Chapter 12: Dream of the Red Chamber 10

When Jia Hu and Liu Zhong left Yangzhou, all the kidnapped children except Zhen Yinglian had returned to their own families.

The Lin family servants had already located the Zhen family.

After all, the Gourd Temple was such a significant clue.

However, the Zhen family estate had already been burned down. The Lin family servants learned from neighbors that Zhen Shiyin and his wife, Lady Feng, had gone to Daru Prefecture to seek refuge with Lady Feng's natal family.

The Lin family servants first returned to Yangzhou to report the news they had gathered, then took the travel money provided by Jia Min and headed to Daru Prefecture to find them.

Jia Min beckoned Zhen Yinglian to her side and stroked the little girl's head.

"From the first time I saw you, I felt you weren't like a girl from an ordinary family. As it turns out, that's true. You are also a young lady from a gentry family, and a relative of the Zhen family at that," Jia Min said. "Our Rongguo Mansion and the Zhen family are old relatives. You count as my distant relative, my junior."

She instructed the servants in the mansion: "From now on, Yinglian is a cousin (biao guniang) of this household. You must treat her with the same respect as you would a young miss. Do you understand?"

The servants hurriedly assented.

Another month passed, and the servants brought Lady Feng to Yangzhou.

Upon seeing Zhen Yinglian, Lady Feng recognized her daughter at a glance. She embraced Zhen Yinglian and wept bitterly.

Mother and daughter were connected by heart. Although Zhen Yinglian had forgotten her mother's features, she found the woman strangely familiar and incredibly close. Tears she couldn't hold back streamed down her face.

By this time, Zhen Shiyin had already run off with the monk and the Taoist; Jiao Xing had been bought by Jia Yucun; the Zhen family assets had been stripped clean by Lady Feng's father and brothers. All she had left on her person were the ten taels of silver Jia Yucun had left when buying Jiao Xing, which she had secretly hidden away.

Jia Min felt great sympathy for Lady Feng and kept her at the Lin Mansion.

Though poor, Lady Feng was unwilling to eat and drink for free, so she helped Jia Min look after Lin Daiyu.

She was far more meticulous in her duties than Lin Daiyu's wet nurse, Nanny Wang.

Jia Min consequently dismissed Nanny Wang and entrusted Lin Daiyu entirely to Lady Feng, allowing herself to peacefully nurture her pregnancy.

Several months passed like this. Jia Min gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Although she suffered somewhat during childbirth, she did not decline completely as in the original story.

The son was healthy and strong; raised well, he would not meet an early death.

The daughter's health also gradually improved—Jia Min and Lin Ruhai attributed this to Lady Feng's good care and gave her a generous reward—the Lin family's days grew better and better, deviating from a certain someone's calculated trajectory.

Now, regarding Liu Zhong's side: he and Jia Hu returned to the capital smoothly.

Leaving aside how Jia Hu was dragged around by his own father to show off upon returning to Rongguo Mansion, only to be stopped by his paternal grandfather.

Just speaking of Liu Zhong: the Duke of Li's Mansion specifically sent word for Liu Zhong's father to bring Liu Zhong back for a visit.

Liu Zhong's father took his son back. Second Uncle Liu specifically received the two of them in his study.

This was a treatment the two had never received before.

In previous years, when Liu Zhong's father brought Liu Zhong to the Duke of Li's Mansion, they merely mingled among the Liu clan members. Liu Zhong had never had close contact with Second Uncle Liu.

Second Uncle Liu had never looked at Liu Zhong properly.

Now Second Uncle Liu had changed his attitude. He had seen Liu Zhong's potential and wanted to win him over early.

Liu Zhong responded to Second Uncle Liu calmly, indicating he understood Second Uncle Liu's meaning.

Wasn't it just wanting him to serve as a support for the Duke of Li's Mansion?

Hmph. The Duke of Li's Mansion had never helped their family. On what grounds did they righteously demand he serve as their support?

Did they think a Duke's plaque could control him?

Heh. If the Duke of Li's Mansion truly had such great ability, they wouldn't have let Liu Zhong's eldest uncle's official rank surpass Second Uncle Liu's.

Liu Zhong used a Tai Chi-like approach to deal with Second Uncle Liu. He only expressed that he understood Second Uncle Liu's meaning, but did not say he would act according to Second Uncle Liu's wishes.

The father and son ate a rather uncomfortable dinner at the Duke of Li's Mansion, then returned to the Liu residence.

Liu Zhong's mother had goat's milk brought for the two of them, saying: "Eating at night is hard to digest. Drink some goat's milk to line your stomachs."

Liu Zhong: "Mother still understands us best. The food at the Duke's Mansion isn't that easy to eat."

Liu Zhong's father said: "Your Second Uncle's words, just listen to them. No need to actually follow them."

Liu Zhong: "I know."

A maid brought the goat's milk to Liu Zhong. Liu Zhong reached out to take it.

The maid's hand tilted slightly, and their hands touched.

Liu Zhong looked up, his gaze colliding with the maid's tender, affectionate eyes.

This maid gave Liu Zhong a flirtatious glance.

Liu Zhong frowned slightly.

Liu Zhong wasn't a monk. In his previous transmigration, he had been with women.

In this life, for the sake of the Liu family's lineage, he would inevitably take a wife.

But influenced by his previous life's mindset, Liu Zhong wanted monogamy. He despised womanizers.

Even though he was a man himself, he couldn't accept the behavior of men being promiscuous womanizers.

Liu Zhong would respect his wife in this life. He disliked those maids who climbed into beds to seduce their masters.

Liu Zhong spoke up: "Mother, the sisters around you aren't getting any younger, are they? Have their marriages been arranged? Why not arrange them early, so as not to delay their youth?"

As soon as these words left his mouth, that maid's face instantly turned extremely ugly. Two other maids also changed expression.

Liu Zhong lowered his eyelids. So he was actually a hot commodity.

He had never thought that, being young and promising, not to mention handsome, becoming a Xiucai with official status in his teens with a bright future ahead, he wouldn't be a desirable catch in the eyes of a bunch of maids?

Liu Zhong's mother heard this and was first stunned, then reacted.

Good. The maids around her were actually coveting her own son.

Liu Zhong's father had only Liu Zhong's mother as a wife, no concubines or secondary wives. This was partly due to Liu Zhong's father being an unfavored concubine-born son, but also due to the couple's strong relationship.

Liu Zhong's mother had no other women competing for her husband, and she was unwilling to make things difficult for her future daughter-in-law. Even if she arranged concubines for her son in the future, it would be after the principal wife entered the household, to avoid a situation like the Duke of Li's Mansion where the eldest son was born of a concubine, and the legitimate son and principal wife couldn't suppress him.

Liu Zhong's mother had never thought of arranging a concubine for her son at this time.

The hearts of these maids around her had grown too bold. As her son said, it was time to send them off to marry.

Liu Zhong's mother narrowed her eyes, having made a decision.

She looked at her eldest son. The child had grown up. So outstanding. No wonder so many little sluts were eyeing him.

She should start looking for a match for her son.

Liu Zhong's mother spoke: "Zhuer, what kind of girl do you like?"

Liu Zhong froze for a moment, then realized his mother had decided to arrange a marriage for him. He answered: "Son has no preference. Mother can choose whoever you like and think is compatible."

Liu Zhong's mother said: "How can it be about what I like? That's your wife."

Liu Zhong smiled: "Son often has to work outside and spends little time in the inner courtyard. The wife will spend most of her time keeping you company, Mother. Naturally, we should pick someone you like, someone you can talk to."