Chapter 409: Chapter 394 Siblings
Yuwen Jing was in a terrible mood. Lin Cheng’s death in Jiangnan had severed one of his strongest supports. When news of Lin Cheng’s death in Yangzhou reached the Lin Residence, the heavily pregnant Princess Huaying was so shocked that she experienced abdominal pain. After a difficult labor lasting an entire day and night, she gave birth to a son. However, her body was gravely injured, and she fell into a coma. The Dowager, heartbroken for her daughter, petitioned the Empress to leave the palace and visit Huaying and her grandson. A heavy sorrow hung over the Lin Family; even the birth of a newborn brought no joy.
Lin Cheng had always been the Lin Residence’s pillar. After Yuwen Jing ascended the throne, Lin Cheng’s power and status surpassed those of his father, Minister Lin, with authority in his grasp. Even family heads such as the Li Family, the Cai Family, and the Zhou Family treated him with great respect—respect that Minister Lin had never before enjoyed. Over the past six months, Minister Lin had reveled in his successes.
Before Lin Cheng was dispatched to Jiangnan, there had been no rumors of plague in the Capital City. Minister Lin had even greedily hoped that Lin Cheng might secretly pocket a portion of the Su Family’s fortune; even a mere fraction slipping through his fingers would have been enough to sustain the Lin Family. For this, Lin Cheng reprimanded him. Yuwen Jing was no fool or incompetent ruler; he was shrewd, shadowy, and ruthless. If the Lin Family dared to pocket a single penny and Yuwen Jing discovered it, they would surely fall out of favor with him.
Now that Lin Cheng was gone, and Lin Xiao had been stripped of his name, even though they now had a grandson, who could say what the future held for the child? It would be at least a dozen years before he came of age.
Moreover, the grandson carried half the bloodline of the Yuwen Family. Princess Huaying, while gentle and graceful in front of Lin Cheng, was outwardly soft but inwardly strong. The late emperor’s grown children had relatively good relationships with one another. Although Prince Duan and Princess Huaying were not born of the same mother, their bond was excellent. Prince Duan often visited the Princess Mansion to see her. After Lin Cheng went to Jiangnan, his visits became even more frequent—their sibling relationship was stronger than that of many full-blooded siblings.
The Lin Family might not even have a hand in raising the grandson.
Thus, the Lin Residence was plunged into grief by Lin Cheng’s death. Princess Huaying, with only half a month left until her due date, had insufficient preparations, resulting in a difficult childbirth. Minister Lin and his wife were more concerned about their new grandson. After the grandson’s birth, apart from the princess’s personal maidservants tending to her, everyone else doted exclusively on the child.
The Dowager, upon seeing the cold delivery room and the Lin Family’s inadequate care for her daughter during childbirth, was deeply angered. Four days after Princess Huaying’s labor, the Dowager took her daughter and grandson back to the Princess Mansion to recuperate. Not even Minister Lin could stop her.
To placate the Lin Family, Yuwen Jing bestowed many gifts upon them, and the Empress also sent rewards to Princess Huaying. The Dowager decided to stay at the Princess Mansion to care for Huaying. Lin Cheng’s death dealt a heavy blow to the Lin Family, and with Huaying taking the child away, it was an added misfortune on top of their misery.
Yuwen Jing was even more displeased. Lin Cheng, along with Chen Mo and Zhang Bolan, had been his most effective and loyal aides. Each had their own responsibilities, helping Yuwen Jing control the Capital City and keeping all military forces firmly under his command. Now that Lin Cheng was dead, Yuwen Jing had to promote someone new to take Lin Cheng’s place. Zhang Bolan was the best candidate.
The Capital City’s military power had to remain in the hands of someone he trusted.
Lin Helin had designs on the military power Lin Cheng once wielded, but he chose to bide his time. Over the past six months, he had already secured control of the Capital’s administrative appointments, so there was no need to rush. After Lin Cheng went to Yangzhou, Lin Helin had dispatched assassins to lay an inescapable trap at the relay station on Lin Cheng’s return route, intending to end his life. However, when the plague broke out, Lin Helin withdrew his people, focusing instead on disaster relief and managing resources for Jiangnan, diverting his attention from factional struggles.
Now that Lin Cheng was dead, it served Lin Helin’s purposes just as well, saving him the effort.
The Capital City’s entire New Year was marked by gloom, and even the palace ceased its festivities. It was only on Lantern Festival that the palace hosted a banquet, with officials gathering to partake. Yuwen Jing and Lin Yushu sat at the head table, feasting with the officials. Both Lin Helin and Zhang Boju attended the banquet, during which Lin Helin stepped away to the Queen’s bedroom.
The one-year-old Abao was an obedient and adorable child who had already learned to speak a few simple words. Because his uncle visited often, he was very familiar with him. When Lin Helin held him, Abao would giggle with delight. The saying "a nephew takes after his uncle" couldn’t be more accurate—little Abao even bore some resemblance to Lin Helin and looked very much like a Lin Family child.
Lin Helin doted on his little nephew immensely and occasionally considered bringing his sister and nephew to his home to care for them, fearing that they might encounter unforeseen dangers in the palace. Since the Marquis Mansion’s annihilation, Lin Helin had always carried a vague sense of unrest. For this reason, he had placed many people within the palace to watch over Lin Yushu and Abao.
"Brother, the Empress Dowager has recently been keeping Abao in her chambers overnight. Every time he is taken to Cining Palace, I can’t sleep for the entire night. The Empress Dowager wishes to be close to her grandson, and I can’t refuse her." Ever since Abao had once caught a cold, Lin Yushu had regarded him as her dearest treasure, terrified of any harm befalling him.
Lin Helin handed Abao over to the wet nurse, instructing her to take him to the side hall to rest. Abao, reluctant to part with his uncle, bounced in protest but eventually let the wet nurse carry him away. Only after she had gone some distance did Lin Helin finally speak. "Abao is the only child in the palace, and the Empress Dowager is his grandmother. She will surely take good care of him. You needn’t worry. Focus on recuperating. Your health hasn’t been good since giving birth to Abao—don’t push yourself too hard. The affairs of the court are in your brother’s hands. In the harem, you don’t need to endure grievances. If you are genuinely worried for Abao, tell the Empress Dowager the truth. She won’t refuse you."