Chapter 7: Lin Hai's Wooden Horse and Shi Mian's Departure

  Time flew like a white horse crossing a ravine, and in the blink of an eye, it was already the 39th year of Kangxi.

  In recent years, Lin Qingyu has been extremely busy. Not only does she need to cultivate relationships with her brother and three younger brothers, as well as Lin Daiyu; but also practice martial arts and systematically learn about the knowledge and skills of the Qing Dynasty.

  Every day, I have to go to the master's place to learn one of the four arts of qin, qi, shu, and hua. In the afternoons, I follow Aunt An to learn needlework and cooking. Fortunately, my memory has improved since learning martial arts, so it's not too difficult to pick up. Otherwise, I would have been driven mad by now. It turns out that ancient children were really miserable. Thinking about it now, 21st-century kids are truly happy! They even get two rest days every week! Here, except for major festivals, there are no more holidays.

  Lin Ziqian is already a champion this year, the first place winner of the imperial examination. A 12-year-old champion in Jiangnan is unprecedented and probably will be unmatched in the future. Even nationwide, there has never been such a young champion before. Lin Ruhai asked him to wait three years before participating in the spring exam again.

  Lin Qingyu is already 9 years old, although she has lost some weight, she still looks like a bun, at most from a super bun to a small bun. Drinking spring water and milk every day, her skin is as smooth as top-grade jade, with a natural fragrance and milky scent on her body. What makes her extremely frustrated is that no matter what method she tries, she will always be shorter than her peers.

  Although her brother Lin Ziqian said she was plump and lovely, small and delicate, like a jade snowflake, but she just didn't like it. She wanted that devilish figure. Not a doll that would make people go crazy!

  Lin Qingyu held the mirror, gazing at her own plump and tender face, her long eyelashes curled up, her big eyes shining brightly, two adorable dimples on her cheeks, and a rosy complexion. She thought to herself that although Dai'er was still young, she could already see the beauty of Lin's small face, and her heart sank with a sigh, wailing inwardly: "Why? Why is this so? Do I want a face that will never grow old? I want to become a beautiful woman, I want to become a stunning beauty..."

  Next to her, Mo Jue, who was wearing a pale pink cheongsam with a slanted collar, saw the look on her own young mistress's face and had already gotten used to it. She rolled her eyes and continued to tidy up the bed.

  Lin Qingyu stood behind her, wearing a cyan cheongsam with a purple lotus pattern, skillfully helping her young mistress comb her hair. As she combed, she comforted her, "Miss, you're still young now, just wait a few more years until you grow up, it'll be fine. Don't be sad!"

  "Really?" Lin Qingyu immediately recovered her energy, her two eyes shining brightly like ink jade, emitting a seductive glow.

  "Of course!" Zi Lian said with a confident face, "The young lady is the most beautiful. In the future, she will definitely grow up to be a stunning beauty who can topple cities and states, don't believe me? Ask Zhang Mama."

  Lin Qingyu turned her head to look, a pale blue cheongsam with phoenix orchids embroidered on it, Zhang Yiniang's flat bun, nodded and said, "Miss, you are the most beautiful."

  "Ah! Ah!" Lin Qingyu's face broke into a smile, revealing two adorable dimples, her expression full of approval.

  Mei Ju has already turned her head away, honestly, every day it's the same thing, aren't you guys tired of it? I say, young lady, what is it that you're not satisfied with about your appearance? It's so full of resentment.

  Also, Zilian, don't use that silly face of yours to deceive the young lady. Zhang Mama, although you raised the young lady, don't have an expression that says everything is fine with her either.

  Girl, don't be so naive, just because someone says a few nice words you believe it. Actually, this is self-deception. Your face is just a cute face, no matter how many years pass, it will still be a cute face and won't become a pure and charming one.

  So this is what it feels like when everyone else is wrong and I am right?

  This is all a group of losers~~~~~~~

  Years of hard work will eventually pay off.

  Lin Ziyu, Lin Zixuan and Lin Ziheng triplets especially like to stick with their sister Lin Qingyu. Of course, they also like their brother Lin Ziqian. Lin Ziqian is a perfectionist, very strict when teaching things, all the brothers have been punished before. Not to mention that he's not an opponent in martial arts, even if you can beat him, no one dares to fight back. The prestige of elder brother Lin Ziqian has already taken root.

  Although Lin Daiyu was not born of the same mother as them, Jia Min had been bedridden for many years and was stimulated to madness. As soon as she had energy, she thought of ways to deal with Chen Lanzhi, with a kind of unstoppable momentum.

  So Lin Daiyu basically sees her once a month. Every time she sees Lin Daiyu, she scolds Chen Lanzhi while wiping away tears. Therefore, although Lin Daiyu does not like Jia Min, she is her mother, so she also dislikes Chen Lanzhi. However, she loves to play with her brothers and sisters, and their feelings are extremely good!

  Lin Daiyu was secretly fed Lin Qingyu's spring water after she turned three and was also taught the Xiaowuxiang Gong to cultivate her body. The current Lin Daiyu is no longer as weak as in the original work. Although on the surface it still looks like a gust of wind can blow her down, who knows what kind of power is hidden inside? One palm can split a tree trunk as big as a bowl mouth, does it have wood? Although she's still a bit sensitive, she won't be indulging in wild thoughts and excessive sentimentalism anymore.

  Every time Lin Daiyu happily calls her "sister" with a sweet smile, Lin Qingyu feels especially accomplished and extremely satisfied!!

  "Hmph, with martial arts skills and a strong body, knowing how to handle situations, and having the support of her father and brothers, who dares to scheme against Lin Daiyu? Alright! At most, when the time comes and the Jia family's estate is confiscated, Daiyu will shed a few tears of sympathy for that whatever Jia Baoyu, and that would be repaying the favor!"

  This day, Jia Min felt her body had improved a lot. It turned out that she had received a letter from her mother, Lady Wang, in the capital city.

  Xue Li kept praising Jia Baoyu, her second brother's son. Not only was he a extraordinary child born with a jade in his mouth, but also handsome and intelligent. A 5-year-old kid can't tell what's handsome or not, isn't he just a little bun? He is especially clever, considerate of others, and a very filial child! Hope the two Jia families will become closer through marriage.

  Jia Min was very pleased and after Lin Ruhai finished his errand, he told him to agree to this wonderful matter!

  Unfortunately, she didn't know that the family she cared about so much was now a family that Lin Ruhai couldn't avoid. So to say, the marriage arrangement was indirectly ruined by Chen Lanzhi.

  As expected, Lin Ruhai was furious when he heard this. It's said that he especially likes to eat the lip gloss on girls' mouths and has been spoiled by his mother since childhood. He's already so big but hasn't even had a proper coming-of-age ceremony yet. It's clear that when he grows up, he won't amount to much and will probably be a playboy. Although he did indeed grow up to be like this, you're being too rash. It seems that girls can't take the blow...

  But most importantly, the Jia family is already nearing its end, it's a ship that's about to sink! The mansion also has countless dirty things, marrying their precious daughter off to such a family is simply a joke!

  She resolutely opposed: "Now it's still unknown how that treasure jade will grow up? What if he grows crooked, and Daiyu marries him, she definitely won't have a good life!"

  Jia Min burst out laughing, "It won't do, Baoyu is of such good birth and so clever, what more could one ask for? Daiyu was born weak, which good family would tolerate her? I'm not a responsible mother, don't know about Daiyu's body, isn't she healthy now? With these relatives from the legitimate wife's side, the grandmother and uncles protecting her, can't she live a good life?"

  Lin Ruhai's expression changed, saying: "Although Dai'er is physically weak, she has already recovered now. Moreover, my Lin family has many connections and friends, so why worry that she won't marry into a good family? This matter doesn't need to be mentioned again!"

  Lin Ruhai snorted inwardly and said, "No matter what you say, I won't agree to let my precious daughter marry into the Jia family's humble abode." "You're not feeling well, go rest!"

  Lin Ruhai finished speaking and turned around to leave, Jia Min lay on the bed wiping away tears.

  In the evening, Chen Lanxi learned from the spies hiding in Jia Min's place that Lin Ruhai had rejected the marriage with the Jia family. She hinted to the spy to tell Jia Min that it was she who made Lin Ruhai dislike the Jia family, which is why he refused to marry Shuangyu.

  "Hmph, aren't you concerned that the Jia family is inferior to the Lin family? Aren't you concerned about Lin Ruhai's attitude and the Lin family's wealth? Now that the Lin family will be my son's, Lin Ruhai detests the Jia family and disapproves of your pair of jade, she definitely won't be able to withstand the blow! At that time..."

  "Hmph, these past few years, you've been resorting to all sorts of despicable tactics!! Things like poisoning, kidnapping, and using eye drops have been emerging one after another. Although I'm not afraid, I also can't let you continue to act so brazenly!"

  Sure, here is the translation:

  As expected, Jia Min found out the next day and couldn't hold back anymore, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

  Now, Jia Min himself can feel that life is constantly slipping away. He also knows that he will probably be gone soon. Thinking of arranging a happy ending for Dai Er before closing his eyes, how could he think it would definitely be a happy one? Although he doesn't particularly like this daughter, after all, she is his only child, so he still wants to arrange an ending for her and also take the opportunity to show filial piety to his mother. How great!

  Then, she called Lin Ruhai and cried out: "Master... I'm going to die... Please agree to Yu'er's matter!"

  Lin was furious, seeing Jia Min like this, he couldn't help but lose his temper.

  After all, she is my wife, and we have spent so many days together. Now that life is coming to an end, I am also heartbroken. But no matter how heartbreaking it is, I cannot let my daughter go to such a den of tigers and wolves. I can only sigh and tell her: "Now, the Rongguo Mansion is in complete chaos! First, the residence of the Duke's concubine is in the side house, while the second wife lives in the main house. Although he has already been demoted to a third-class general, the plaque of the Rongguo Mansion still hangs there, and all over the mansion are forbidden items. The situation in the Ningguo Mansion is also worrying, Jia Jing devoted himself to Taoism, pushing aside all matters and entrusting them to Jia Zhen's management. And Jia Zhen gathered young men from noble families to gamble. His gathering of gamblers was a cover-up, actually he was gathering a faction of political power in his home. To put it simply, he participated in the affairs of the princes. Now the Jia Mansion is like a sinking ship, and I cannot watch my precious daughter sink with them.

  "Dai'er is my precious treasure, I promise you, in the future I will definitely find a good home for Dai'er! A glorious and honorable marriage!!"

  "How could it be...it can't be...how could it be...it can't be..."

  Jia Min was struck down, repeatedly saying these two sentences, gasping for breath, her eyes slowly closing, her hands drooping, and she left with a sense of regret and longing!!!

  Lin Ruhai saw this, closed his eyes, and a tear rolled down from the corner of his eye.

  Jia Min was his first wife after all. To die like this is unbearable! It's not hard to say that he's sad and regretful! But although he's sad and sorrowful, he will never regret it!!

  He would not agree again for his daughter to marry into the Jia family and accompany them in their downfall.

  Friends, Jia Min has taken the lead in the boxed meal game, let's give her a round of applause and throw flowers for her!