Jia Minxian died, and Lin Ruhai ordered Lin Daiyu to keep filial piety at home in accordance with the ancient rites, and at the same time extended his teacher to Jia Yucun. However, Jia's mother sent a boat to greet her and wanted to enter Beijing. In the face of this change, although Lin Ruhai was in a high position, held authority, and knew the decline of Jiafu, he did not categorically refuse, and opposed Jia Yucun to escort Daiyu to the north. The reason for this is beyond the reach of ordinary thinking, and it is actually the result of Lin Ruhai's filial piety and foresight.
Lin Ruhai, as a tanhualang, is also a patrol of the salt imperial history, although the position is not obvious, in fact, it is powerful, admired by officials and businessmen, and has extensive knowledge. Although Jiafu is one of the four major families, the century-old wealth has been declining, and it is strong on the outside and dry in the middle. According to common sense, Lin Ruhai could have relied on his own strength to create a favorable living environment for Daiyu, refused Jia's mother's request, and kept her under his knees. However, he resolutely sent his daughter to Beijing, not out of the concept of advanced education, or a premonition that his life would end, but because of his unique understanding and practice of the word "filial piety".
Filial piety, in feudal society, is not only the cornerstone of moral norms, but also the glue of interpersonal relationships, especially within the family, it maintains the social order of the upper and lower, the elder and the younger. Lin Ruhai sent Daiyu to Beijing, which seems to be against filial piety, but in fact he is following the principle of filial piety. Jia's mother means not only the love for her granddaughter, but also the consideration of the continuation of the family bloodline. If Lin Ruhai is stubborn and insists on keeping her daughter and keeping her filial piety, although Daiyu's filial piety is demonstrated, it may touch Jia's mother, which violates the "filial piety" of the younger generation to obey the elders. The two sides weighed and sent Daiyu to Beijing, which not only satisfied Jia's mother's loving heart, but also was obedient to Jia's mother's wishes, which was actually a consideration of double filial piety.
Lin Ruhai's actions are just like Mr. Fei Xiaotong's interpretation of filial piety in "Rural China" - children need to gain insight into the temperament of their elders and conform to their preferences, so as to seek peace of mind from their elders. Lin Ruhai knew this well and knew Jia's mother's ardent expectations for Daiyu, so she couldn't bear to cut her love and send her daughter to the capital. This move is not only about Daiyu's personal fate, but also about maintaining the harmony of family relations and reflecting the filial piety to Jia's mother.
Looking closely at "Dream of Red Mansions", Lin Ruhai's choice is not an isolated case. Xue Baochai's fifteenth birthday, Jia's mother gave twenty-two lives to Wang Xifeng, Baochai figured out Jia's mother's mind, and clicked on the soft and sweet food and Jia's mother's favorite play, which won Jia's mother's favor. On Wang Xifeng's birthday, he also instructed You to organize it according to Jia's mother's preferences, all of which were "filial piety" to obey the elders and please them. The behaviors of Lin Ruhai, Xue Baochai, and Wang Xifeng seem to be different, but in fact they are the same, and they are all pious practices of the word "filial piety".
Jia Yuanchun's provincial affair revealed the supreme status of "filial piety" in the society at that time. Jia Yuanchun is a virtuous concubine, and the act of provincial relatives is ostensibly the royal favor to Jiafu, but in fact, the prince uses it to show filial piety and soothe the concubines in the palace to miss their parents, in order to seek family happiness and conform to heavenly harmony. The words of Jia Lian and Jia Yuanchun all reveal the supremacy of "filial piety" in the royal family and even the whole society, as well as its far-reaching impact on personal destiny, the rise and fall of the family, and even the stability of the country.
Lin Ruhai sent Lin Daiyu to Beijing alone, which seems to be contrary to common sense, but in fact contains profound filial piety wisdom. He knew that in the feudal ethical system, filial piety was not only the embodiment of personal cultivation, but also an important link to maintain family relations and social order. In the face of Jia's mother's request, Lin Ruhai judged the situation and took the principle of double filial piety as the principle to give up the selfishness of the small family and fulfill Jia's mother's wish, so as to express his love and obedience to his elders, and show the difficult choice and wisdom of the feudal scholars and doctors between family responsibilities and personal feelings. Daiyu's journey to Beijing began, which was not only a turning point in her personal fate, but also a manifestation of Lin Ruhai's family strategy based on filial piety and strategizing.