Stepmother

The head housekeeper led Lin Yunwan and Xiruo to Zheng Shi's Courtyard.

Zheng Shi was making quite a show of herself. She was still asleep in the room when her Nanny Fan, Fan, came out and said, "Madam hasn't finished washing up yet, young lady, please wait a moment."

After saying that, he turned and went inside, not even glancing at Lin Yunwan.

However, Lin Yunwan was wearing a veil, so even if she wanted to look directly at her, she couldn't see her.

The mother who brought them there has also left.

Snow began to fall in the courtyard, and even the maids were reluctant to stay outside. Only Lin Yunwan and Xiruo remained under the eaves.

This is outrageous!

Xiruo said in a low voice, "Miss, this Madam wants to set some rules for you."

Lin Yunwan nodded.

She was also the mistress of the Inner Residence, so how could she not know Zheng Shi was thinking?

Xiruo could no longer hold back. She clenched her fist and said, "Miss, let's not see her anymore. Let's wait for Master Lin to give us an explanation!"

"Or we could go see Zhao directly... that would be fine too."

Zhao Jingyi the maternal uncle of Prince Huan.

She possesses a token, and the mere people of the Lin Residence family can't stop her. Finding Lord Zhao would be easy for her too! It's just a waste of Miss Lin's excellent status.

Lin Yunwan shook her head and said, "It seems this Madam doesn't know my identity. Think about it... this is a good thing."

The fewer people who know about her, the better.

What are troubles within the Inner Residence compared to that?

Xiruo a moment's thought, Xi Ruo calmed down.

She said softly, "... I can't let you suffer like this."

Lin Yunwan said calmly, "It's not that I'm wronged, it's that Miss Lin is too wronged. I want to become her, not only by borrowing her identity, but also by enduring her grievances, only then can I truly be like her."

She lifted her veil and smiled slightly, "Don't you think so?"

Xiruo was taken aback. "Yes."

Looking up at Lin Yunwan and composed eyes, I felt a deep sense of admiration.

The lady survived by the skin of her teeth, so she probably cherishes this opportunity very much.

Then she will follow Madam's orders!

Lin Yunwan lowered her veil, reached out and lifted the curtain by instinct, saying, "Let's go inside, it's cold outside."

Xiruo smiled and helped hold up the curtain, saying, "Miss, let me handle these things from now on."

Lin Yunwan went in first, followed by Xiruo.

The master and servant stayed inside; a stove burned in the middle of the Small Hall, making it much warmer than outside.

Nanny Fan heard the commotion, she came out and saw Lin Yunwan sitting upright wearing a veiled hat, with her maidservant beside the stove. Her eyes widened in surprise.

This country bumpkin is incredibly bold!

Nanny Fan frowned and said, "Eldest Miss, Madam hasn't told you to come in yet."

Lin Yunwan turned her head, her veil shifting slightly, and looked in the direction where Nanny Fan was standing, asking, "Did Madam instruct me to wait in the cold wind in the dead of winter?"

"This..."

Of course not!

Isn't that blatant mistreatment of the daughter of the first wife?

The Madam isn't stupid; why would she willingly bear this infamy?

But how could this country bumpkin be so stupid! She can't even understand what the Madam means; she's reckless and ignorant!

Nanny Fan changed her approach, saying, "The young lady didn't grow up in this household, so she may not know, but this is a rule of wealthy families."

"Oh? What are the rules?"

Nanny Fan raised her eyelids and said, "If the stepmother doesn't give the order, juniors must wait outside for instructions before entering. To barge into Madam's room is extremely impolite!"

"Any girl with even a modicum of manners wouldn't do such a thing."

Most young ladies from the Inner Residence would be mortified if they heard the Stewardess say that!

Nanny Fan paused, then continued with a touch of haughtiness, "The young lady didn't grow up in this household; she still has much to learn about manners."

"Let's start learning from here today. Go outside and wait for Madam's instructions."

The Small Hall was quiet, with only the occasional soft crackling of the embers in the stove.

Nanny Fan wore a smug smile.

Unmarried girls are shy, and their faces might already be flushed under their veils, perhaps even crying... but they are too timid to cry out loud.

Manipulating a country girl is a piece of cake!

Lin Yunwan chuckled softly.

Is this Zheng Shi afraid to take direct action, or is she simply too lazy to intervene personally? Sending a mother to discipline her stepdaughter while she herself is probably eavesdropping in the back room!

"What... what are you laughing at?"

Nanny Fan's face turned cold. Was this country girl out of her mind? Did she genuinely not understand her, or was she just pretending?

Lin Yunwan stood up and took a step closer, asking Nanny Fan, "Did you just say I have no manners?"

Her voice was very calm; she didn't sound frightened at all.

On the contrary, he was quite calm!

Those who didn't know her might have thought she was a legitimate young lady raised in the mansion since childhood, which explained her confidence.

Nanny Fan was somewhat puzzled, still not believing that a country girl could say anything so profound, so she said, "Young lady, such rudeness is truly ill-mannered!"

Lin Yunwan said calmly, "It's the father's fault if he doesn't raise his children properly. It seems you want to blame the master, Mother?"

"Don't worry, Mother, I will pass your words on to Master. But I don't know what your surname is, Mother. I need to explain it to Master clearly, word by word, so that he doesn't mistake you for someone else."

Is this... is someone going to complain to the master?

Nanny Fan's face changed, and she stammered, "Eldest Miss, I... I'm acting as Madam..."

Lin Yunwan said coldly, "Using 'I' to address Miss as such, is this the rule of the Lin Residence?"

"It's been over a decade since he's returned. I'd like to ask this lady, when did the master change the rules of the manor?"

Lin Yunwan spoke calmly and without any urgency, responding easily.

On the contrary, it Nanny Fan was so frightened that she broke out in a sweat.

This Eldest Miss isn't pretending to be stupid; she's got a sharp tongue!

Isn't she from the countryside? How come she's so eloquent?

Nanny Fan stammered, "I... I... I..."

"Step down."

After eavesdropping for a while, Zheng Shi emerged from the inner room, lifting the curtain to come out.

Lin Yunwan and Xiruo both looked up, somewhat surprised. What a magnificent woman!

She wore a crimson brocade jacket and an eggplant-colored Zong Skirt, and her hair was styled in a very dignified woman's bun. There were two hairpins and one hair ornament in her hair. The gold hairpins were nothing special, but the bright green jade hair ornament was obviously very valuable at first glance.

Moreover, brocade satin was a very rare material, and not every noblewoman in the Capital could afford to wear it.

The dress Zheng Shi was wearing was also woven with gold thread.

On her wrist was a pair of bright green jade bracelets, the color of which was exactly the same as the hairpin in her hair. They must have come from the same stone, or they must have been specially acquired at a high price.

Lin Yunwan thought to herself, "Master Lin must dote on Zheng Shi very much."

The Lin family was considered a prominent family in Jiangqian, but the branch of the Master Lin was not the mainstay of the Lin Clan.

Simply put, the Lin family is not an extremely wealthy family.

Zheng Shi was actually able to dress up like this...

No wonder the original Miss Lin lived such a miserable life.