Lin's Mother in the Dream of the Red Chamber 5 Mwah!
□□ is a diligent and filial child. Ever since she married into the family, she has come to pay her respects to Chen Xia every morning.
Chen Xia, as the mother-in-law, felt embarrassed to sleep in until late morning, so she had to get up early. The two chatted, ate breakfast together, and then went back to their own courtyard to begin their day's household chores.
□□ also scolded Lin Ruhai: "Ruhai, I know you feel sorry for me since I just married into this family and are worried that I won't adapt. But you can't use that to make up stories about your mother liking to sleep in! Every time I go to pay my respects, Mother is already up."
When I was at home, I would go to pay my respects to my parents early every morning. When my grandmother was alive, I had to get up even earlier to pay my respects in her courtyard before I could go back to the main courtyard with my mother to learn how to manage the household.
"Your mother loves you so much. If she knew you'd gotten married and forgotten her, she'd be heartbroken. You mustn't be like my heartless older brother."
Lin Ruhai looked both amused and exasperated; he hadn't lied at all about his mother's love of sleeping in late.
He didn't want his wife to pay her respects so early, mainly so that his mother could sleep in a little later. How did that become him being heartless for forgetting his mother after getting married?
Actually, Chen Xia was also very distressed. If possible, she wouldn't want to get up so early.
But since the new daughter-in-law has just entered the family, even if she's pretending, she has to pretend to be more diligent for now. She can't sleep until the sun is high in the sky like before.
It wasn't that she particularly loved sleeping in, but rather that in ancient times, there was practically no entertainment after dinner, and everyone went to bed as soon as it got dark. Accustomed to sleeping late and waking up late, she simply couldn't fall asleep.
They might go into their virtual space to soak in a hot spring, get a beauty treatment, or watch some old, melodramatic family dramas, or they might hide under the covers with their phones to read novels or play some single-player farming game.
Therefore, the reason she used to get up late wasn't because she couldn't get up, but because she went to bed late and didn't want to get up. After her daughter-in-law entered the family, in order not to leave her daughter-in-law with the impression that she loved to sleep in, she went to bed early and got up early every day, and her daily routine was very regular.
Before they knew it, it was time for the day of the bride's return to her parents' home. □□ got ready early in the morning and came to pay her respects to Chen Xia. Her excited appearance made it clear that she was looking forward to returning to her parents' home.
Chen Xia knew she was anxious, so she didn't ask her to eat with her and had someone move the homecoming gifts onto the carriage.
Centuries-old ginseng, lingzhi mushrooms, glassware, and all sorts of Western trinkets filled several horse-drawn carts.
The amount of the homecoming gift reflects how much the Lin family values their daughter-in-law, Chen Xia, and she certainly can't afford to give anyone cause for gossip.
The entire Tong household was very welcoming to their new son-in-law, Lin Ruhai. Jue Luo Shi, holding her youngest daughter's hand, looked her over from all angles. Seeing that her complexion was rosy, she finally put the new girl down.
Jue Luo, holding the □□, went with a group of female relatives to the main courtyard's flower hall, while Lin Ruhai, the new son-in-law, accompanied Tong Guogang in the study in the front courtyard.
Lin Ruhai handed several folded sheets of paper to Tong Guogang with both hands.
After taking it and reading it, Tong Guogang couldn't help but gasp: "Son-in-law, this...this is real?"
Lin Ruhai nodded: "It's absolutely true. It's quite a coincidence. My mother once stayed at a farm in Fangshan for a while and happened to hear that some farmers had contracted cowpox. Their symptoms were similar to smallpox, but their condition was much milder."
After recovering, she was no longer susceptible to smallpox from contact with infected individuals, which piqued her curiosity. She specifically asked my steward, Uncle Fu, to investigate, and then had the family physician verify it repeatedly. Only then was it confirmed that cowpox could indeed prevent smallpox.
The county physician visited many farmers and found that quite a few people had been infected with smallpox, but none of them were seriously ill. Except for one elderly man in poor health, everyone else recovered quickly.
Tong Guogang was so excited that his hands were trembling. He knew all too well the weight of this achievement, as it was something that could prevent smallpox.
Smallpox is terrifying; anyone can tell you a thing or two. The reason the current emperor was able to ascend the throne wasn't because of his exceptional abilities, but because he was the only one among the late emperor's children to have contracted smallpox and survived.
If everything written on this paper is true, then the Tongjia clan will definitely rise to a higher level with this achievement. Even if the empress cannot be made, she can still be made an imperial concubine.
Seeing his son-in-law's calm and collected demeanor, and then comparing it to his eldest son Orondai's bewildered and silly look, Tong Guogang wished he could kick him to death.
Lin Yan really raised a good son. What sins did he commit to raise these fools? Even if you tied up all three sons, they couldn't compare to his son-in-law's excellence!
Tong Guogang suppressed his excitement: "Why didn't you report such an important matter to the Emperor yourself?"
Lin Ruhai smiled and said, "It's better if my father-in-law reports it. My mother always says that I am still young and should work diligently and be an honest official, and not act in a high-profile manner."
"Because the contribution to this matter is so great, I, at my age, cannot bear it. Father-in-law, the more capable you are, the more responsibility you should shoulder. You are the pillar of the Tong and Lin families. The more firmly you stand in the court, the better the Tong and Lin families will prosper."
Hearing this, Tong Guogang was deeply moved. He held Lin Ruhai's hand and called him "son-in-law" repeatedly. Orondai pouted and then received two slaps from Tong Guogang.
In the backyard flower hall, Madam Jue Luo pulled her hand and asked, "Huihui, how has your mother-in-law treated you since you married into the Lin family...?"
□□ smiled and took Jue Luo's arm: "Mother, don't worry, my mother-in-law treats me very well. This set of headdress I'm wearing is a gift from her."
Besides that, my mother-in-law gave me a whole box full of silver notes, worth tens of thousands of taels. She also gave me two shops and two estates. She said these were all for my personal use.
My mother-in-law also handed me the keys to the communal storeroom, the tokens, and the ledgers, saying that she would give them to me sooner or later so that I could practice first.
He didn't let me set any rules during meals. Ru Hai treated me very well. His room was very clean, and there were no maids serving him; his personal attendants were all servants.
Jue Luo hugged the woman and said, "Knowing that my son is doing well after marrying into the family, I am at ease. Since your mother-in-law is a good person, you should cherish this blessing and be filial to her."
During the meal, Jue Luo Shi led her daughter-in-law, two daughters, and sisters-in-law to set up a table in the flower hall.
Tong Guogang pulled Lin Ruhai to drink, and Lin Ruhai was fed antidote pills and hangover pills that Chen Xia had just obtained from the Danfu master.
After taking these two medicines, Lin Ruhai became immune to all poisons and could drink alcohol without getting drunk. Even the strongest liquor tasted no different from plain water to him.
Lin Ruhai rarely drank alcohol before and had no idea of his own alcohol tolerance. He drank when Tong Guogang and Orondai urged him to.
He drank cup after cup with such slenderness until he and his father, along with the other men from the Tong family who were drinking with him, were all drunk and passed out, and he acted as if nothing had happened.
The next day, he went to the Southern Study to lecture Emperor Kangxi. Emperor Kangxi asked him with a smile, "I heard that you drank your uncle and Orondai under the table yesterday when you returned to your parents' home?"
Lin Ruhai smiled sheepishly: "This servant doesn't know what happened. My father-in-law and elder brother poured me wine, and I felt embarrassed not to drink it, so I kept drinking, and as a result, they all passed out."
Emperor Kangxi knew that both Tong Guogang and his son were particularly good drinkers, and asked Lin Ruhai with great curiosity, "You have quite a capacity for alcohol, how much can you drink?"
"This servant really doesn't know. He rarely drinks before, and when he does, it's just a small sip or two. He's never been drunk before. He didn't feel anything after drinking yesterday, so he doesn't know how much he can actually drink."
Kangxi twitched his lips: "Good lad, you've drunk your whole family under the table and you still say you don't feel anything. You really have a huge capacity for alcohol!"
After Lin Ruhai married [illegible], his official position rose rapidly. The Lin family had only one son for generations, making it difficult to have offspring. It was clear that the extinction of their family line in Lin Ruhai's generation was due to a genetic defect in their ancestors.
The responsibility for not being able to have children should lie more with Lin Ruhai than solely with Jia Min.
After all, Jia Min's mother, Shi, had given birth to two sons and a daughter. Jia Min's health was fine; she just looked somewhat frail.
Of course, there is also a theory that Lady Wang touched Jia Min's dowry, and many of the items were soaked in safflower and stuffed with musk.
But ultimately, it was also related to Lin Ruhai's poor health. After he and [unclear] got married, Chen Xia found a way to get them both to drink the gene evolution fluid.
Less than three months after their marriage, the royal physician diagnosed her with a two-month pregnancy.
Chen Xia excitedly sent many nice things to her courtyard. Jue Luo also came to visit, accompanied by her eldest daughter and daughter-in-law.
Emperor Kangxi and Consort Tongjia, who had already been promoted to Imperial Noble Consort, sent gifts to the Lin family in waves.
Because she was less than three months pregnant, only her family knew about her pregnancy.
Emperor Kangxi was curious because Lin Ruhai was always grinning like an idiot: "Ruhai, is there some happy event in your family these days?"
Lin Ruhai, grinning like a silly deer, asked, "Your Majesty, you're amazing! How did you know there was good news in my family? Hehe, [my wife] is pregnant! I'm going to be a father!"
Emperor Kangxi chuckled: "No wonder you're so happy. It's wonderful that my cousin is pregnant. Your uncle and aunt must be overjoyed. I'll have to tell the Imperial Noble Consort the good news later so she can be happy too."
When Emperor Kangxi was in a good mood, he would bestow all sorts of gifts. When the Imperial Noble Consort learned that her cousin was pregnant, she was overjoyed and rewarded her with many fine things.
When Emperor Kangxi bestowed the marriage upon Lin Ruhai and [unclear], Consort Tongjia was already in poor health. Chen Xia, thinking of how Consort De had manipulated the Fourth Prince after her death, felt it would have been better if Consort Tongjia had lived a few more years.
Actually, her illness wasn't a serious problem; it was more of a psychological one. Ever since the death of the eighth princess in the twentieth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, her health had been consistently weak.
A mental illness is easy to cure. With a dream-creating talisman, Consort Tongjia dreamed of Guanyin Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva told her that if she could accumulate good deeds in this life, she would be able to continue her predestined relationship with her daughter in the next life.
He also urged her to take good care of her health and live well, because only by protecting the future emperor, the fourth prince, and ascending the throne, could she fulfill her duty and reunite with her daughter.
When Tongjia woke up, she found a small jade bottle, about the size of a thumb, next to her pillow. Inside were the health-preserving pills that the Bodhisattva had given her in her dream.
Without hesitation, Tongjia opened the jade bottle, put the pill in her mouth, and the medicine melted instantly. A warm current swept over her whole body, and her previous ailments seemed to have been completely cured.
Holding the jade bottle, Lady Tongjia then had a small Buddhist shrine set up in her palace. She wanted to properly worship the Bodhisattva, pray for her daughter's well-being, and rekindle their mother-daughter bond.
Consort De longed for the sickly Lady Tongjia to pass away soon, but unexpectedly, Lady Tongjia's health improved day by day.
Because Tong Guogang presented smallpox vaccine, the Tongjia clan was incorporated into the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner, and Consort Tongjia was promoted to Imperial Noble Consort.
Tong Guogang did not conceal the contributions made by Lin Ruhai and his mother. When Kangxi promoted the Tongjia clan to the Bordered Yellow Banner, he also promoted Lin Ruhai's family to the Bordered Yellow Banner.
From then on, Lin Ruhai's branch of the family had no further connection with the Lin family of Suzhou, and they became known as the Linjia clan. Daiyu would then become a noblewoman of the Upper Three Banners and would be required to participate in the imperial selection.
After □□ became pregnant, Chen Xia did not take over the housekeeping duties, even though doing so would allow □□ to have a better pregnancy.
But Chen Xia was afraid that □□ would have wild thoughts, so she let her keep in charge, while leaving the work to the four nannies.
To put her mind at ease, Chen Xia gave the maids in the mansion a good talking-to and also scolded Lin Ruhai, telling him that he must take good care of the maid at this time and not to misbehave outside.
These two measures greatly comforted □□, who had been anxious since becoming pregnant. Chen Xia was tolerant of □□'s little worries.
At her age, in later generations, she would be in her second or third year of high school, an age when students should be focused solely on their studies and oblivious to the world around them. But she was already a daughter-in-law, a wife, and about to become a mother.
Even when pregnant, she still had to worry about managing the household and whether it was wrong not to arrange concubines for her husband.
Chen Xia can't change this social reality; all she can do is treat her daughter-in-law, □□, better within her means.
As Lady Tongjia became Imperial Noble Consort, the status of the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, in the palace also rose accordingly.
When Lady Tongjia was seriously ill a few days ago, her biggest concern was for the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, because she knew that Emperor Kangxi would not register Yinzhen under her name.
Yinzhen was still a minor, and Consort De clearly blamed the death of the Sixth Prince on Yinzhen. If she had died earlier, Consort De would have tormented the child.
Fearing that Consort De might not be fully committed to Yinzhen's marriage, Lady Tongjia began searching for a suitable wife for him well in advance. After much deliberation, she finally chose the eldest daughter of the Feiyanggu family.
Although this girl is a bit young, she comes from a good family, has a steady personality, and her maternal family is supportive, so she can help Yinzhen in the future.
Now that she has recovered, she is no longer in a hurry to arrange a marriage for Yinzhen. Fortunately, she had only discussed it with Kangxi before, so it was a tentative arrangement. Now she is not in a rush and can wait until the Nara clan selects candidates before making any further arrangements.
When □□ was five months pregnant, Kangxi put Lin Ruhai into the delegation that negotiated with Tsarist Russia, making him Tong Guogang's deputy.
The negotiations were led by Songgotu, with Tong Guogang assisting. Although Tong Guogang argued forcefully and ultimately the Treaty of Nerchinsk was signed, clearly defining the eastern section of the Sino-Russian border and bringing peace to the northeastern frontier for over a century, the valuable land of Lake Baikal was ceded to the Russians.
No sooner had the mission departed than Chen Xia sent Ling Yi to Tsarist Russia. Coincidentally, Tsar Peter I of Russia, like Emperor Kangxi, had ascended the throne at a young age.
However, unlike the Qing Dynasty, Peter was too young, so he and his half-brother Ivan V ascended to the throne as Tsar.
He was young, and Ivan V was frail, sickly, and intellectually disabled, so his sister Sophia managed state affairs on his behalf.
Sophia, having served as regent for a long time, began to harbor ambitions. This was the time when Sophia plotted to assassinate Peter, but the plot was exposed, and she was imprisoned by Peter in a monastery.
At this time, Peter had just assumed power, and the Tsar's position was not yet secure. If Lingyi were to go and kill him and Ivan V, and frame Sophia, Tsarist Russia would surely descend into chaos.
During the negotiations, Tong Guogang took a tough stance. At the crucial moment, Ling Yi intervened, not only killing Peter I but also securing Sophia's loyalty.
With Lingyi's help, Sofia quelled the internal strife by force, and then quickly sent her trusted confidants to Nerchinsk to arrest all the previous mission members.
In the ensuing negotiations, the two sides went back and forth, and in the end, Sofia took the initiative to back down in order to gain the support of the Qing government.
Both sides agreed to use the Lena River as the boundary, and from then on, the fur resources and minerals in the Lena River basin belonged to the territory of the Qing Dynasty.
When Lin Ruhai proposed using the Lena River basin as the boundary, the entire delegation was stunned, thinking that this guy was dreaming.
In their view, the fact that Tsarist Russia was willing to back down and use the Selenga-Angara River line as the boundary was already an overachievement of the task assigned to them by Emperor Kangxi.
Unexpectedly, Lin Ruhai, that scoundrel, was insatiable and dared to make outrageous demands, proposing to use the Lena River as the boundary and incorporate the entire Lake Baikal region into the territory of the Qing Dynasty.
What's even more outrageous is that the Russian envoys agreed after only a brief moment of thought.
Little did these old men know that the delegation had already been brought under Ling Yi's control. Even if Lin Ruhai offered the entire Siberian Plateau, they would have agreed without hesitation.
In fact, Lin Ruhai had discussed with Tong Guogang that they should strike while the iron was hot and take advantage of the chaos in Tsarist Russia to seize the entirety of Siberia.
Tong Guogang rejected it: "Your idea is too outrageous. Even if Tsarist Russia is in chaos, they would never agree to such an absurd request."
Besides, what's the point of that barren land? It's freezing cold all year round, and you can't even grow crops."
The greatest contributors to the Treaty of Nerchinsk were Tong Guogang and his son-in-law Lin Ruhai. If it weren't for Tong Guogang's insistence on reason, and the fact that corrupt officials like Songgotu, who had been bought off by Tsarist Russia, would have handed over the entire Northeast to Russia.
Upon returning to the capital, Emperor Kangxi rewarded those who had rendered meritorious service, and Tong Guogang and Lin Ruhai received numerous rewards. Lin Ruhai had already become a fourth-rank lecturer.
Lin Ruhai, who had gone on a trip with his father-in-law and gotten promoted and made a fortune, returned home happily. When he left, his wife's belly was just showing; now the baby is over two months along.
Lin Ruhai excitedly squatted down beside his son Lin Jinyu's cradle, gazing intently at the chubby boy sleeping soundly, and didn't want to stand up even when his legs went numb.
She was both amused and annoyed as she helped him walk around the room: "He's going to sleep for a long time. If you want to play with him, you can wait until he wakes up."
Lin Ruhai hugged Huihui tightly: "You've worked so hard, Huihui. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you gave birth."
She tiptoed and kissed him: "We're husband and wife, why are you being so polite? You were sent to Nerchinsk by the Emperor on official business. I understand the principle of serving the Emperor and being loyal to him."
When I was about to give birth, my mother came to stay with me. With her and my mother taking care of me, I was fine.
The couple snuggled together, whispering sweet nothings to each other.
Lin Ruhai was thriving in the imperial court, and Ling Yi also successfully returned to the Qing Dynasty from Tsarist Russia.
Chen Xia is getting old and doesn't have many years left to live. All she wants to do now is finish her mission as soon as possible, live a leisurely life as an old feudal lord, and live out her natural lifespan.
The original owner's first wish has been fulfilled, and the second wish, to have both a son and a daughter, at least two sons, has already been one-third fulfilled.
Lin Ruhai's health improved so much that she had a great appetite and gave birth to her first son. In two years, she would give her a pill for twins, and then Lin Ruhai would have both a son and a daughter, and her mission would be complete.
She wasn't in a hurry to push for childbirth; when it came to pushing for childbirth, Jue Luo Shi was much more proactive than her.
□□ had just given birth and hadn't even finished her postpartum confinement when she started nagging: "Now that you've given birth to the eldest son, you've officially established yourself in the Lin family."
Take good care of your health these next two years. It would be best to have a son when Jinyu is older, but a daughter would also be fine.
"Your mother-in-law seems to really like daughters. She says the Lin family hasn't had a girl for generations. If you give birth to a daughter, she'll practically worship you."
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