The back office of Lantai Mansion.
Although not long after Lin Ruhai became seriously ill, he resigned from his job and bought a simple house in Xicheng, preparing to move out of the official residence to recuperate. But the emperor did not allow him to resign, so he did not dare to move away for a while.
For some reason today, Lin Ruhai, who had been lying in bed, felt a little better. At this time, he was leaning on the kang, discussing matters with the housekeeper.
"Brother Lian has already entered the palace?"
"Sir, yes."
"Um……"
Lin Ruhai pondered for a while, then suddenly sighed heavily.
Upon seeing this, the old housekeeper Lin Youquan thought for a moment and asked tentatively: "Is the master still worried about the young master's affairs?"
The Lin family is declining, and most of Lin Ruhai's private affairs are now handled by his old servant alone, so he doesn't hide it.
He sighed again and asked: "There is still no news from Rongguo Mansion, right?"
Lin Youquan didn't know how to answer, and was speechless for a moment.
No words are actually the best words.
Lin Ruhai had long known that with the current situation of his family, there were very few people willing to marry him.
It's just that he originally thought that Jia Zheng was a benevolent gentleman and had a good relationship with him, so he shouldn't have these concerns. Therefore, when Jia Zheng came to visit him, he tentatively mentioned the matter between the two children.
At that time, he saw that Jia Zheng was quite approving of it, and he thought he could get rid of his wish. Who would have thought that since then, not only has there been no news from Jia Zheng, but he has not even visited the house. He only sent his wife or servants to visit him every time.
How could Lin Ruhai not know that Jia Zhengding had already regretted his decision, so he had no face to face him again.
"Master, there is no need to worry. I heard that the old lady in Rong Mansion loves the young master the most. She has raised the young master and his second master under her knees since they were young and loves them.
Didn't the master say at the beginning that when the young lady marries to their family, you can rest assured that their old lady will love her?
If the master is really worried, why not ask the old slave to write a handwritten letter for you and deliver it to his old lady in person, and maybe the matter will be settled. "
Lin Ruhai frowned and thought for a long time, and finally shook his head.
He knew that Jia Mu must have had this intention at first. When he was still in Yangzhou, there was such a meaning in the letter between Jia Mu and him. He could see it, so he kept Daiyu by Jia Mu's side with peace of mind.
Because he heard that Jia Jia Baoyu was indeed a good child.
However, times have changed, and even Jia Zheng, a gentleman, has the intention of going back on his word. How could he expect that Jia's mother is an old woman?
He had wanted to discuss marriage with Rong Guofu since last year, but the other party had been wantonly delaying it until now.
Even if Jia Zheng and his wife kept it secret from Jia Mu, Lin Ruhai didn't believe that Jia Mu had been unaware of it for such a long time.
Forget it, since she didn't want to marry him, why bother forcing him? He wouldn't have to wrong his good girl.
Lin Youquan knew very well that Lin Ruhai was proud and would not compromise on this matter, so he advised: "Since the Jia family has no intention, I don't have to wait any longer.
I have been an official for many years and have many colleagues and friends in government and in the opposition.
Those families must have many good sons and daughters. Based on the appearance of our daughter-in-law, as long as the master falls in love with any family, the other party must be very willing. "
When Lin Ruhai heard this, his expression did not change much.
"If there are good boys and girls in every family, I do know a few.
However, with the current situation of my family, it is inappropriate to be afraid...
After the Lin family came to me, there was no one to support me. Even if I come to marry Yu'er in person now, people may not be willing to do so.
If you agree reluctantly, why bother?
Yu'er's body is so weak. If she doesn't have me to rely on in the future, if she encounters slightly harsh parents-in-law again, won't she be wronged in vain? In this way, even if I am under the Nine Springs, I will not be able to feel at ease. "
Lin Ruhai probably really cared about this matter, and kept sighing while talking.
"Back then, I knew the end was coming, so I wanted to entrust Yu'er to Rongguo Mansion.
For one thing, although their child is not as motivated, he is quite well-behaved. Secondly, our two families are considered close relatives. I think that with her grandmother taking care of her in the future, Yu'er will not be wronged.
If not, I would not have spoken to Cun Zhou rashly. "
Lin Ruhai said, feeling quite regretful.
With his self-esteem, he took the initiative to talk to Jia Zheng about his children, but was deliberately dragged back by the other party, which naturally made him feel very unhappy.
The master and servant were talking in the Nuan Pavilion, and suddenly they heard bursts of sobs coming from behind the wooden screen.
The two of them looked at each other and hurriedly fell silent. Unexpectedly, the sobbing sound gradually became a force, overwhelming the ground.
Lin Ruhai already knew that it must be Daiyu, so she couldn't help but call out softly: "Yu'er...?"
Sobbing and choking, a person appeared from the door of the room. If it wasn't Daiyu, who was it?
Daiyu was seen holding soup in both hands, but her face was already reduced to tears. Her eyes were slightly swollen, and she looked at Lin Ruhai as if she was aggrieved or complaining.
Lin Youquan saw this and hurriedly got up and resigned.
Lin Ruhai waved to Daiyu, and then comforted her: "What's wrong? Why are you crying like this?"
However, Daiyu did not follow the instructions and came closer. Instead, she suddenly knelt down in front of the couch and said sadly: "My daughter is unfilial and makes her father worry and work hard for her.
However, the daughter has already made up her mind that she will not marry in this life, but only wants to serve her father for the rest of her life. "
Lin Ruhai knew as soon as he heard it that Daiyu must have heard what he said before. With her daughter's sentimentality, she might feel very uncomfortable at this moment. Thinking about it like this, Lin Ruhai couldn't help but feel a little distressed.
My daughter, both in appearance and temperament, is nothing like the mortal world. If it were not for being dragged down by my parents, losing my mother at a young age, and losing my parents at a young age, my life should have been complete and loved by others throughout my life.
"What nonsense are you talking about? When your daughter's parents grow up, she will eventually get married."
Lin Ruhai doesn't know how to comfort people.
On the one hand, he specializes in government affairs, and on the other hand, he has little communication with his daughter. Even in the past few months, Daiyu has been serving soup and medicine every day, and there is not much to say between father and daughter.
Daiyu did not contradict Lin Ruhai, but looked straight at Lin Ruhai with her heartbroken eyes. Such a look of pity made Lin Ruhai afraid to look directly at her.
Seeing that Lin Ruhai was silent, Daiyu withdrew her gaze.
From what she heard before, she already knew that although her father rarely cared about her, he cared about her very much in his heart.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have kept her in mind like this when he knew his life was approaching.
She knew that when her father first became ill, he would ask people to bring him government affairs and read them to him every day. Now since January or February, my father has completely given up on even these things, which shows how mentally short-term he is.
Lin Ruhai wanted to say something else, but Daiyu said quietly: "Father really doesn't have to worry about his daughter.
If the father lives a long life, the daughter should always serve him with filial piety.
If the father really has the heart to leave his daughter... ugh, there is no need for the father to worry about it. Either he goes with his father, or he cuts off his black hair and lives a lonely and innocent life. "
Lin Ruhai didn't pay attention at first, but when she heard that her daughter actually wanted to give up, she was shocked.
He knew that his daughter was not a messy person. Since he said this, there must be a reason.
After thinking for a while, he said: "You already have someone you like?"
Daiyu's sadness had reached its extreme. She almost fainted. She was shocked when she heard this. After being stunned for a long time, she shook her head and denied it.
Lin Ruhai thought he had guessed it right.
"But Baoyu?"
Lin Ruhai thought to herself that her daughter had been in Jia's house since she was nine years old, and she was about the same age as Jia's Baoyu.
It is normal for people to love each other so much.
If this is really the case, even if he sacrifices his last bit of dignity, he still has to fulfill his daughter's needs!
He was the son-in-law of the Rongguo Mansion and a second-rank member of the central government. If he came to discuss marriage with Jia's mother while he was sick, he expected that the Jia family, which valued dignity, would not be able to refuse.
If it doesn't work, just try to overstep your limits and ask your Majesty to comply with one or two things, and that will be enough.
Daiyu was stunned again, her face that was already red suddenly turned into anger.
"What precious gold and precious jade? If your father talks nonsense, your daughter will never pay attention to you again!"
"
Observing that her daughter's cheeks were green, white, and red for a while, Lin Ruhai also became confused.
Is it really wrong?
Logically speaking, the only outstanding young man that my daughter can come into contact with is Jia Baoyu!
Seeing that her daughter seemed really angry, Lin Ruhai didn't know what to say.
He felt that his energy was so short. He only spent a short time concentrating on it, and his mind was like a lake of mud, very chaotic.
He was speechless, thinking about whether to ask his daughter to step aside and let him calm down for a while, when he heard Lin Youquan's somewhat excited voice coming from outside the house.
"Master, Second Master Lian..."
"Brother Lian, what's wrong with him?" Lin Ruhai was a little confused. The old housekeeper followed his temperament and was always calm and calm. Why was he so irritable this time?
Lin Ruhai, who had something on his mind, didn't pay too much attention. His daughter standing aside, with an originally gloomy face, calmed down when she heard the words "Second Master Lian" and suddenly looked at the door of the room.
"Master, this is a great news! Second Master Lian, he has been promoted to Marquis!
"
"What?"
Lin Ruhai's eyes, which had been slightly squinted, suddenly widened.
…
Jia Lian walked out of the south study room with a light step.
Until now, he still felt a little incredible.
Emperor Ning Kang actually promoted him to the rank of Marquis!
Second-class Zhenyuan Hou!
Like General Zhenyuan before him, his title remains unchanged, but he has changed from a general to a marquis!
The fifth-class general rank is specially formulated for the reduction of rank by nobles.
Regardless of the prince, after one generation of surrender, he will be a first-class general and a rank.
The earl was demoted to the rank of second-class general, second rank.
By analogy, the baron was reduced to the fourth class.
In other words, if you are granted the title of Duke or Marquis at the beginning, you can enjoy six generations of glory even if you have been doing nothing for generations.
At the beginning, if it was just a baron, it could only be passed down to three generations.
Then from the establishment of this system to the present, there are many people who have been demoted from the fifth-level nobility to the general nobility, and only a few people have been reduced from the general nobility to the fifth-level nobility.
Even if he was the Duke of Rong first, it was because of his meritorious service that after the death of the old Duke, he directly inherited the title of Duke Rong without downgrading, instead of being promoted from the first-class general to the title of Duke Rong.
In fact, from a first-class general, it is impossible to rise to the rank of Duke.
At most, it can be promoted to marquis.
In fact, being demoted from the fifth rank to the rank of general means that the family has been kicked out of the Wei army!
Kick him out, become a general, and enjoy your life at home.
When he was ordered to leave Beijing last year, Emperor Ning Kang promised that if the job was done well, even if he was allowed to return to the fifth rank, it would not be impossible.
Now Emperor Ning Kang really did what he said. Not only did he do what he said, but he also exceeded his expectations and gave him a big sweet date!
Originally, his second-class general was still below the earl.
Jia Lian thought that even if Emperor Ning Kang wanted to reuse him, the most he could do was reward him as an earl so that he could lead the army legitimately.
Who would have known that Emperor Ningkang would be so generous as to be promoted to the rank of Marquis, still the second rank?
Become a Marquis...
It has been an eternal topic since ancient times. Immediately becoming a marquis, having three wives and four concubines is not just talk.
He was granted the title of Marquis and Prime Minister, a reputation that countless heroes and heroes had been chasing for thousands of years, so he got it so inadvertently and off guard.
Well, maybe not so casually.
If you think about it seriously, he actually experienced several crises during this trip and made several meritorious deeds for the imperial court.
Especially rescuing the princess who got married... This kind of rescue effort can be big or small. A small thing can be ignored, but a big one can reach Qingyun!
Moreover, he is not considered to be a prince immediately.
He first had the hereditary title of Rongguofu, and his title was not low in nature. Now being promoted to Marquis is not as shocking as the title of Marquis in White.
However, it is enough to make the government and the public astonished and envious.
After thinking for a while, Jia Lian ignored the surprised gazes of the eunuchs behind him. Twenty steps away from the palace door, he kowtowed towards the south study again, then stood up and waved his sleeves and walked down the stone steps.
He believed that Emperor Ning Kang would also know about his small move and would not regret giving him a generous seal.
"Congratulations, Lord Marquis, congratulations, Lord Marquis."
Under the white stone steps, I didn't expect that Xiang He was still waiting for him here.
Although Xiang He already knew about Jia Lian's promotion to marquis, he still couldn't help but feel sore in his eyes when he saw the eunuchs from the Daming Palace personally holding the noble uniforms, belts and other items for Jia Lian and following behind him.
"Rejoice together and rejoice together."
There was no need for Jia Lian to hide his kindness at this time. He smiled and cupped his hands with Xiang He, and then said: "To be able to receive such a favor this time, I have to thank Mr. Xiang."
"Me?" Xiang He said, my status is humble, please don't make fun of me.
"We are on this mission as an envoy. If Sir Xiang had not been personally involved in everything and managed the internal affairs diligently, I would not have returned to the capital without any danger. It would be even less possible for me to receive such a generous reward from His Majesty."
"..."
Xiang He was speechless.
"Hahaha, in short, I will remember Mr. Xiang's feelings. If there is a chance someday, I will personally host a banquet and invite Mr. Xiang to my house for a few drinks."
"Do you really mean what the Marquis said? Then I will wait for that day." Xiang He's eyes lit up. Although he was not good at drinking, if he could use this to get in touch with the Jia family, the leader of the eight princes, and the celebrities around the emperor. Naturally, he was extremely willing to make friends with Jia Lian.
"It's easy to talk about. By the way, since I have received the reward, Lord Xiang has worked hard this time and made great achievements. I believe your Majesty will not treat you badly. Just now in front of the emperor, I also told your Majesty the achievements of Lord Xiang's trip one by one. "
"In that case, thank you Lord Marquis for your support."
Xiang He was indeed a little moved, but he still sighed: "However, I don't expect to reward my subordinates generously.
The position of a doctor as a lower official was already awarded in advance by His Majesty. Even if His Majesty does not give any other rewards, I will still be satisfied. "
After Xiang He was sent away, Jia Lian had just left the palace. Naturally, the carriages and sedans sent by the Jia family to greet him at the entrance of the palace were already ready.
Lin Zhixiao and others also reminded that Jia Mu and others were waiting at the house, implying that Jia Lian had better go back quickly.
"First Evolution"
Jia Lian looked back at the direction of the many yamen in the south, and then asked Lin Zhixiao and others to go back to the house first. He himself took A Qi and several other personal guards and rode south.
