The Great Night Watch

Chapter 5 The Courtesan's Farewell

The ancestral hall was solemn and dignified. Before the mourning hall, the ancestral tablets of the Lin family were arranged in ten tiers, representing ten generations of ancestors over two hundred years. Lin Su's gaze swept down from top to bottom…

Lin Xiliang, General of the Northern Garrison of the Great Cang Kingdom…

Lin Lijun, General of the Cavalry of the Great Cang Kingdom…

Lin Wanfang, General of the Cavalry of the Earl of Xiaoyong of the Great Cang Kingdom…

The Lin family had been a military family for two hundred years, with generations of generals. There was only one exception: the tablet at the very bottom, in the center, bore only seven characters: "The Spirit of Lord Lin Dingnan."

This was his father, originally the Marquis of Dingnan, commander of the Blood Rain Pass, but stripped of his title and rank. His memorial tablet bore only his name, without any other title. The second brother inserted an incense stick into the incense burner in front of their father, then knelt down with a thud: "Father, when you departed, your third brother couldn't return in time. Today I've come to offer incense to you. Father, rest assured, no matter how the world changes, no matter how the world turns, as long as I have a breath left, I will protect Mother and my brothers!"

After kowtowing nine times, he slowly rose: "Third brother, come here!"

Lin Su respectfully placed the incense stick in his hand into the incense burner, also kowtowing nine times, and slowly stood up.

"Second brother, what exactly caused Father's death?"

The second brother's eyes flashed with anger, and he spoke at length…

The Lin family's situation was actually a common problem in feudal society…

The duty of military generals was to kill the enemy and defend the borders; their attitude towards foreign affairs was war.

Civil officials firmly believed in the influence of Confucian classics, and their attitude towards foreign affairs was weak and ambiguous.

This created a political environment of stark contrast between civil and military officials.

Civil officials controlled the discourse, while military generals were increasingly marginalized. Eventually, this led to the bizarre situation where military officers rarely attended court. In popular culture, the military even became synonymous with lowliness, and society as a whole valued civil officials over military ones.

In this environment, no military family dared to act rashly. Lin Dingnan was no exception. He was well aware of the treacherous nature of officialdom and always acted with extreme caution and humility, which was why he was granted the title of marquis. However, even fate can be unpredictable.

Last year, one of his subordinates colluded with the demon race, becoming a shameful traitor to humanity. How could Lin Dingnan let him go? He was court-martialed, but it turned out this man had deep connections with the court. Minister of War Zhang Wenyuan fabricated facts, falsely accusing Lin Dingnan of treason. His Majesty dispatched a team to Xueyu Pass to investigate, but this team was also controlled by court officials. Ultimately, they determined Lin Dingnan was guilty of treason, leading to the downfall of the Dingnan Marquis's mansion.

Lin Su was furious. What kind of court was this?

Soldiers protected their country, and behind them, a bunch of people were trying to kill them, fabricating charges without any evidence, and the culprit was none other than the Minister of War, who was in charge of military affairs!

The second brother concluded this tragic story with a single sentence: "Fortunately, His Majesty still remembered the Lin family's two hundred years of military service and ten generations of military achievements, and did not exterminate the entire Lin family. My eldest brother is still serving at the border and was unaffected, and Mother was spared."

Lin Su breathed a sigh of relief: "Mother's illness... is it serious?"

The second brother said, "Mother fell ill due to emotional distress. If she takes medicine and is supplemented with the *Guiding Qi* text, she will recover quickly. However, none of the doctors in the city dare to come to our door. Based solely on the *Guiding Qi* text, Mother may have to endure several more days of suffering."

Lin Su was slightly startled: "What do you mean that the doctors in the city dare not come to our door?"

"According to..." "But it's still the Zhang family's oppression! Zhang Wenyuan's hometown is also in Haining, and their suppression of the Lin family is everywhere. The Lin family wanted to sell some timber and furniture to make ends meet, but no one dared to come to their door. Even the doctor dared not visit when Mother fell ill, all because they were afraid of the Zhang family and fearing being caught in the crossfire… But please rest assured, Third Brother, tomorrow I will go to the city gate to sell calligraphy and write letters, and I will at least be able to ensure the Lin family has a hot soup…"

The Second Brother, considering that Lin Su had just returned from a long journey, told him to go and rest. He, however, walked with faltering steps into the study. He still needed to study and prepare for the imperial examination. Looking at his trying-to-straighten back, Lin Su felt a pang of sadness for some reason.

He couldn't imagine the immense pressure a scholar in this feudal society had endured these past few months: his father dead, his mother ill, the entire burden of the Marquis's mansion suddenly resting on his shoulders.

He was a scholar of Confucian classics; he wasn't inherently suited to bearing the weight of family troubles. Could he shoulder all of this?

He was back; he was a member of this family again!

Regardless of whether he was before or not, now… he was!

Lin Su returned to the west courtyard, his former little courtyard.

The courtyard was dilapidated. Under the dim lamplight stood a maid, Xiao Yao!

"Brother!" Xiao Yao ran over, grabbed his hand, and rubbed her head against his waist.

Lin Su gently patted her head: "Xiao Yao, I promised you I'd find you candy all over the city, but I can't do it today."

"Brother, why are you saying that? It's like Xiao Yao really likes candy. Xiao Yao doesn't like candy, really." Xiao Yao denied it, but the glistening smile at the corner of her mouth betrayed her.

Lin Su smiled softly: "Go to sleep. I know you didn't sleep well last night."

"Okay!"

Xiao Yao slept in the side room outside Lin Su's bedroom, and soon her even breathing filled the room; she was sleeping soundly.

As for Lin Su, he lay on his back on his large bed, tossing and turning for most of the night, until just as the first hint of dawn was breaking, he finally fell asleep.

The next day, when the sun was high in the sky, Lin Su finally woke up. He left the courtyard and went to his mother's main hall, wanting to check on her illness. Just as he was about to enter, a cry of alarm came from inside: "Second Young Master, what's wrong...?"

Lin Su pushed open the main hall door and saw his second brother lying on the ground, his face completely pale. Xiao Tao and his mother hurriedly helped him up.

Lin Su rushed forward and helped her second brother up: "Second brother, what's wrong?"

Her mother sobbed uncontrollably: "It's all my fault! Even a scholar would exhaust all his literary energy writing a single essay, but your second brother has been writing two essays a day for days. How could he not be exhausted? Xiao Tao, quickly prepare some soup for the second young master… Erlang, lie down…"

Lin Su and her mother worked together to help her second brother onto the bed. He finally caught his breath and slowly opened his eyes…

Just then, a voice suddenly came from outside: "Excuse me, is Lin Jialiang, the second young master, here?"

It was a clear, crisp female voice.

Lin Su looked through the window and saw a petite woman in blue standing before Xiao Tao, who had just stepped out. She was dressed as a man, but clearly a girl.

Xiao Tao said, "And you are…?"

The woman replied, "I am Cui'er, who serves Miss Yu Lou at Yu Xiang Lou… I have come to request an audience with Young Master Jia Liang…"

Xiao Tao said, "The Second Young Master is unwell and may not be able to receive guests."

Cui'er cried out anxiously, "What should we do?… Sister, please, please let me see the Young Master. It's urgent and cannot be delayed."

"Then… come in!"

Cui'er and Xiao Tao entered the main hall. Lin Jialiang, lying on the bed, was startled upon seeing the woman: "Cui'er, it's you! Is it Yu Lou... what happened?"

"Second Young Master!" Cui'er said, "Did you know that Sister Yu Lou resigned from her brothel today?"

Resigning from a brothel is a step that all courtesans take. In their youth, they sell smiles in the brothel; when they grow old and are no longer suited to this profession, resigning and marrying into a wealthy family as a concubine is the best outcome. Although Yu Lou was the top courtesan of Yu Xiang Lou, she could not escape this rule of the brothel.

Lin Jialiang stared blankly, lost in thought: "She once said she would leave Yuxianglou, but I didn't know it would happen today... She asked you to come here, it's because..."

"This servant went out today without telling my sister. Last night, she secretly hid the invitation Yuxianglou wrote to you, young master, because she didn't want you to attend the farewell gathering. She knows that Zhang Xiu, the son of the Minister of War, along with many talented scholars from Quzhou, has been plotting to cut off your literary path. Attending any literary gathering would be extremely dangerous for you." "I know you're right, sister, but I'm still worried. Zhang Xiu has already declared he'll take you home with him at the farewell party. How can you resist? What if you jump into that fire... how can you ever go back and have another Mid-Autumn Festival chat with the young master?"

Lin Jia's conscience was in turmoil, her whole body trembling...

Lin's mother sighed softly: "Second Brother, Yu Lou's concerns are indeed reasonable. You should rest and observe the situation." “But…but the Zhang family…” Lin Jialiang’s chest heaved rapidly, her face pale with a slight blush…

Lin’s mother said, “The Zhang family plotted to harm your father, and they can’t stand to see the Lin family rise again. As the Lin family’s only scholar, you are a thorn in their side. Everyone knows the Zhang family’s intention to cut off your path to scholarship. Now that you’re no longer under the protection of the Marquis’s mansion, even if you were healthy, going there would be extremely dangerous, let alone with your current condition…” "Going would be pointless, and it would only implicate Miss Yulou..."

Lin Jialiang stared blankly at the rooftop, then suddenly coughed violently. When he removed his hand from his mouth, a shocking pool of bright red blood appeared on his palm...

Lin's mother was horrified. She wiped the blood from her son's face with her sleeve and helped him to bed...

Cui'er was also terrified, staring blankly, her face ashen...

Lin Su gently tugged at her, and Cui'er followed him out of the room, bewildered.

As soon as she stepped out of the room, Cui'er knelt down before Lin Su with a thud: "Young Master, I truly didn't expect this to happen, causing the Second Young Master to vomit blood and fall ill. It was all my fault..."

"Cui'er, I know you meant well, thank you!" Lin Su helped her up: "You've seen my second brother's condition... Can the Cilou Gathering be postponed?"

"No, the invitations have already been sent out," Cui'er replied.

Lin Su hesitated for a moment: "Then... I'll go!"

Cui'er was suddenly startled. You're attending? That's a literary gathering, are you a scholar?

"You go back first, I'll go myself later!"

Cui'er hesitated for a moment, then took out an invitation from her bosom, saying, "Third Young Master, this invitation was drafted by the Pavilion Master. Sister Yulou hid it after seeing it, and I secretly took it back. I really don't know if it's right or wrong. You and Second Young Master should discuss it. I'm leaving now..."

She turned and left.

Lin Su opened the red invitation. On it was written a line of neat small characters: "Respectfully inviting you, Young Master Lin Jialiang, one of the Ten Outstanding Talents of Quzhou, to a farewell banquet for Miss Yulou to be held at Haining Pavilion at noon on April 21st. Your attendance is cordially invited."

The signature at the bottom read: Yuxiang Pavilion.

A farewell banquet, a gathering of scholars, the Ten Talented Scholars of Quzhou…

Lin Su's mind raced back to what Xiao Cui and his mother had just said…

Using the literary gathering as an opportunity to cut off his second brother's literary path? He knew the literary path was the path for scholars, but could a mere banquet really sever someone's literary path? How? Why did his mother say it was so dangerous?

The literary gathering was at noon, with two or three hours to go. He needed to fully understand the literary ways of this world.

Lin Su walked towards his second brother's study…