The Cloud Feather of the Red Chamber: A Marriage Arranged with Gong Yuanzheng at the Start

"Speaking of this palace gate, it has been the one that has fought against Wufeng the longest and the one that has fought the most. It is said that they are sworn enemies."

"The thirteenth prince's proposal of a marriage alliance at this time is probably not solely for the purpose of eliminating Wufeng."

Lin Ruhai left it at that.

Lin Qingyue immediately guessed that the Thirteenth Prince's ultimate goal was to completely restrain the martial arts practitioners and make them abide by the laws and regulations of the Qing Kingdom.

The palace gates are the sharpest knife of the imperial court.

As for why they should form a marriage alliance, and what kind of relationship it has that is stronger than that of in-laws?

Throughout history, the best way to resolve disputes has been through marriage alliances and alliances.

After taking a sip of tea, Lin Ruhai added another sentence.

"I also heard that ten years ago, Wu Feng invaded the palace gates. At that time, the palace gates were completely unprepared and suffered heavy losses."

Lin Qingyue's expression shifted. The TV series was about ten years after Wu Feng's invasion of the palace.

Could it be that what's about to happen at the palace gates is actually a scene from a TV drama?

"Father, do you know who is currently in charge of the palace?"

Lin Ruhai smiled, "I also inquired yesterday, and those currently in power in the palace are all from the younger generation."

"The one who came to the capital with the thirteenth prince is Gong Shangjiao, and the one who represents the Gong family in the marriage alliance is the current young master, Gong Huanyu."

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyue was almost certain that the palace gate and the swordless gate here must be the same as the palace gate and the swordless gate in Cloud Feather.

However, the TV series did not depict any marriage alliance between the imperial court and the palace.

After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Father, will this marriage alliance succeed?"

“Difficult.” Lin Ruhai did not hesitate at all. “The current emperor does not have a princess of suitable age. If we choose from the noble families, whose daughters are not pampered and spoiled? Who would be willing to send her to such a den of wolves?”

Xia uses force to break the ban.

The entire imperial court held no goodwill toward martial arts practitioners, viewing them as nothing more than a group of desperate outlaws wielding swords and sticks, their blades dripping with blood.

"Those people, to put it nicely, are heroes; to put it bluntly, they are..." Lin Ruhai stopped talking. His good manners prevented him from saying anything unpleasant, so he changed the subject.

"If there are indeed those who sell their daughters for personal gain, the candidates they put forward must be approved by the palace. If a marriage is forced, it is not a marriage alliance, but an enmity alliance."

Lin Ruhai's mouth was dry from talking, so he drank the rest of the tea in one gulp. When he looked up, he saw Lin Qingyue looking thoughtful.

"Yue'er, what are you thinking about?"

Looking at her father's expression, Lin Qingyue carefully asked, "Father, what if I said I'm willing to marry into the palace?"

"What!" The teacup in front of Lin Ruhai was knocked over, but fortunately there was no tea left, so his clothes were not wet.

Upon hearing the commotion, Butler Lin, who had been waiting at the door, rushed into the study. Before he could even speak, the master waved his sleeve at him and quickly left the study.

"Yue'er, do you know what you're saying? I don't agree to this, I absolutely won't agree!" Lin Ruhai said angrily, rejecting the idea repeatedly.

His Yue'er was a precious child whom he and his wife had raised with the utmost care and love. How could she possibly marry into the homes of those roughnecks and scoundrels and suffer hardship?

The Lin family, whose ancestors were ennobled and whose titles were passed down for three generations, even though he no longer held a title, was still a Grand Master of the Imperial Academy and a Salt Commissioner appointed by the Emperor. Marrying his eldest daughter to a nobody from the Jianghu (江湖, the martial arts world) was a complete loss of face for the Lin family. How could he face his ancestors in the afterlife?

Lin Qingyue, however, remained remarkably calm.

"Father, do you remember the precognitive dream I had?"

Lin Ruhai fell silent. Thinking of the Lin family's fate in Lin Qingyue's dream, Lin Ruhai's shoulders slumped, and his gentle and refined face showed signs of fatigue.

"Yue'er, don't worry, I will do my best to protect you and your children."

"If my younger brother's illness is left untreated any longer, I'm afraid it will be incurable."

Lin Ruhai's voice lowered a few decibels, "I have written a letter to His Majesty, earnestly requesting that an imperial physician be sent to Yangzhou to examine your younger brother."

Lin Qingyue's voice sounded cold at this moment, "Father, do you really think that my little brother is simply sick?"

"When we were in the capital, we were all in good health, but when we arrived in Yangzhou, almost everyone was on medication. Was it really just a case of not being used to the local environment?"

Lin Ruhai's expression changed, and he swung his sleeve sharply, shouting, "Yue'er! Stop talking nonsense!"

Lin Qingyue sighed inwardly. She couldn't believe that her father, who was known for his discerning judgment and decisive actions in officialdom, couldn't even understand these things.

“Father, the struggle for the throne is becoming increasingly fierce. You are in this position, and many princes want their own people to take your place.”

"The Salt Commissioner's term is three years, and he has never been re-elected. But you have been re-elected three times. How many people have been blocked from your path? How many people have been a thorn in their side?"

"You are His Majesty's man, and every prince wants to win you over. Is His Majesty truly unaware of the storm that your position is in?"

Lin Ruhai closed his eyes. He was a typical scholar-official, and the ideas of loyalty to the emperor were ingrained in his bones.

Did Lin Ruhai really not know what the Emperor was thinking? Not necessarily. He was just hoping that the Emperor, whom he had served loyally for half his life, would pull the Lin family out of this quagmire.

Lin Qingyue's words completely shattered his illusions.

"Yue'er, stop talking."

Seeing the dejection on her father's face, Lin Qingyue steeled her heart and continued:

"I also had a precognitive dream about Gongmen and Wufeng. Gongmen's master, Gong Yuanzheng, is a master of both medicine and poison. He is a herbal genius who is rare in a century. Perhaps only he can completely cure my brother's illness."

After speaking, he ignored Lin Ruhai's reaction, bowed, and left the study.

A wisp of light shone through the window and fell on Lin Ruhai, who then realized with a start that it was already broad daylight.

He struggled to his feet and stumbled out of the study. Butler Lin quickly helped him up, his face full of worry. "Master, have you not slept all night?"

Lin Ruhai took his hand and said, "Take me to Madam's place."

"Master, why don't you go and rest for a while?" Butler Lin advised.

Lin Ruhai waved his hand, "Let's go to Madam's first."

Left with no other option, Steward Lin could only help Lin Ruhai walk towards the inner courtyard.

The maidservant guarding the gate, though puzzled as to why the master had come to the madam's place so early, still respectfully welcomed Lin Ruhai inside.

Jia Min held her youngest son in her arms, still fast asleep. Both of them had the same sickly look on their faces, and Jia Min felt a pang of pain in her heart.

If the king wants the minister to die, the minister has to die.

His wife and children are so innocent, why should they suffer like this?

Was my blind loyalty really worth it?

Is the current emperor still the same wise and unparalleled emperor he once was? Will he leave himself and his family a way out?

Lin Ruhai closed his eyes, then opened them again, his expression more resolute.

We really need to find a way out for the Lin family.

It is unreliable to rely on princes; the saying "the bow is put away after the birds are all gone" and "the dog is cooked after the rabbit is dead" has been seen many times in history.

Then the only option is to choose the Crown Prince, the legitimate son of the Eastern Palace, whose succession is perfectly legitimate.

By siding with the Crown Prince, one can form a marriage alliance between the court and the palace. As long as the palace doesn't rebel, and one has the merit of suppressing Wu Feng, the palace will be safe and secure for at least several decades.

In Lin Qingyue's precognitive dream, it was only revealed that there was an emperor emeritus, but it was not revealed which prince succeeded to the throne.

For the sake of the Lin family's honor, he needs to start planning carefully from today onwards.

Lin Ruhai reached out and gently placed his hand on Jia Min's hand, and couldn't help but tremble. Her once plump and slender fingers were now just skin and bones.

How can one maintain good health if they take medicine year after year?

When she married him, she was a beautiful and radiant young woman, but now she looks like this.

Are the imperial physicians of the court truly trustworthy?