Taking Action

"Alright, stop crying so late at night!"

Lin Huabin had a terrible headache.

He has to attend a banquet at Prince Huan's Residence tomorrow and will have to deal with many people, so he just wants to get a good night's rest tonight.

Zheng Shi refused, tears streaming down her face. "You have no feelings for me or Jiao'er at all!"

"You said we were of one mind as husband and wife, that we would never hide anything from each other, yet you've been hiding so much wealth from me!"

"Today it's for my eldest daughter, but who knows what she'll be up to tomorrow, chasing after other women."

Zheng Shi grew increasingly heartbroken, "No... I'm afraid I won't live to see tomorrow. Maybe you were already..."

"I... I was so blind! I was willing to die for you all those years!"

"You've forgotten what you swore to me!"

Lin Huabin was quite helpless and could only say with a bitter face, "Those aren't my private funds."

"Don't lie to me! All those things, did they just appear out of thin air?"

Lin Huabin said, "... That was part of Yun Wan's mother's dowry."

He glanced at Zheng Shi and said, "I kept some for myself. Now that Yun Wan is back, I'll give it to her first. Otherwise, she'll be left with nothing, and people will gossip."

"Don't forget, the Elder Brother's and Third Younger Brother's families live on the east and west sides respectively. There are many people watching our mansion."

Was it that brat's mother's dowry?

Zheng Shi stopped crying.

She wiped away her tears and said, "Didn't you say her dowry was all...? How come you secretly kept some of it?"

Lin Huabin gave her a cool look and asked, "What do you think?"

Zheng Shi felt a pang of guilt.

She whispered, "Then you shouldn't have kept it from me!"

Lin Huabin snorted coldly.

Just as Zheng Shi calmed down, she pulled a long face and said, "No, don't try to fool me! My people went to check, and it's not some old thing from over ten years ago at all! The materials are all fashionable, how could it be..."

Lin Huabin interrupted her, "Some of them have been used for too long and are no longer usable. I had someone exchange them for new ones, and I didn't pay a single penny extra. This avoids gossip and saves both of us trouble. What's wrong with that?"

That seems to make sense.

Zheng Shi had some inexplicable suspicions, but couldn't figure out what was wrong.

Lin Huabin seized the opportunity and sat down next to Zheng Shi to comfort her, saying, "You and Yun Jiao are always the most important people in my heart. You know what I've done for you all these years."

"Even the Old Madam has distanced herself from me because of this. What more do you want from me?"

Speaking of this, Zheng Shi still felt very guilty.

She said softly, "I'm just afraid you don't care about us, mother and child..."

"How could this be!"

Lin Huabin recalled his childhood, "I was the second child in the family. My Elder Brother was the eldest son, and my Third Younger Brother was the most pampered. I was stuck in the middle, neither here nor there... Only you didn't dislike me and cared for me."

There were three Legitimate Sons in the family, and he was the least favored.

But Zheng Shi loved him wholeheartedly; it was a happiness that even his own mother couldn't give him!

Zheng Shi felt a sweet warmth in her heart, and she said gently, "It's good that you understand my feelings, my lord."

Lin Huabin smiled.

With his beautiful wife and adorable daughter, he was quite content.

Zheng Shi sighed and said, "But I'm worried that my Jiao'er will be heartbroken..."

Lin Huabin said, "Jiao'er is sometimes too spoiled; you need to teach her a lesson."

Zheng Shi said with heartache, "How much longer can our Jiao'er stay at home! If you don't love her, who will?"

Lin Huabin is willing to support his daughter for life, but it's still not a very respectable thing to do!

He hesitated for a while, but eventually gave in.

Zheng Shi smiled and said, "Master, how about..."

"Um?"

Lin Huabin raised an eyebrow.

What do you want now?

Zheng Shi said, "Why don't we give all of Yun Wan's things to Jiao'er? Jiao'er won't be sad and angry. I'll get more for Yun Wan..."

Yun Wan could never use anything better than her daughter!

"No!"

Lin Huabin pushed Zheng Shi aside, stood with his hands behind his back, and said sternly, "Don't even think about taking anything from Yun Wan!"

That was sent by Zhao Jingyi. If it ended up on his daughter and Zhao Jingyi saw it...

They'll get what's coming to them!

Zheng Shi's heart sank.

Well, she says she and her daughter come first, but she can't bear to see Yun Wan suffer even the slightest grievance!

"Master, then you should explain it to Jiao'er yourself tomorrow! I really can't bear to tell her—that you, as her father, are biased towards Yun Wan!"

She turned her head away and started throwing a tantrum too!

"You!"

Lin Huabin stormed off, yelling, "Nonsense!"

He has social engagements tomorrow and doesn't have the energy to argue with Zheng Shi here!

"Master..."

Zheng Shi thought Lin Huabin wouldn't leave, so she waited for a long time before finally chasing after him, only to find that he had actually left!

She turned and went inside, covered her face and cried.

Nanny Fan came in and comforted her, "Madam, you still have to take the Second Miss to Prince Huan's Residence tomorrow, please stop crying."

Zheng Shi wiped away her tears and went to sleep.

A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan.

She told herself not to lose sight of the bigger picture.

The next day.

Lin Yunwan washed and dressed, intending to go with her maids to pay their respects to Zheng Shi.

Nanny Fan had already come ahead to say, "Eldest Miss, don't go yet. Just wait at the Second Gate. Madam will be here shortly."

No need for greetings?

Lin Yunwan found it strange; why would Zheng Shi let go of the opportunity to torment her?

Nanny Fan left in a panic, refusing to say anything more.

Xiruo sensed something was wrong. She said, "Why is Nanny Fan acting like she's seen a ghost? What is she afraid of?"

Lin Yunwan thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "I'm afraid Yun Jiao will see me."

It seems Lin Huabin can't completely control the Zheng Shi!

Xiruo hearing this, Lin Yunwan's attire: a Xiang Consort color Kesi jacket and Zong Skirt, her long hair tied back, adorned with a jade hairpin and a pair of small pearls on her fair earlobes—simple yet luxurious, bright and beautiful.

It stands out from the crowd wherever it is placed.

"If Yun Jiao saw you, she'd be furious."

Xiruo stood beside Lin Yunwan and said, "This servant will protect you."

To prevent Lin Yunjiao from doing anything excessive.

Lin Yunwan thought for a moment and said to Xiruo, "If the master can't control the Madam and the Second Miss, you should take action when necessary."

Xiruo, having received the order, smiled and said, "Yes!"