Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting from Immortal Martial Arts

March 7th, Lin Mansion in Yangzhou City, West Study.

Jia Tang and Lin Ruhai sat facing each other. Jia Tang said, "Uncle, the secret realm is almost fully developed. We will set off back to the capital the day after tomorrow."

Today is the ninth day since the opening of the Zhuyu Bay Secret Realm. We've basically searched for all the good stuff, but things inside are starting to dissipate under some mysterious rule, risking being lost into the void.

Although there are still nine days left, all the powerful families in the world only develop the first nine days, leaving the rest of the time to unorthodox cultivators, thus achieving a cycle.

After all, if they want to get promoted, they have to risk their lives.

Lin Ruhai nodded slightly and sighed, "That's for the best. With Yu'er raised by the old lady, there won't be any gossip. After you return to the capital, I will also be going to Suzhou to take up my post."

After saying that, he took out two letters from the drawer and said, "One is for Brother Enhou, and the other is for Brother Jing."

Jia Tang took the letter, his face showing some concern: "You must take good care of yourself. Health is the most important thing. You should also practice more after you take office."

Lin Ruhai's expression softened, and he smiled, "Don't worry, whether I become an official or not is no longer on my mind. My only obsession now is to see Yu'er get married, become a wife and mother. I used to worry about her health, but now I don't."

"What is Father worried about?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Daiyu walked over gracefully. The young girl stood tall and graceful, moving lightly, with a rosy complexion and her fair face was a little rounder than before.

In addition, his recent martial arts training, coupled with his simple mourning clothes, has given him a more aloof and otherworldly air.

"A graceful young woman of thirteen or so, like a budding cardamom flower in early February. Along the ten-mile road of Yangzhou in the spring breeze, none can compare to her beauty behind the rolled-up beaded curtains."

It's no exaggeration to say that it's truly amazing.

Jia Tang looked at Daiyu with a smile in his eyes without saying a word. Lin Ruhai laughed and said, "Yu Yin, it's certain that your father needs to take care of his health. Your father's wish now is to see you get married. You've changed a lot these days, and your health is much better, so your father isn't worried anymore."

"Daddy~"

Lin Daiyu blushed and glanced at Jia Tang, who was still laughing, and couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

Jia Tang blinked innocently, "This has nothing to do with me."

Lin Ruhai reached out and pulled his daughter closer, stroking Daiyu's beautiful black hair, and said gently, "You will go to the capital with Yu Yin the day after tomorrow. Father should go to the yamen as well."

Upon hearing this, Lin Daiyu's eyes reddened, tears streaming down her face. She took a step forward and threw herself into Lin Ruhai's arms, saying in a muffled voice, "I don't want to go."

Lin Ruhai offered some words of comfort and advice, then said to Jia Tang, "My Lin family has been marquises for four generations, so we have some wealth. I don't need it, and I've already packed it up to take Yu'er to the capital for expenses."

"Yu Yin, you've spent time with Yu'er these past few days, so you should understand that she's a bit sensitive and clever. You mustn't let anyone wrong her."

At this point, Lin Ruhai's voice was slightly choked up. After all, the inner workings of noble families were like a deep sea, and the maids and servants were very good at flattering the powerful and belittling the weak.

How can I not worry about my young daughter who is about to travel thousands of miles away?

Jia Tang replied firmly, "Uncle, rest assured, if my sister suffers even the slightest injustice because of this, I will skin them alive."

Seeing this, Lin Ruhai calmed himself down and said in an inexplicable tone, "I'm relieved that you'll take care of Yu'er from now on."

Upon seeing this, Lin Daiyu blushed deeply, her eyes like peach blossoms, and with her head bowed, she led Xueyan and Chunxian away.

Jia Tang and Lin Ruhai exchanged a smile, then, carrying the gifts they had bought that morning, turned and headed towards the backyard.

In the backyard, in Daiyu's room.

Jia Tang, who had just been welcomed in by Xueyan, took a closer look and saw Lin Daiyu, whose face was still flushed, half-lying on the soft couch with her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep.

A sandalwood table stands in front of him, covered with some unfinished ink paintings. To his right hangs a white jade chime on a lacquered stand, with a small hammer hanging beside it.

On the other side, on a rosewood shelf, were large jade plates from the imperial kiln, filled with delicate and exquisite flowers, and the faint scent of sandalwood and flowers filled the room.

Her overall attire was very elegant and refined, which seemed somewhat out of place with her petty nature, likely a result of the teachings of the late matriarch of the Lin family.

In the middle of the afternoon, dappled sunlight streamed through the openwork carved window behind Lin Daiyu, illuminating her delicate profile and even making her long eyelashes appear tinged with golden light, as if she were a celestial being descended to earth.

Jia Tang admired it quietly for a while, but after waiting for a long time and seeing that no one paid any attention to him, he had no choice but to cough lightly and put the box in his arms on the table.

They were then opened one by one, revealing exquisite jewelry, ink-wash embroidery, and a nearly two-foot-long exquisite white jade Guanyin statue.

Jia Tang said to Xueyan, "These are gifts I've prepared for my sister to give away. When she arrives in the capital, she'll be given gifts to the three maids of the Jia family under the old lady's care. My sister Xichun is the most clever and mischievous. There's also Xiangyun from the Shi family, her three sisters-in-law, her niece-in-law, her two aunts, and the old lady herself. I'll give them to them one by one. My sister will be pleased with herself. You can take them for now."

Although I had visited the mansion once before, it was completely different from when I stayed there with my parents.

Moreover, the last time Lin Daiyu entered the manor, she stayed for less than two months at most, and she was not very familiar with everyone.

Xueyan quickly stepped forward to collect the items and put them in the inner room.

Hearing the commotion, Lin Daiyu opened her eyes, her watery gaze first sweeping over Jia Tang before she forced a stern expression and shouted, "You brat, who told you to put it away? Are you my maid or someone else's?"

Inside the room, Xueyan slowly poked her little head out, thought for a moment, and said, "I am Miss's maid, and I can also be Master Yu's maid."

After saying that, she shook her little head and grinned.

Lin Daiyu's face, which had just calmed down, flushed red again, and steam seemed to rise from her head. She said in embarrassment and annoyance, "You brat, what are you yelling about? Go back to the capital with your master, so you won't keep going against me all day long."

Seeing that her mistress was angry, Xueyan shrank back in fear and hid in the inner room, too afraid to move.

"Hahaha."

Hearing Xueyan's charming words and seeing her peeking around, Jia Tang couldn't help but laugh and turned to leave.

From afar, one could still hear Lin Daiyu's cursing:

"Pah, what a filthy thing, what are you laughing at?"

···

Meanwhile, in Yingtian Prefecture of Southern Zhili, the Xue family, one of the four great families of Jinling City, was packing their belongings, planning to move the whole family to Xianjing.

It turned out that a few days ago, Xue Pan had allowed his servants to beat the young master of the Feng family to death. When the old servants filed a lawsuit against the government, they ran into Jia Yucun, who had just taken office not long ago.

Having witnessed the power and influence of the Jia family in Yangzhou and Xianjing, Jia Yucun was unwilling to risk the punishment of the Xue family, who were also among the four great families and related by marriage, for the sake of the Feng family.

The case was hastily concluded, with the powerful servant taking the blame and some money paid for the funeral expenses, and the matter was settled hastily.

Afterwards, Xue Pan persuaded his mother, Madam Xue, to go to the capital to visit relatives. He also suggested that his younger sister be sent to the palace to be selected as a concubine, and that old debts be settled and new expenses be planned.

So the family packed up, chartered a merchant ship, and began their journey north.