Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

The rear office of the Imperial Archives.

Although Lin Ruhai had submitted his resignation shortly after falling seriously ill and bought a simple house in the western city in preparation for moving away from the official residence to recuperate, the emperor did not grant his request to resign, so he dared not move away immediately.

For some reason, Lin Ruhai, who had been bedridden, seemed to be in slightly better spirits today. He was leaning against the kang (a heated brick bed) and discussing matters with the steward.

"Has Lian-ge'er already entered the palace?"

"Yes, sir."

"Um……"

Lin Ruhai pondered for a moment, then suddenly sighed heavily.

Seeing this, the old steward Lin Youquan thought for a moment and tentatively asked, "Is the master still worried about the young lady?"

The Lin family is dwindling in number, and now most of Lin Ruhai's private affairs are handled by his old servant alone, so he doesn't try to hide it.

He sighed again and asked, "Is there still no news from the Rongguo Mansion?"

Lin Youquan didn't know how to answer and was speechless for a moment.

Silence is the best language.

Lin Ruhai had long known that, given his family's current situation, very few families would be willing to form a marriage alliance with him.

However, he originally thought that Jia Zheng was a benevolent and virtuous man, and that his relationship with him was quite good, so he shouldn't have these concerns. Therefore, when Jia Zheng came to visit him, he tentatively mentioned the matter between the two families' children.

He thought that since Jia Zheng seemed to agree, he could finally fulfill his wish. But to his surprise, Jia Zheng not only disappeared without a trace after that, but also stopped visiting altogether, only sending his wife or a servant to check on him each time.

Lin Ruhai knew perfectly well that Jia Zheng had already changed his mind, and therefore was too ashamed to face him again.

"Master, there is no need to worry. I heard that the old lady of the Rong family dotes on her daughter the most. She has raised her and her second master Bao from a young age and loves them dearly."

Didn't the master say back then that once the young lady marries into their family, she will be loved and pampered by their matriarch, and you can rest assured?

If you are truly worried, sir, why don't you have this old servant write a letter for you and personally deliver it to his grandmother? Perhaps then the matter will be resolved.

Lin Ruhai frowned and thought for a long time before finally shaking his head.

He knew that Grandmother Jia must have had this intention from the beginning. Back when he was still in Yangzhou, Grandmother Jia had hinted at this in her letters to him, and he could see it, which is why he felt at ease keeping Daiyu by Grandmother Jia's side.

Because he had heard that Jia Baoyu was indeed a good child.

However, as time passed, even Jia Zheng, a gentleman, had second thoughts. Little did he expect that Grandmother Jia, an old woman, would have the same idea.

He has been trying to arrange a marriage with the Rongguo Mansion since last year, but the other party has been deliberately delaying the process until now.

Even if Jia Zheng and his wife kept it from Grandmother Jia, Lin Ruhai didn't believe that Grandmother Jia wouldn't have noticed anything for such a long time.

Well then, since the other party is unwilling to marry him, why should he force it and make his good girl suffer?

Lin Youquan knew Lin Ruhai's pride and that he would not compromise on this matter, so he advised, "Since the Jia family has no intention of doing so, then you don't need to wait any longer, sir."

The gentleman has served as an official for many years, and he must have quite a few colleagues and friends, both in and out of office.

Those families must have many fine young men. With our young lady's looks, if Master were to take a fancy to any of them, the other family would surely be more than willing.

Lin Ruhai's expression did not change much upon hearing this.

"If we're talking about good young men from different families, I do know a few."

However, given my family's current situation, being afraid is not the right thing to do...

After me, the Lin family has no one to support them anymore. Even if I were to personally go to their door to propose marriage to Yu'er now, they might not be willing.

If you're only agreeing reluctantly, what's the point?

Yu'er's health is so frail. If she doesn't have me to rely on in the future, and if she encounters even slightly demanding in-laws, wouldn't she be wronged for nothing? Even in the afterlife, I wouldn't be able to rest in peace."

Lin Ruhai seemed to really care about this matter, as he sighed repeatedly as he spoke.

"Back then, I knew my time was coming to an end, which is why I wanted to entrust Yu'er to the Rongguo Mansion."

Firstly, although their child isn't very ambitious, he's still quite well-behaved. Secondly, our two families are close relatives, and I thought that with her maternal grandmother looking after her in the future, Yu'er wouldn't suffer any mistreatment.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have rashly asked Cunzhou for help.

As Lin Ruhai spoke, he seemed to feel quite regretful.

Given his pride, he took the initiative to talk to Jia Zheng about his children, but was deliberately stalled by the other party, which naturally made him very unhappy.

The master and servant were talking in the warm pavilion when they suddenly heard soft sobbing coming from behind the wooden screen.

The two exchanged a glance and quickly fell silent, but the sobbing gradually gained momentum, like a mountain of silver pressing down on the ground.

Lin Ruhai already knew it must be Daiyu, and couldn't help but softly call out, "Yu'er...?"

Sobbing, a figure appeared from the doorway. Who else could it be but Daiyu?

Daiyu held the soup in her hands, her face already streaked with tears. Her eyes were slightly swollen, and she looked at Lin Ruhai with a mixture of grievance and reproach.

Upon seeing this, Lin Youquan quickly got up, excused himself, and left.

Lin Ruhai beckoned to Daiyu and then comforted her, "What's wrong? Why are you crying like this?"

Daiyu did not approach as instructed, but instead knelt down abruptly before the bed and said sadly, "Your daughter is unfilial, causing you, Father, to worry and toil for me."

However, the daughter had already made up her mind that she would never marry, and only wished to serve her father for the rest of her life.

Lin Ruhai immediately knew that Daiyu must have overheard their earlier conversation. Knowing how sentimental his daughter was, he couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache at that moment.

My daughter, in both appearance and character, is extraordinary. If she hadn't been burdened by her parents, losing her mother at a young age and her father in her youth, her life should have been fulfilling, and she should have been loved and cherished throughout her life.

"Don't talk nonsense. When a daughter grows up, she will eventually get married."

Lin Ruhai is not good at comforting people.

Firstly, he was focused on political affairs, and secondly, he rarely communicated with his daughter. Even though Daiyu had been serving him medicine every day for the past few months, there wasn't much for the father and daughter to talk about.

Daiyu didn't argue with Lin Ruhai, but simply stared at him with eyes full of sorrow and despair. Her pitiful expression made Lin Ruhai unable to meet her gaze.

Seeing that Lin Ruhai remained silent, Daiyu withdrew her gaze.

From what she had heard before, she already knew that although her father rarely showed her any concern, he cared about her deeply.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have kept her in his heart so much when he knew his lifespan was coming to an end.

She knew that when her father first fell ill, he would still have someone fetch official documents for him to read and see every day. But now, in the past month or two, he had completely given up even those things, which showed how weak he had become.

Lin Ruhai was about to say something more when he heard Daiyu say softly, "Father really doesn't need to worry about his daughter."

If her father lives to be a hundred years old, the daughter should serve him and be filial to him forever.

If Father truly has the heart to leave his daughter... Oh, Father need not worry. She may go with Father, or she may cut her hair and live a solitary, innocent life, and that will be the end of it all.

Lin Ruhai was initially unconcerned, but when he realized that his daughter intended to end her life, he was greatly shocked.

He knew his daughter wasn't the type to make a fuss, so there must be a reason for her saying that.

After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Do you already have someone you like?"

Daiyu's grief had already reached its peak, and she was on the verge of fainting. Upon hearing this, she was shocked and remained stunned for a long time before shaking her head violently in denial.

Lin Ruhai, however, thought he had guessed correctly.

"Could it be Baoyu?"

Lin Ruhai thought to himself that his daughter had been in the Jia family since she was nine years old, and was about the same age as Jia Baoyu.

Such close friendships between plum blossoms and bamboo plants naturally lead to mutual affection.

If that's the case, he'll have to sacrifice his last shred of dignity to fulfill his daughter's wishes!

He was the son-in-law of the Rongguo Mansion and a high-ranking official of the second rank in the central government. If he were to visit Grandmother Jia to discuss marriage despite his illness, it is likely that the Jia family, which values ​​reputation, would not be able to refuse.

If that fails, I will risk overstepping my bounds and beg Your Majesty to grant my request, and that will be enough.

Daiyu was stunned again, and her already flushed face suddenly turned into anger.

"What precious gold and jade? If Father continues to spout nonsense, I will no longer pay attention to you!"

Seeing his daughter's face turn pale, then white, then red, Lin Ruhai was completely bewildered.

Could I have guessed wrong?

Logically speaking, the only outstanding young man a daughter could come into contact with was Jia Baoyu!

Seeing that his daughter seemed genuinely angry, Lin Ruhai didn't know what to say.

He felt his energy was very short; after just a short while, his mind was a complete mess, like a turbulent lake.

They looked at each other in silence. Just as he was wondering if he should ask his daughter to leave first and let him calm down, he heard Lin Youquan's somewhat agitated voice coming from outside the house.

"Master, Second Master Lian, he..."

"Lian-ge'er, what's wrong with him?" Lin Ruhai asked, puzzled. The old butler, true to his character, was always calm and collected. Why was he so agitated this time?

Lin Ruhai, preoccupied with his own thoughts, didn't pay much attention. His daughter, who was standing to the side, whose expression had been unpredictable, fell silent upon hearing the words "Second Master Lian" and suddenly looked towards the doorway.

"Master, it's great news! Second Master Lian has been promoted to Marquis!"

"What?"

Lin Ruhai's eyes, which had been slightly narrowed, suddenly widened.

……

Jia Lian walked out of the South Study with somewhat unsteady steps.

Even now, he still finds it somewhat unbelievable.

Emperor Ningkang actually promoted him to a noble rank, and he was promoted to marquis!

Second-class Marquis of Zhenyuan!

Like his predecessor, General Zhenyuan, his title remained the same, but he had changed from a general to a marquis!

The fifth-rank general's title was specifically created for those who were demoted from their noble titles.

Regardless of whether they were dukes or marquises, after one generation of succession, they would become first-class generals, holding the rank of first grade.

The count was demoted to a second-class general, a rank of second grade.

By the same token, the baronial rank was lowered to the fourth rank.

In other words, if one is granted the title of Duke or Marquis from the outset, even if one's descendants are mediocre for generations, one can still enjoy six generations of prosperity.

If one is only a baron at the beginning, the title can only be passed down for three generations.

Since the establishment of this system, many have been demoted from the fifth rank to the rank of general, while few have returned to the fifth rank from the rank of general.

Even the late Duke Rongguo was promoted from First-Class General to Duke Rongguo because of his meritorious service.

In reality, even a first-class general could never be promoted to duke.

At most, he could rise to the rank of marquis.

In fact, once a family is demoted from a fifth-rank noble to a general, it means that their family has been kicked out of the Wei military!

Kick him out, give him a general's title, and let him enjoy his retirement at home.

When he left the capital last year by imperial decree, Emperor Ningkang promised that if he performed his duties well, it would not be impossible for him to be reinstated to the fifth rank of nobility.

As expected, Emperor Ningkang not only kept his word, but also gave him a big reward beyond his expectations!

Originally, he was a second-class general, a rank below that of an earl.

Jia Lian thought that even if Emperor Ningkang wanted to give him an important position, at most he would reward him with a count's title so that he could legitimately lead troops.

To everyone's surprise, Emperor Ningkang was so generous that he promoted him to the rank of Marquis, and even then, to the second rank.

To be granted a title of nobility...

This has been an eternal topic since ancient times. The idea of ​​being granted a title and having three wives and four concubines was not just a figure of speech.

The honor of being granted a title and the position of prime minister—a reputation that countless heroes and powerful figures have pursued for thousands of years—was obtained by him so unexpectedly and without warning.

Well, perhaps it wasn't entirely unintentional.

Upon careful consideration, he had indeed faced several crises on this trip and made several contributions to the imperial court.

Especially rescuing the princess who was to be married off... such a meritorious act of saving the emperor can be either great or small, negligible or so great that it can lead to great success!

Moreover, this doesn't mean he was immediately granted a title of nobility.

He already possessed a hereditary title from the Rongguo Mansion, which was already quite high. Now, his promotion to Marquis was not as shocking as the one who was granted the title of Marquis in plain clothes.

However, it was enough to make the government and the public amazed and envious.

After thinking for a moment, Jia Lian ignored the surprised looks of the eunuchs behind him, and after walking twenty steps away from the palace gate, he bowed and kowtowed again towards the South Study inside, before getting up and walking down the stone steps.

He believed that Emperor Ningkang would know about his small act and would not regret bestowing such a generous title upon him.

"Congratulations, Your Excellency! Congratulations!"

At the foot of the white stone steps, Xiang He was still waiting for him.

Although Xiang He already knew about Jia Lian's promotion to marquis, seeing the eunuchs of Daming Palace personally carrying Jia Lian's robes, belt, and other items behind him, he couldn't help but feel a lump in his throat.

Congratulations!

At this moment, Jia Lian had no need to hide his delight. He smiled, cupped his hands in greeting to Xiang He, and said, "To be honest, I have to thank Lord Xiang for this great favor."

"Me?" Xiang He said, "My status is lowly, please don't joke with me, Lord Marquis."

"If it weren't for Lord Xiang's hands-on approach and diligent management of internal affairs during this mission, we wouldn't have been able to return to the capital unscathed, and I wouldn't have received such a generous reward from His Majesty."

"..."

Xiang He was speechless.

"Haha, in short, I will remember Lord Xiang's favor. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will definitely host a banquet and invite Lord Xiang to my residence for a few drinks."

"Is Your Excellency truly serious? Then I'll be waiting for that day." Xiang He's eyes lit up. Although he didn't like wine, he would be extremely willing to use this opportunity to establish a relationship with the Jia family, the head of the Eight Dukes, and Jia Lian, a favorite of the emperor.

"Of course, of course. By the way, since I have already received my reward, and Lord Xiang has also made great contributions this time, I am sure His Majesty will not treat him unfairly. Just now, before His Majesty, I also told His Majesty about Lord Xiang's achievements on this trip."

"In that case, thank you very much for your help, Lord Marquis."

Xiang He was indeed somewhat moved, but he still sighed, "However, I do not expect a generous reward."

"My position as a physician was already a reward bestowed upon me by His Majesty. Even if His Majesty bestows no further rewards, I will be content."

After seeing Xiang He off, Jia Lian had just left the palace when the carriages and sedan chairs sent by the Jia family to greet him at the palace gate were naturally already prepared.

Lin Zhixiao and others also suggested that Jia Mu and others were waiting in the mansion, implying that Jia Lian should return as soon as possible.

Jia Lian glanced back at the direction of the many government offices in the south, then told Lin Zhixiao and the others to return to the mansion first, while he himself, along with Aqi and a few other guards, rode south.