Chapter 3

This Xu Yang was picked up by him from the lakeside a month ago. At that time, he was rescued from the lake by a boatwoman from a pleasure boat, but he lay there unconscious, dressed in a peculiar manner. Although kind-hearted people had brought him ashore, the only ones who had saved him were a few boatwomen, and since they were operating boats from the building, they dared not take him back. Seeing that he still had breath, they placed him on the shore, covered him with a cloth to dry off, and also retrieved the large box that was floating beside him, placing it next to him. They had already shown considerable compassion and effort.

Lin Ruhai understood at the end that it was indeed the old steward's own doing. He usually disliked his old childhood companion, the book boy, for being meddlesome. However, after experiencing the recent scare, he truly felt the need to take care of his health. Thus, he did not say much, only instructing someone to bring more silver over tomorrow

Just then, Zhang Laozhang happened to pass by. Seeing that the boy was still young, he couldn't help but feel a pang of compassion. Despite being old and poor himself, he insisted on carrying the boy back home. Who would have thought that after the boy woke up, he would not behave like a normal person? Perhaps he was frightened, as he babbled nonsensically for several days before finally calming down. Yet, he was unable to carry anything on his shoulders or lift anything with his hands. Although he was already a young man, he still required Zhang Laozhang to wash his clothes and cook for him. This boy was not entirely ignorant of the world; he had helped out before, but the result was that he nearly set the kitchen on fire while cooking. Washing clothes required first boiling water, and on top of that, he had suffered from a cold after being soaked in water, which had not yet fully healed. After walking just a few steps, he would break into a sweat. Zhang Laozhang dared not let him do anything. He felt sorry for the boy's youth and made sure he got the best of everything to eat. Over time, the boy's minor illness was completely cured, but it left Zhang Laozhang himself exhausted and unwell.

At a quarter past the hour of Hai, the old steward sent someone back with a message, stating that Dr. Qin, embodying the heart of a healer, upon hearing of the patient's deteriorating condition, did not wait for the next day. He packed his belongings and went directly to the home of the old Zhang. The old steward did not dare to be negligent and accompanied him all the way. Upon arriving at the Zhang residence, they found that several servants who had arrived earlier had already purchased new bedding for the old Zhang and had tidied up the room to make it livable. However, Dr. Qin remarked that the old Zhang, being of advanced age and having suffered for several years, was already in a state of physical depletion. He could only be nurtured slowly; even without this illness, he would not have lived more than a year or two. Now, nurturing him slowly would merely prolong his days, with some medication to alleviate the patient's discomfort. Dr. Qin, being elderly himself, returned home first, indicating that he would come back tomorrow to check on Lord Lin's pulse.

I have also learned about a young man named Xu Yang. Although he seems to understand little, he is truly filial to Zhang Laozhang. Though he is unable to do much work, he genuinely tries his best for the old man. Every day, he goes to the market to write letters for others, but being a newcomer, his business is not very good. Therefore, he sold a few items he had on him. Fearing that he might not take good care of the elderly man, he reluctantly hired a neighbor aunt to come daily to boil water, cook meals, and do laundry. He stays by the old man's side, feeding him and helping him with personal hygiene. Even when the old man is bedridden and needs assistance with bodily functions, he has never complained, not even a little. Even a biological son might not do better than he does.

At this moment, he had roughly read through half of the book. After all, he was getting older, and the text was indeed a bit small. Although Lin Ruhai was quite anxious, he felt a ringing in his ears. After a day filled with various emotions and shocks, he was truly exhausted. His state of mind was different from the past; thinking of the life-and-death dreams he had experienced, he felt that nothing was more important than good health. Remembering the frail appearance of his daughter in the dream, he suddenly recalled his sister, who was to die in three years, which further evoked thoughts of his daughter's possible early demise. Although he wished to finish the book immediately, his state of mind was different from before. He felt that nothing was more important than good health. Remembering the frail appearance of his daughter in the dream, he suddenly recalled his sister, who was to die in three years, which further evoked thoughts of his daughter's possible early demise. Although he wished to finish the book immediately, he still instructed someone to help him wash up, put the book away, and not let anyone else touch it. He placed it directly beside his pillow and fell into a deep sleep.

Lin Ruhai is a person who is very methodical in his work. To reach his position, one cannot afford to be muddled. Although he felt chaotic inside, his actions remained steady. He dispatched three groups of people and asked Concubine Meng to light a few more candles, preparing to seriously read this set of books that Xu Yang claimed were written about his daughter in later generations

Lin Ruhai listened and felt a sense of admiration. This child, though somewhat naive and a bit spoiled, was not arrogant; though reckless, he was not devoid of a pure heart. Moreover, thinking about what he said about "coming from hundreds of years later" made him even more curious: what would it be like hundreds of years from now? Not everyone can know that! Therefore, it can be said that Xu Yang was not wrong. Lin Ruhai, being the father of Lin Daiyu, when faced with such a strange situation, aside from worrying about his family, was actually curious about the customs and culture of hundreds of years in the future.

Indeed, Aunt Meng did not disappoint him. She accompanied him for several days, diligently reading books and carefully inquiring how much he remembered about his dreams. She spent the entire day thinking, her eyes becoming bloodshot. One morning, she suddenly said to Lin Ruhai: "Sir, please bring back the elder lady!"

Another servant returned to report to Lin Ruhai about the situation at Zhang Laozhang's home. Upon hearing that the old steward had sent someone to inquire with the neighbors, it was learned that Zhang Laozhang was a local from Yangzhou, who had lived his entire life without children. His elderly wife passed away last year, and now, being advanced in age, he is unable to work. He is left alone to tend to his courtyard, renting out a few rooms to earn just enough money for his own sustenance

Lin Ruhai felt increasingly heavy, as if his soul were about to scatter. However, in a moment of distraction, he noticed the flickering shadows of the candle in front of him, with Aunt Meng supporting him, her face filled with anxiety. It was then that he realized only a brief moment had passed, and the vividly clear past was merely a fleeting dream! By the time the boy named Xu Yang began to incoherently plead with him, Lin Ruhai had almost steadied his mind, starting to contemplate whether the future revealed in this fleeting dream could be fully trusted and how he should respond.

Lin Ruhai was truly grateful to the heavens for bringing this young man named Xu Yang before him. He understood in his heart that everything the young man said was likely true

After thinking it over for a few more days, I finally mustered the courage to call Aunt Meng for a discussion—there was truly no one else to consult. Aunt Meng had only heard part of the story that day; rather than letting her speculate endlessly, it was better to tell her the truth. She is a woman, perceptive and somewhat knowledgeable. While she may not be able to handle external affairs, she likely has some ideas regarding the troubles at home.

For a full 5 days, Lin Ruhai diligently read "Dream of the Red Chamber" three times. He brought urgent official business home from the yamen, having invited the former imperial physician over, clearly indicating that he was unwell. During the day, he read, and at night, he began to reflect on the experiences of that dream in the South, carefully calculating the changes in the court over the next few years, and seriously contemplating how to alter his family's fate. The notion of changing one's fate sounded rather modern, somewhat out of place in this environment. However, it truly reflected Lord Lin's state of mind at that moment. Who would not feel a sense of madness upon realizing they had only four or five years left to live, knowing that their daughter would suffer and die three years after their own death—though the continuation of the story was uncertain, the fate of his daughter was likely not fabricated. Understanding such terrifying futures, it would indeed be madness not to wish to change one's fate.

When Lin Ruhai took the first book, he felt a sense of disorientation as if he were dreaming, but he quickly regained his senses. After the youth named Xu Yang recounted his experiences and presented him with three more books, upon holding them, he felt as if his soul had left his body, as if he had experienced a grand dream, reliving the various events of his life from birth to death over the subsequent four years: at times, he was embroiled in the endless troubles of the officialdom; at other times, he longed for his daughter whom he could not see, gradually succumbing to illness from worry; then he received the devastating news of his sister-in-law's death, leading him to cough up blood and fall ill; and at another moment, he was stricken with a chronic illness and sent a letter asking his daughter to return. In a daze, he found himself on the brink of death, hearing his daughter softly weeping by his bedside. He struggled to open his eyes, only to see that his daughter, who should have been in her blooming years, had become so thin that she seemed almost skeletal, completely unrecognizable from the delicate and lovely child he remembered. Overwhelmed with heartache, he wanted to reach out and touch his daughter's hair, but his hand could no longer be lifted.

News from Xu Yang has been coming in continuously, and it seems that the old man is truly in a critical condition. Xu Yang has been attending to him day and night, often carrying the old man on his back and crying several times a day. It is said that he has lost quite a bit of weight from the strain. Lin Ruhai is grateful for the books Xu Yang has brought him and appreciates his character. Additionally, moved by a father's compassion, he has instructed the old steward to ensure that Xu Yang is well taken care of. Not to mention, at the very least, the few dilapidated rooms have been made habitable, and there are people specifically assigned to wash clothes, cook meals, and prepare medicine. This also reflects the upbringing of the Lin family; even when sending someone to help a poor old man, the servants dispatched are diligent and earnest in their work. The Lin family has always been simple in their ways, and Lin Ruhai, being a doctor at the Yulan Terrace Temple, imposes even stricter discipline on the household servants. Therefore, they do not exhibit the vices of disdain for the poor and love for the rich that are often seen among the servants of other high officials.

Doctor Qin, an old friend of the Lin family, had been well acquainted with Lin Ruhai's father in the past, which made him quite informal in his dealings with him. Nevertheless, he was not a man of many words. He felt somewhat puzzled by the late-night request to visit a poor old man, yet he did not inquire further. After all, in a family of officials, there are many taboos; having already offered assistance, there was no need to speak unnecessarily and cause annoyance. This also spared Lin Ruhai the trouble of having to explain.

Lin Ruhai was burdened with worries. He was originally a clear-minded person, but given the stakes concerning his and his daughter's lives, he truly did not want his daughter to stay even one more day in the Jia family. While he might not harbor deep hatred for his mother-in-law's family, it was evident that his mother-in-law genuinely cared for his daughter. As for the subsequent incidents, with lives lost and relationships soured, he could only blame himself for passing away too early. Lin Ruhai was a true gentleman, not one who merely spoke of moral principles, but someone who was genuinely humble, strict with himself yet lenient towards others. When faced with injustices, he often first reflected on whether he had not done well enough, and only then would he consider the faults of others. Thus, despite having read "Dream of the Red Chamber" several times, he felt grievances and blame towards his mother-in-law's family, yet it never reached the level of hatred. However, even without hatred, there remained a knot in his heart, and he truly did not want his daughter to stay there any longer. He wanted to bring his daughter back, but then he thought about her upbringing, and the more he pondered, the more troubled he became.

The next morning, Lin Ruhai decided not to go to the front office and instead stayed at home to read and receive guests. Old Doctor Qin came as scheduled, frowning as he scolded him, saying that even if the lady was not present, he should not neglect his own health. He then smiled, expressing relief that the family had been attentive and had invited him. Although Lin Ruhai appeared to be fine, he had indeed not taken good care of himself in recent years. Generally, he was okay, but if he were to become overwhelmed with official duties and then faced with great joy or sorrow, he would likely not be able to withstand it. Fortunately, it was discovered early; if he followed the prescribed regimen for two to three months, avoided staying up late and overexerting himself, and took care of himself for a year and a half, it was estimated that he would be in no serious trouble.

Lin Ruhai smiled repeatedly in gratitude, yet his heart was tumultuous. In his dreams, was he not neglecting his own well-being? During that period, the court was fraught with troubles, and there had been several blunders in the salt administration. He was mentally and physically exhausted, and coupled with the subsequent decline in his health, he could hardly bear the news of the widow's passing when it arrived. While he was filled with trepidation, there was also a sense of relief.