Third Brother!"

Daiyu only said one sentence before lowering her eyes and remaining silent, feeling both worried and relieved.

My concern is for my father's safety. After all, my third brother said that my father had been assassinated, which shows that he was in great danger.

What reassured me was that my third brother had already sent people to protect our father. My third brother's personal guards were all elite soldiers who had fought bloody battles on the battlefield, so I thought they could protect our father and keep him safe.

However, the kindness of the third brother grew stronger and stronger. He not only hired a famous doctor to treat his illness, but also sent his father's personal guards. His affection and loyalty were profound.

How can I ever repay such kindness...?

Just as the group fell silent, a soft laugh was heard.

Xue Baochai, with her fair complexion and voluptuous figure, walked in slowly, her almond-shaped eyes filled with inquiry, and she smiled:

"Hey! Third brother's still here! How's little sister feeling? What are you talking about? Why aren't you saying anything?"