In the middle of the night, the eyebrows and the moon are bright, the silver waves are surging towards the sky, the lights of the corner tower at the mouth of the river look like a bright star from a distance, and several grasslands seem to be quiet river beasts lying on the lake.

The breeze and the moon were bright, and the waves were not prosperous, Lin Jian and Zhang Yubo sat opposite each other in the cabin to eat and drink, and talked about state affairs, and they both sighed.

When they docked at Chaotianyi Ferry to send Gao Zongting and Liang Wenbai ashore, the latest Tang newspaper came back from the north. The county town of Wuhe between Shiliang and Sizhou was also captured by Liu An'er's troops this afternoon, and in just three or five days, there were countless displaced people gathered under Liu An'er's command, and Liu An'er claimed to have 100,000 troops.

Although 100,000 is an exaggeration, there are always 350,000 rabble.

Lin Jian has experienced the water battle of Luoyang Lake, and has also been in contact with the red-jacketed girl Liu Miaozhen in the upper forest, although the leaders of the water village are uneven, and the rogues and homeless people who are attached to each other are also disorganized, but Liu An'er, Liu Miaozhen and others have a high military quality, although the 350,000 rabble of Hongzepu today is not a big problem, but if they are sorted out in time, it is difficult to ensure that they will not become a real threat to the land of Jianghuai.

"Gao Zongting didn't point out the danger of the river beach mudbank today, and Liang Wenbai will probably expose his shortcomings in a few days, after all, there can be no chaos in Gutang County, and Liang Wenbo can't afford this responsibility......," Zhang Yubo said.

"Not necessarily," Lin Lian shook his head and said, "Liang Wenbai went to Gutang County to serve as the magistrate for three years, and the Liang family of Xinyuan went to Gutang County to annex five or six thousand acres of land, most of which are on the northeast corner of the post port, across the post road from the river beach outside the ferry...... I think Liang Wenbai is more worried that the displaced people will occupy his Liang family's land and not quit, maybe Liang Wenbai is lucky to hope that the chaos in Hongzepu can be calmed down before the flood season. ”

"It's really a child's play on family and national affairs." Zhang Yubo sighed lightly and looked back, they were far away from the ferry, and they couldn't even see the figures on the shore clearly.

Lin Jian looked at the lake in the distance and was silent, at this time he did not dare to have any expectations for this court and the bureaucrats of this court.

********

There is a corner tower light to guide, and the night voyage will not go in the wrong direction in the sky. It was already early in the morning when he arrived on the south bank, Zhang Yubo had something to do and returned to Jiangning, and after going ashore, he went to Donghuamen surrounded by his entourage.

It was quiet on this side of the estuary, and the Lin family and the people fleeing in the upper forest were asleep. Although the conditions were difficult and a little chaotic, 1,300 or 400 people dragged their families to settle down temporarily, and Lin Jian listened to Lin Jingzhong's simple report on the resettlement situation, and said: "Finally home." So he went into the back house of the thatched cottage and fell asleep.

After leaving Jiangning for half a month, he hadn't been able to rest well, Lin Lian slept until noon, and listened to the noise outside the grass hall in a daze, and it seemed that there were still women crying, so he woke up vigilantly. Lin Jian didn't know what was going on, he lay on the bed and listened for a while, the sound outside was very noisy, as if a woman was crying, but the voice was small, and he couldn't hear who was talking outside. Since no one came in to disturb his sleep, it didn't matter if he came. Lin Lian still wanted to turn over and sleep again, but the bed board creaked, Xiaoman walked in when he heard the sound, and said to him: "The old man of the Lin family has passed away, and several ladies have come to report the news, waiting for you outside......"

"Lin Tingxun is dead?" Lin Jian shook the spirit, sat up shirtless, reached out and took the clothes handed to him by Xiao Man, wondering in his heart whether Lin Tingxun's death in Jiangning on this joint bone was a good thing or a bad thing.

Xiao Man saw that he was just holding the clothes in his hand and thinking about something else, so he asked him to open his hand to help him put it on.

At this time, it was already May and the weather was getting hotter, Liu Yue'er and Xiaoman also began to wear silk light skirts, Lin Lian didn't like to wear silk shirts, so he wore robes close to his body. When Xiao Man helped Lin Tie get dressed, he saw the scar the size of a copper coin on his arm, and rubbed his finger on the scar in pain, and asked softly, "Does it still hurt?" ”

"Scarring doesn't hurt." Lin Jian said.

Xiaoman found that there was a shallow wound on Lin Lian's chest again, and his fingers touched it. Touching the slightly cool, delicate fingers like jade, Lin Jian subconsciously shrank a little, and Xiao Man smiled: "How old are you, you're still afraid of itching!" He deliberately stretched out his little hand to Lin Bin's armpit and scratched it, and his arms almost wrapped around Lin Bin's naked body.

"Haven't woken up yet?" Liu Yue'er pushed the door in, and when she saw Lin Jian and Xiaoman looking like this, she teased, "The master of the Lin family has passed away, but you guys have gone together." ”

"What nonsense? I'll help me get my son dressed. Xiao Man said embarrassedly, his little face flushed, and he hurriedly stood up straight and lowered his head to get dressed seriously for Lin Lian, thinking that it felt really comfortable to touch his skin with his fingers, but at this time he was embarrassed to touch it deliberately.

"Then you should get dressed quickly, the Seventh Lady and Shopkeeper Lin are outside, I'll go get some washing water." Liu Yue'er turned around and walked out.

Lin Lian looked down at Xiao Man tilting his head and arranging his clothes seriously, his hair was black and soft, his little face was extremely beautiful, his cheeks were like pearls, the beautiful jade was shining, and the corners of his small and red mouth were slightly upturned, like a clear spring, the spring rippled in his eyes, which was very attractive. Lin Lian pressed the thought in his heart and stood up in a regular manner, let Xiao Man dress him well, and went to the outer hall after Liu Yue'er called for washing his face.

Gu Yingsleeve stood in the corridor between the front hall and the back house, changed into plain white clothes, and didn't know what method she used, at this time, she also cried pear blossoms with rain, her eyes were red, but her face was extraordinarily charming.

Gu Yingsleeve glanced at Lin Lian twice, and said with a low eyebrow: "The master has passed, please Lin Xiucai come over and get an idea together......

Lin Jian walked over, grabbed her hand and shook it lightly and quickly let go, and walked into the front hall.

Lin Jian walked into the outer hall, and the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth ladies were all there, and their little son, Lin Xuxi, were all crying sadly and desolately.

Lin Tingxun was bedridden and couldn't move or speak, it had been more than half a year, and everyone had long been mentally prepared for his death, but in the past few days, he had left his hometown and fled south in a hurry, and the temporary resettlement conditions when he came to the estuary were also very difficult.

At the moment when Lin Jian walked in, several ladies wailed loudly, regardless of their manners.

Lin Jingzhong, Lin Mengde and the three elders of the Lin family, as well as Lin Xuhong, a cousin who has the closest relationship with Lin Tingxun, are all there. Seeing Lin Jian walk in, they all stood up to greet each other.

Lin Jian said: "Bad news came one after another, the head of the family is the pillar of the Lin family, and now the pillar has collapsed, the third lady, the fourth lady, the fifth lady, the sixth lady, the seventh lady, the little son and the three uncles ask for the festival to mourn and change, and many things of the Lin family still depend on everyone's decision." If there is anything that Lin Jian needs to do, you just have to give an order. Invite the three clan elders to sit down and discuss things, and then said to Lin Mengde, "What about the future, a few ladies and uncles have ideas, if there is anything, tell Jingzhong to do it; Please Uncle Mengde accompany me to see the last appearance of the head of the family......"

The second enclosed house on this side of the estuary has been built, and the Lin family came to Jiangning for refuge, and Lin Jingzhong squeezed out five single courtyards and temporarily resettled the Lin family inside.

Different from the exquisite courtyard of the Lin family's mansion, the single courtyard surrounding the house is very simple, with earthen walls and thatched roofs, and there are only three main houses and two ear rooms in the courtyard.

Ordinary refugees who have escaped from the upper forests are resettled in even more difficult conditions, usually with a family of several people huddled into a small, simple shack to shelter from the wind and rain; However, ordinary people are also easily satisfied, and they can still have hot food to eat on the way to escape, and they can also have shelter from the wind and rain to live in, which is very reassuring for them.

Of course, the Lin family's industry in Jiangning is not small, and it is also possible to prepare one or two large courtyards in the city to settle a few ladies, and the Jiyunju in the city is also empty. However, Lin Mengde remembered that Lin Lian had instructed him to wait for him to come back to make a decision, so they and Lin Jingzhong together found many excuses to let everyone stay at the mouth of the river temporarily.

Lin Jian rushed back at dawn, when everyone was sleeping, and he himself was too tired to care, and he didn't have time to care about the Lin family and the resettlement of the people fleeing in the forest.

Walking outside the thatched hall and walking to the surrounding house where Lin Tingxun stopped the mullion, Lin Jian asked Lin Mengde: "Why did everyone come to the thatched hall?" ”

There is nothing to make a fuss about Lin Tingxun's death itself, and how to deal with the key aftermath.

Lin Jian is a disciple of the side branch who has already set up his own door, and he is not allowed to make decisions about the funeral, even if the ladies and the three clan elders consider that the estuary is his territory, and send someone to report the funeral and invite him to discuss the funeral together, there is really no need to go to the grass hall to discuss the funeral together.

"The head of the family woke up for a moment before he took his last breath, and called a few ladies, clan elders and me over, but I didn't have time to inform you......" Lin Mengde said.

"There's no need to inform me, I know," Lin Jian said, "What are the last words of the head of the family?" ”

"The head of the family knows that he is returning to the light, and he wants everyone to do their best to support the little son, and he also said that you have always been a child of the Lin family, and I hope that a few ladies and clan elders will persuade you to agree to let Jiyun Club return to the Lin family after he passes!" Lin Mengde said.

"Uh," Lin Jian stopped, looked at Lin Mengde, and asked, "Is it true or false?" ”

"Can this lie?" Lin Mengde smiled bitterly, "I'm not alone. ”

Lin Tie held his chin with his hand, and after the two groups of people looked at him strangely, Lin Tie realized that he was distracted, he walked forward again, and asked Lin Mengde as he walked: "Do you say that the second master and the eldest son will be suspicious?" ”

"What suspicions do the second master have with the eldest son? What can be suspicious? Lin Mengde asked rhetorically.

"The Lin family can't stand the toss...... Lin Jian sighed, "It's not that simple." ”

Lin Tie didn't expect Lin Tingxun to be bedridden for half a year, unable to speak or move, but his mind was clear, after all, he didn't know what Lin Tingxun thought before he died, so he made such a decision.

Shanglin fell, most of the Lin family took refuge in Jiangning, if the Jiyun Society could return to the Lin clan at this time, and support the eleven-year-old Lin Xuxi as the head of the family, Lin Jian would naturally be able to preside over the affairs of the Lin family in the name of righteousness, and control the Lin family in his own hands.

If only it were that simple.

Now the most critical question is not the truth or falsity of Lin Tingxun's last words, but whether the second lord Lin Tingli and the eldest son Lin Xuwen will approve such an arrangement; Another one, in order to control the power of the Lin clan, Lin Zonghai has jumped up and down for more than half a year, and at this time he can sit and watch Lin Tie make a wedding dress for him?

walked into the mourning hall temporarily prepared for Lin Tingxun, and when Lin Tingxun returned to the light, he asked people to change his longevity clothes, and lay on the door panel of the hall at this time; Lin Jian looked at the body of Lin Tingxun, who was thin and only skinny and bones, and couldn't guess what he thought before he died.

Lin Lian stretched out his hand and touched Lin Tingxun's hard and cold wrist, before he made up his mind to say to Lin Mengde: "Since the head of the family said that everyone wants everyone to support the little son, then follow the master's testament; But I don't participate in the affairs of the Lin family, and now is not the time for the Jiyun Society to return to the Lin family......"

"Why?" Lin Mengde asked puzzledly, "The Lin family has suffered such a setback, I don't think anyone is more suitable than you to lead the Lin family out of the predicament." Even if the second master and the eldest prince will be suspicious, the last words of the head of the family have been heard by several ladies and clan elders, and they really can't be fake; Whatever the end, I'm on your side. ”

Lin Mengde was very anxious, over the years, although he was in charge of Jiangning, he always thought that he was just a child of the side branch, and he did not have a deep recognition and complacency of his status in the Lin family.

At this time, it was a good time for Lin Tie to grasp the Lin family, there was a good time, a favorable location, and the last words of the head of the family, Lin Tingxun, and he was clear and straightforward, he didn't expect Lin Tie to retreat.

Shanglinli fell, and the Lin family suffered a great loss, which was regarded as a heavy setback, but the gold and silver wealth that the Lin family transported to Jiangning at this time was no less than 200,000 taels of silver, and the Lin family's property in Jiangning and Lin Mengde's work was not small. Even if Shanglinli is occupied by the lake thieves at this time, even if the Lin family's house in Shanglin and the large and small expensive objects that they can't take away are all snatched up and burned by the lake thieves, but the Lin family's 20,000 acres of fertile land around Shanglinli and hundreds of acres of real estate in Shanglin will always be there, and when the government recovers Shanglinli, the land and real estate there will naturally return to the Lin family.

Lin Mengde never thought that Lin Jian would retreat before such a great opportunity, and he also said to Lin Jian in a hurry: "You are a very decisive person, how can you worry about the east and the west at this time?" ”

Lin Jian looked at Lin Mengde calmly and asked, "Uncle Mengde, can I trust you?" ”