The Jia Family are the main subjects (protagonists) of the original story, but they aren’t all good people. A lot of the plot for Dream of the Red Chamber was chronicling their family’s downfall.
Chapter 3 Red Chamber (3)
Lin Yu Yang nodded. “I heard Teacher mention them once. However, the Dukes Ning and Rong are no longer among the living. I do not know how their children and grandchildren are like. The common saying is the blessing of the gentleman stops after five generations. If the descendants do not work, even the greatest of blessings will be calamity and not fortune.”
Lin Yu Tong raised her eyebrows. She really did not know her brother had such insight. She nodded in admiration. “It is very good you have such insight. The present situation of the Jia Family is like you have predicted. Their descendants are not good. No matter how much I say, it is not as convincing as what you see with your own eyes. Think of this as an experience.”
“The Jia Family is not our maternal family. Would we rely on them to live? Also, Yangzhou is far from the capital.” Lin Yu Yang shook his head. “Sister worries too much.”
Lin Yu Tong sneered. “You think the two concubines were sent away because the mistress was jealous? Why not earlier or later, but just when they got pregnant? She did not kill, but this is more vicious than that. If the concubines were not clever, if they did not hide in the nunnery and not show themselves rather than return, you think that we would have lived to today? The world is strict on women. If the two of them spent a night outside and returned to the Lin Family, there is only death for them. Just the principle of being loyal and faithful is enough to take their life. Their children, even if born, who would think highly of them?”
Lin Yu Yang broke into a cold sweat. “If they chose to return, their children will not be a threat. Even if they give birth, because they were outside……, so, their days may not be better than death. If they chose not to return, then, to any side, the trouble is resolved. The mistress does not worry about shu-sons1, and the concubines do not worry about being harmed. Also, even if after a few years, this matter is brought to light, it is just the servants who did not pass on the words properly. Can they blame the sickly mistress?They just have to kill two servants in order to conclude the matter.”
Lin Yu Tong nodded. “You finally understand.” She sighed. “In order to accomplish all this, other than the dowry people that Jia Min brought along, who else could it be? Would the family servants of the Lin Family harm Lin Ru Hai’s children without any hesitation?If we don’t go back, the Lin Family will only have an orphaned daughter left. The Lin Family used to have a marquis title. Tell me, who will get the wealth left? The Jia Family did not remain idle on the children of the Lin Family.”
Lin Yu Yang said, “This father of ours we got for free is such a muddle headed person.”2
Lin Yu Tong did not refute her brother’s words. From a certain point of view, she agreed with the words. She glanced at her brother and knew that he was not the same as her. In the end, he was an normal child. No matter what he said, he hoped to have a father. However, she had to perform some preventative measures to avoid more hurt when the time came. She thought for a while and said, “Just keep in mind these things, do not show it on your face. Also, I have to emphasize one thing. Regardless of how this father of ours is towards us, do not show other expressions. You should know, while we are all his children, one that he accepted halfway along the way will not be as close as one who he raised. You need to prepare for this.”
Lin Yu Yang chuckled. “Sister is afraid that I will be jealous that Official Lin will be better to the younger di-sister than me.”
Lin Yu Tong sighed. “This is normal. It will be difficult wanting me to treat the sister the same as you. People’s hearts are like this.”
“I understand, Sister.” Lin Yu Yang smiled warmly. Even at this young age, he had the potential to be a beautiful man.
There was no need to do more about the shop at home. Lin Yu Tong had saved a pair of brothers who now worked in the pickled vegetable shop. Da Niu was honest and steady. Er Niu was lively and clever. She had them move into the side rooms, and would give them thirty percent of the profits each year. Lin Yu Tong had nothing to worry about.
The next morning, Steward Lin came with servant women to pick them up, his face creased up in a smile.
Most of the sibling’s possessions were books. The opinions of the Lin servants went up a few notches.
The Lin Family was a scholarly family and cared most about members who could study.
The eldest miss and young master had fallen to such a level, but still did not forget to educate and advance themselves. It could be seen that the blood in their veins could not be changed.
Lin Yu Tong was dressed in ordinary indigo clothing that caused her to look more intimidating. At a glance, she did not appear to be easy to deal with.
Lin Yu Yang was dressed in his simple scholar robes. Very simple, but no one dared to look down at him. This was the only heir to the Lin Family right now, very valuable.
“Eldest Miss, let us go.” Steward Lin bowed, appearing very respectful.
Lin Yu Tong nodded. “Then let’s go.”
A servant woman came to support Lin Yu Tong. Lin Yu Yang went forward. “Sister, careful of the ground.” He personally helped his sister onto the carriage.
Lin Yu Tong’s heart warmed. This brother was more and more astute. This was giving her face in front of the Lin servants.
The only heir of the Lin Family respected this sister. No one would treat her like a shu-daughter.
After children were seven, the genders did not sit together. Sister and brother sat on different carriages.
Under Da Niu and Er Niu’s awed gazes, they slowly left for Yangzhou.3
The carriage was very comfortable, completely different in class from the carriages they rented previously to go to the city. A granny in her forties and two servant girls of sixteen or so accompanied Lin Yu Tong in her carriage.
Lin Yu Tong was not in a hurry to meet people. Without having gone back and been recognized, she was not officially the miss. After getting onto the carriage, she closed her eyes and started to rest. She pondered how to keep the act going.
The granny was an old member of the Lin Family. Her gaze accidentally landed on Lin Yu Tong’s face. Eldest Miss was dressed simply, but her presence was very much like the old mistress.
Ever since the news that Master had an eldest son and daughter lost outside, everyone was curious. They heard that this eldest miss was very capable, raising her younger brother on her own, buying property to support her brother’s schooling.
How old was she now?
Without ability and some fierce temper, she could not have managed to support a household.
The three slowed their breathing, afraid of disrupting their mistress’ peace. They did not know this one’s temperament right now.
The trip was just over an hour. When the carriage stopped, Lin Yu Tong opened her eyes. The curtain was then lifted. Her brother was standing outside to help her off the carriage.
The main gates of the Lin Residence were wide open, two rows of manservants in indigo standing at the side. Seeing Steward Lin lead the two into the gates, they knelt down in greeting.
Lin Yu Tong had frequently came to the city these years for business, and assimilated into this world with its clear class distinctions. Back then, when other people treated her like the daughter of a business person, only she knew how many rolls of the eyes she had gotten.4 She did not overestimate her own abilities, and desire to change the world. Integrating into the world and gathering wealth was the right way.
“Steward Lin!” Lin Yu Tong’s tone was not friendly. “This is what you said, the family is not in a good situation.”
Steward Lin stilled and then understood. This eldest miss truly thought the Lin Family was in debt, and had to find children to take care of the master in his old age.
This person really did not care for the residence’s wealth and power.
However, a person who was capable always had their own temper and pride. He understood that.
He grimaced, “Eldest Miss, let us first see Master. When you see Master, you will understand everything.”
Lin Yu Tong stopped walking, giving people the feeling that she was going to take her brother away at any moment. She took in a deep breath and then said, “Since we have come, then let us meet.”
Lin Yu Yang said in a low voice, “Sister, do not be impatient. If the situation is good, it is not too late for us to leave.”
The siblings did not appear to come back to recognize their father who was an official, but because their father was ill and no one was there to take care of him. Even the stupidest person had such a feeling.
Such principled people. The master had not raised them for a day, the pair did not know they had such a father. To be this filial was very good.
On the other side, waiting in the study, Lin Ru Hai naturally got the news and his smile was slightly bitter.
It was very good for the children to be proud, but he hoped that there were other things in the family to keep them here, even if it was wealth.
The door to the study was pushed from the outside. Two children of eleven or twelve came in. The one in the front was a tall girl, dressed in a indigo cotton dress. She had no adornment. Her face was young. White skin, narrow eyes, a sharp nose, slightly thin lips. This child looked very much like his deceased mother. But the presence was more like his deceased father, slightly cold. Dressed simply, she was not servile or overbearing, standing there calmly. If this daughter was a son, the Lin Family would have another qilin5, but even as a daughter, it was his good fortune.
Half a step behind was a taller youth. Looking at the youth, it was like looking at himself in his youth. However, when he was as young as this child, it was a time when he just focused on studying. He did not have such a steady and restrained presence as this child.
He stood up, reaching out with a hand. His lips trembled. He did not know what to say.
Lin Yu Tong looked at Lin Ru Hai. He was stick thin, face pale, with dark shadows under his eyes. He no longer had the beauty that made him third in the imperial examinations.
Her heart softened. He was already like this, what was there to fight about?
Lin Yu Tong curtsied. “Greetings, Father!”
Lin Yu Yang followed his sister and bowed. “Greetings, Father.”
The calls of father caused Lin Ru Hai to cry. He thought that his life would be like that, and did not expect to have a son and daughter. At least, when he died, he would have someone to see him off. At least his Dai Yu would have someone he could entrust to.
He repeated, “Good good good!” Then he coughed, patting his chest, unable to stand up.
Translator Ramblings:
TL;DR readers should just know Lin Yu Tong thinks Lin Ru Hai is a fool. In the original story, after he died, his only daughter Lin Dai Yu was said to be in poverty and had to live on the charity of her maternal family, the Jias, which directly contributed to her tragedy later. He appeared to have left her no money and no support. Strangely, around the same time after Lin Ru Hai’s death, the Jia Family who were supposedly running out of money, suddenly got a large infusion of several million taels.
Longer explanation:
Regarding wealth, the story details imply that the Lin Family should be very wealthy for several reasons. Now, one of the background details on the Lin Family was that their prosperity came with their marquis title, which could be passed down for initially three generations, and then an extra generation for Lin Ru Hai’s father. So there is likely inherited wealth. Secondly, the Jia Family was both titled and wealthy, and Lin Dai Yu’s mother would have had a great dowry that she would have inherited.
Based on Lin Ru Hai’s political achievements, he is no fool. He was ambitious enough and smart enough to pass the imperial exams and rank third. Becoming the imperial censor, especially relating to salt, was a historically dangerous but enriching position as salt manufacturing and sales were controlled by the state (through appointed officials). See the lengthy Wikipedia page on the salt commission and especially the Qing Dynasty section.
Medieval Chinese society also favours father-to-son inheritance. However, if there is no son, a close male relative (relation all the way back to the great-great-grandfather’s generation) may inherit, or the clan and widow agree to “adopt” a son for the deceased man. But with the Lin Family, their problem was that there were no close cousins, implying that there had only been one son for several generations.
This meant that Lin Dai Yu was likely the legal heir of both her mother’s dowry and her family’s entire wealth, as long as Lin Ru Hai had no sons. If Lin Dai Yu had sisters, she would have to split evenly, but she had none.
Now how does the Jia Family come in? First, being the maternal family of Lin Dai Yu, there were the perfect choice to take care of her after the death of her mother as Lin Ru Hai had not re-married. Lin Ru Hai was paying support to his in-laws for his daughter’s care all those years. Grandmother Jia greatly favoured a match between her grandson Jia Bao Yu, and her granddaughter Lin Dai Yu initially. For the Jia Family, they would rather the entire inheritance stays with Lin Dai Yu, their blood relative, rather than Lin Ru Hai having other children, especially sons.
In the original story, Lin Dai Yu is not of age when her father dies, and her uncle accompanies her home for the funeral. Soon after, the Jia Family’s money problems are resolved and they can spend greatly on things like bribes and building a great garden. While Lin Dai Yu was under their guardianship, they likely stole her inheritance from her, taking advantage of the fact she had no close male relatives.
Lin Yu Tong in this story thinks Lin Ru Hai is a bit of a fool for losing two children, especially a son, but part of it comes from her knowledge that Lin Dai Yu never received her inheritance, meaning the Jias stole the Lin Family for themselves, and Lin Ru Hai either trusted his in-laws too much, or didn’t make secure arrangements for after his death.
- Grafting Life Chapter 2 Red Chamber (2)
- Grafting Life Chapter 3 – Red Chamber (3)
- Grafting Life Chapter 4 – Red Chamber (4)
- shu generally for children born of a concubine, or rather, children not born of the wife. ↩
- In the original text, the tone is more of “freebie” or “cheap”. ↩
- The names mean First Ox and Second Ox. ↩
- The feudal classes go from: scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants. ↩
- Qilin: mythical creature of auspicious meaning with horns, similar in appearance to a dragon. Used to refer to outstanding boys/children. ↩
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