Dreams of Jianghu

Last time on Grafting Life: Lin Yu Tong and her siblings leave for the capital, but not without ample preparations.

This chapter has been brought to you by me and Smash10101.

Chapter 18 – Red Chamber (18)

Wen Tian Fang heard his personal guard come to report that the young master of Official Lin Ru Hai came to visit. He was slightly surprised.

Didn’t Lin Ru Hai say that it was a few servants with their children?

This Lin Ru Hai seemed to only have a daughter last lifetime, so how come a son appeared? His last life had been spent along the ocean in the south, he never returned to the capital. He had just heard of these things and never kept it on his mind. It was hard for someone he never met to leave behind any impression. If the Prince of Nan’an had not been captured during battle because of insisting on his own way and a daughter of the Jia Family was chosen to be a commandery princess for marriage, he may not recall such a person, much less their family matters. For this life, he did not want to waste it in the south, and get dragged to death by idiots so he had thought of a way to come back to the capital.

Had his errand this time changed Lin Ru Hai’s fate? Because he had sped up this time, the other side had not yet made the killing move? It was reasonable that Lin Ru Hai’s children benefited as well.

Thinking like this, his heart settled down.

Thinking about it more, if the other was able to come visit, it meant that the other was not young. Why would Lin Ru Hai say they were children? Maybe because as the father, he did not feel it was safe? He immediately did not feel good. He was alone, his parents were deceased, and he did not even have an aunt. He felt some envy.

“Invite him in.” Wen Tian Fang sighed and put down the book in his hand. Since he promised the adult to take care of the children, he could not refuse. He would see if they were having difficulties and spare any delay.

When Lin Yu Yang entered the cabin, he saw a man who was seven feet tall and had a tanned face. The other should be seventeen or so, but his face was unusually mature. Was this the Jinghai (Sea Pacifying) Count?

So young!

He curbed his expression and bowed in greeting, “Greeting to Count.”

Wen Tian Fang looked. It was a boy of twelve or so, truly a child. He smiled and had Lin Yu Yang sit down before saying, “Are there any problems? Just speak.”

Lin Yu Yang smiled shyly. “Us siblings originally did not know that Father had made arrangements and only heard the steward say so after boarding the ship. This boy feels much more at ease with Count’s care along the way.” As he spoke, he indicated for Lin Ping to present the food boxes. “The family made this, it is cleaner than the food along the shore. Just a token of thanks, please do not disdain its simplicity.”

Did not give gold or silver, just an ordinary food box.

He could not even refuse it.

Wen Tian Fang put away his shock immediately. “Then thank you very much.”

It was the first time the two met. After a few words, Lin Yu Yang mentioned saying good-bye.

Wen Tian Fang sent him off on the deck, and only turned after seeing the other onto the Lin Family’s ship.

The food tasted good, much better than the skill of the cook on the ship. The only meat available in the short term was the fish from the river. The supply on the shore was very limited.

There really was nothing this tasty.

“How many children are on the Lin Family’s ship in total? Wen Tian Fang asked the guard.

“Official Lin has one son and two daughters, the eldest miss and the young master from just now having just been recognized.” The guard told Wen Tian Fang the Lin Family gossip from Yangzhou.

On the other side, Lin Yu Tong and Lin Dai Yu were interestedly listening to Lin Yu Yang talk about the matters of this Jinghai Count.

“…… So tall!” Lin Yu Yang stood up, and gestured with his arm, full of admiration.

When boys reached a certain age, they admired the height of others.

Lin Yu Tong said with a smile, “Eat an extra bowl of rice everyday, if you have free time, just hang from the door frame. In two or three years, you will be just as tall.” Lin Ru Hai was tall to start with. In her memories, the two concubines were also very tall. There was no reason that she and her brother could not grow tall. When boys started to grow up, they would stretch in height like they grew up overnight.

Lin Dai Yu was now familiar with her siblings through their contact on the ship. She never knew that her steady brother had such a childish side.

She said with a smile, “Today, I will see if Brother can eat an extra bowl of rice.”

“Spare me.” Lin Yu Yang said, “Sister watches me eat everyday. If another one watches as well, I don’t dare to touch the chop sticks.”

Lin Yu Tong glared. Maybe the child was afraid after the hard days of his childhood. Now, he increasingly disliked vegetables and preferred meat dishes. His diet was not balanced this way. Lin Dai Yu avoided meat so the two were the two extremes.

“You are not allowed to be picky.” Lin Yu Tong’s primary mission on the ship was to watch over their eating.

The days were not hard with people for company. With Wen Tian Fang’s care, the trip was steady. Lin Yu Yang visited a few times so the two became familiar. Not a deliberate contact, but the two had a relationship so that if they met again, they could talk to each other. Lin Yu Tong had ordered her brother to do this. Just because such a person had never appeared in the Red Chamber did not mean that he was not important. The Red Chamber’s description of people outside the Jia Family was very vague. Also, Lin Yu Tong knew very well that the world was not just the Jia Family.

In conclusion, on the trip, they had some gains. Other than meeting such a trusted official of the emperor, sister and brother grew familiar with Sister Lin.

When they reached the pier of Tongzhou,¹ there were servants of the Jia Family there to receive them.

This time, it was someone important of the Jia Family.

Lin Yu Tong did not meet them, and only sent Sister-in-law Ping. Even though they would live with the Jia Family, it did not prevent her going back to the Lin Family’s compound first.

The compound had been cleaned up before year’s end, and people could live there. Servants had been left behind in the compound, and right now, they were waiting here on the shore.

“Eldest Sister.” Lin Dai Yu was slightly nervous. “Are we not going to Grandmother’s?”

“There is no sense in taking along our luggage and a ship full of servants to our relatives,” Lin Yu Tong comforted.

Outside, Sister-in-law Ping looked at the sedans that the Jia Family had brought along with disdain flashing through her eyes. They really treated the masters as poor relatives coming to beg. She frowned and said, conflicted, “There is a whole ship full of luggage, you have to allow us to move them back home.”

“Is Uncle-in-law Lin returning to the capital?” Lai Da’s wife asked in shock. Otherwise, why were they moving home?

Sister-in-law Ping smiled. “Not moving to the capital, just the things that the masters prefer to use.”

Lai Da’s wife was dumbstuck and was stuck for a while.

At this time, a young man in his early teens came out of the cabin, dressed in brocade robes and a fox skin cape. He wore a white jade coronet on his head. He had bright eyes and defined brows. He was outstanding.

They all said that the young master Bao Yu was good-looking, but after meeting this person, she knew what it meant that there was always someone better.

That young master ordered the servants who were waiting to move luggage, and after a while, a troop of soldiers came to help as well. The young master smiled and talked to a man in the robes of a count, looking very familiar.

“Have the troop escort you back,” Wen Tian Fang said to Lin Yu Yang.

Lin Yu Yang glanced at the cabin. The soldiers were needed to escort the tax silver. If these people were used elsewhere and something happened, it would affect this count and their family would not benefit. He truly did not dare to make the decision.

Wen Tian Fang saw Lin Yu Yang’s action and instinctively glanced towards the cabin. He saw a pair of red shoes embroidered with pearls and a corner of a sky blue dress at the doorway to the cabin.

Lin Yu Tong saw someone look over and hurriedly hid. Since the other had discovered her and it was a friendly helper, she did not refuse and spoke, “Then thank you very much, Count.” Then she said loudly to her brother, “Count naturally will prioritize the official matters. This group of brothers who help are likely Count’s subordinates. Just thank the count for his kindness.”

Lin Yu Yang finally realized. These subordinates were responsible for this count’s safety. Having them do anything was Wen Tian Fang’s personal affair. He bowed. “Thank you very much.”

Wen Tian Fang looked deeply in the direction of the cabin. This miss was likely the eldest daughter of the Lin Family. A smart and clear-minded person.

Lin Yu Yang said he would visit after they were settled. The two exchanged courtesies and then said good-bye.

Lai Da’s wife wanted to come over and talk, but Lin Yu Yang pretended not to see and returned to the cabin. Soon, he came out supporting a girl dressed in sky blue and wearing a veil. The person behind was being supported by Zi Juan. Lai Da’s wife knew who that was.

The one in the front was the eldest miss of the Lin Family, and Lin Dai Yu was the one coming up behind.

She wanted to go forward, but the servants of the Lin Family has circled them and she could not get close. She only managed to get close to the carriage after they had gotten on.

“Greetings to Eldest Miss.” Lai Da’s wife curtsied outside the carriage and said with a smile, “The old mistress is waiting at home……”

Lin Yu Tong did not chat with her and said directly, “We just came to the capital, and have not yet entered the family’s home, when we’re settled, we will go greet the old mistress.”

Lai Da’s wife panicked, but before she spoke, some well-dressed women came over.

She heard that these were servants of Grand Secretary Zhang.

“Is Grand Uncle well?” She heard the eldest miss ask.

She suddenly realized that Official Zhang was Uncle-in-law Lin’s uncle.

It appeared that the Lin Family did not have to reside with the Jia Family.

Seeing the Lin Family’s carriages depart, Lai Da’s wife suddenly realized she had to report to the old mistress.

The old mistress had gathered everyone in the Jia Family, just saying that guests from far away had come.

Jia Bao Yu was very happy, constantly sending people to inquire about their progress.

But in the end, only the hasty Lai Da’s wife came.

“What is it? The ship did not come?” Mother Jia hurriedly asked.

Madam Wang’s lips quirked in a small scornful smile. In such a hurry, but the other did not accept the favor. Now, didn’t they come back, having been refused.

Jia Bao Yu immediately changed expression. “It must be this old servant who went out to ride roughshod again, angering Sister Lin, so she did not come to our home.”

What nonsense was this!

Lai Da’s wife almost choked and fainted away. No one in this Jia Family ever embarrassed her like this.

Ruthlessness flashed through Madam Wang’s eyes……

Translator Ramblings: The character for Lai (赖) is very interesting. It means “to rely on”, a “support”, but can also be used to mean a “cheat”, “to shift blame”.

 

Table of Contents

• Grafting Life Chapter 17 – Red Chamber (17)
• Grafting Life Chapter 19 – Red Chamber (19)
• Grafting Life Chapter 20 – Red Chamber (20)