Morning and Evening Greetings

Let's find some time to offer Eternal Light Lamp for Miss Lin!

"You must be tired too, get some rest."

Lin Yunwan went to bed.

She tossed and turned a little tonight.

Deep down, she definitely didn't want to ask the Prince for help. She already owed Prince too much, and besides, what kind of woman would she be constantly asking the Prince for favors?

She wasn't an unmarried young girl, and her concern wasn't just about overstepping the bounds of propriety; she felt that her close connection with the Prince was simply...

It's all too unclear.

She's not a child; there are some things she can't lie to herself about.

Lin Yunwan admonished herself not to be lazy or greedy, and to uphold the principles in her heart.

If you can do something yourself, you don't need to ask others for help.

However, one should still make a request to the Bodhisattva, since one doesn't have to repay what one owes the Bodhisattva.

In March, as spring began, Lin Yunwan chose an auspicious day to visit Lin Huabin and discuss her trip to Ci'en Temple with him.

"Sir, we have deceased elders in our family, and I am unable to fulfill my filial duties or perform rituals for them. I would like to offer Eternal Light Lamp in their memory."

Lin Huabin's expression was very gentle.

He guessed that she was referring to her birth mother! If her birth mother hadn't died, Zhao Jingyi wouldn't have sent her to him to be raised!

"My dear Niece, you're such a Filial Piety child. Go if you want to."

Lin Yunwan said, "Madam, she needs you, sir..."

Lin Huabin assured her, "You don't need to worry about that, I'll talk to my Madam."

Lin Yunwan curtsied and said, "This junior takes her leave."

When she went out, Xiruo was waiting for her outside. She helped her put on a purple cloak and asked, "Did Master agree?"

Lin Yunwan nodded and said, "We should receive news in the next few days."

When Lin Huabin went to sleep with Zheng Shi that night, he brought up this matter.

"Take her to Ci'en Temple to pray for blessings and get rid of the bad luck. Also, she said she wants to offer Eternal Light Lamp; don't stop her."

It's so annoying to go out just for my stepdaughter!

Now they want to offer Eternal Light Lamp? Zheng Shi was furious. "After all these years, you still remember her mother? What's with the Eternal Light Lamp! Her memorial tablet is already enough to annoy me, and now you want to offer Eternal Light Lamp too!"

Why do you keep blaming Yun Wan's birth mother for everything?

Lin Huabin, though suffering in silence, patiently said, "She was keeping Eternal Light Lamp for her loyal servant, saying she kept dreaming about him and felt guilty. How can you not even tolerate this?"

Zheng Shi felt somewhat guilty, but she refused to admit it, coldly scoffing, "Are you blaming me for being stingy as your mother? Don't you even see how Filial Piety your good daughter is to her stepmother!"

What happened to Yun Wan?

Lin Huabin was skeptical. He knew that the boy was a sensible child who knew when to advance and retreat. Although he had a stubborn temper, he was still very well-behaved.

Mentioning this made Zheng Shi even angrier. "I've never seen a daughter greet her stepmother, let alone expect her to be waited for by her stepmother!"

"The sun is high in the sky, and I've been tidying up the house for hours before she finally arrived!"

Zheng Shi continued coldly, "And her maid! That wild country bumpkin, big and burly, even more formidable than the Matron in our household! That day at Prince Huan's Residence, Yun Wan ordered this maid to beat up all the maids and Matron around Yun Jiao!"

"I've never seen such a formidable maid before!"

"Master, I pity Yun Wan, she came from the countryside and has no one to serve her properly, so she's been left to be served by this wild maid. But this girl is so unruly! She must be punished!"

Lin Huabin was somewhat skeptical of Zheng Shi's words.

Zheng Shi has quite a temper; if she couldn't stand Xiruo's behavior, she would have dealt with her long ago instead of waiting until now.

Of course, he didn't know that Zheng Shi had been busy inquiring about the selection of Princess Consort by the Prince Huan's Residence, and had no time to care about Xiruo.

Lin Huabin still asked, "How do you want to handle this?"

Zheng Shi had already thought this through and said decisively, "There are rules for maids entering the manor. Either they are released from the manor or they are allowed to stay. If she wants to be a maid in the Lin Residence, she has to sign a contract of indenture. Otherwise, if she stays in the inner courtyard every day and overhears some family secrets, she will gossip and we won't be able to control her!"

These words struck a chord with Lin Huabin.

He could support Zhao Jingyi's daughter, but he couldn't keep a spy in the mansion, especially one as cunning as her...

"It's about taking her indenture; you decide!"

Zheng Shi smiled.

The indenture must be signed; once it's signed, it's in her hands. Why would she worry that this maid wouldn't obey her?

Isn't that tantamount to cutting off the stepdaughter's hands?

Lin Huabin said, "I'll do whatever you want. Don't make excuses about offering incense. As the legal wife, even if it's not for Yun Wan, at least for the sake of our reputation as a couple."

Zheng Shi said, "I understand! Tomorrow I will take her and Yun Jiao to Ci'en Temple to offer incense and pray for blessings."

"There are also Eternal Light Lamps. Are you satisfied now?"

Lin Huabin nodded; the couple, after their argument, were still inseparable.

The next day.

Lin Yunwan only went to pay her respects to Zheng Shi after she had slept comfortably.

When she went there this time, Lin Huabin was also there. As soon as she saw the couple's expressions, she knew that Zheng Shi was going to cause trouble again.

"Greetings to the master Madam."

She curtsied slightly, and Zheng Shi gave a soft hum, but did not tell her to get up.

Lin Huabin then spoke gently, "Please sit down."

Zheng Shi stirred the tea leaves with the lid of her teacup, lowered her brows, and said sarcastically, "When I was at home, if my parents had to wait for me like this, they would have knelt in the ancestral hall for at least three days."

"I am not your biological mother, and if I treat you strictly, I'm afraid I'll be seen as harsh."

"But you, as my daughter, should really respect me! It wouldn't be in vain that I've shown you so much consideration."

Lin Huabin sat silently beside her, clearly agreeing with his wife's words.

Although she is not their biological daughter, she has come to their home, and they still have to observe the custom of paying their respects to each other morning and evening, otherwise it would damage the Lin family's reputation.

Even if Zhao Jingyi came in person today, he would have nothing to say.

He looked up at Lin Yunwan and found that she was looking at him too.

Lin Huabin had no choice but to say, "Yun Wan, Madam's words make sense. You should talk to Madam properly, and from now on, you will never miss your morning and evening greetings."

Lin Yunwan smiled.

Did Lin Huabin think she saw him pleading for help?

It seems that when he encountered the Zheng Shi, he was bound to have moments of folly.

"Master, Madam, I haven't been in this household for long, and I don't know as many of the rules as my sister does. I'm thinking that I should just follow her example in everything."

Lin Yunwan frowned, as if deep in thought, "Am I doing something wrong by following the rules my sister follows?"

She looked at Lin Huabin and Zheng Shi with a puzzled expression.

The couple. "..."

Zheng Shi was speechless. Jiao'er was her own daughter; how could she be the same as Yun Wan?

Lin Huabin awkwardly pinched the bridge of his nose.

He forgot that he had spoiled his own daughter Yun Jiao, and was now expecting someone else's daughter to visit him morning and evening every day!

Even at this hour, Lin Yunjiao still hadn't gotten up.

She's still having a sweet dream!

Lin Huabin could only evade the question by saying to Zheng Shi, "You must treat everyone equally regarding the morning and evening greetings."

Zheng Shi resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Don't you know your own daughter's character? Is it even possible to get Yun Jiao to come over every day...?

She replied perfunctorily, "Yes, I understand."

He winked and reminded Lin Huabin that it was time to get rid of the maidservant next to Yun Wan.