A Marriage Match

The wet nurse had told many people in the Lin Residence about things she wouldn't have told Lin Yunwan.

Xiruo exclaimed, "I never imagined that Miss Lin's maternal clan was so wealthy in the past!"

Unfortunately, it later failed.

Otherwise, Lin Huabin wouldn't have dared to send Miss Lin to the countryside.

Lin Yunwan pondered for a moment, then instructed Xiruo, "Go and find out how Lingxiang is doing now."

"The money you promised her, you should still give to her."

"Yes."

After the matter was investigated, the Eldest Madam planned to release Lingxiang, but Old Madam Lin had given instructions that she could not be released casually.

The Eldest Madam then personally asked Lingxiang, "Do you want to stay in Jiangqian, or do you want to go back?"

Without a second thought, Lingxiang said, "I want to go back!"

She quickly explained, "I don't want to go back there! I... I want to go back to my own home! I have brothers and sisters there... I want to go back to them."

If her Madam hadn't sold her to a slave trader back then, she would be living with her siblings now.

And what about her elderly parents... I wonder how they are doing now!

The Eldest Madam nodded and said, "Then I'll have someone take you home."

Lingxiang said no, adding, "I have money, I know the way, I know how to get back."

She was now free and no longer afraid of being hunted down by the authorities as a runaway slave.

The Eldest Madam didn't say much, simply stating, "Alright. You may leave now."

He instructed the Matron beside him to escort Lingxiang out of the Lin Residence.

Lingxiang took the silver and disappeared in the blink of an eye after leaving the Lin Residence.

The Matron who escorted her returned and reported to the Eldest Madam: "We've already sent someone to follow her."

The Eldest Madam pondered for a moment and said, "The Old Madam told me to follow her closely and see if she really went home, and who she met after she got home."

The Matron said, "Madam n't worry, Madam, I've already spoken to the people who went."

Lingxiang took the money and returned to her hometown to reunite with her relatives. She stayed at her parents' home, where they even prepared a banquet for her.

Mother is gone, and Father has gone deaf.

She gave some of the silver to her father, as well as to her brothers and sisters.

Her family asked her about her future plans, "Do you want to go back to be with the children, or...?"

Lingxiang shook her head, crying, "I don't want to go back!"

The family stopped trying to persuade him.

Lingxiang gripped her father's hand tightly and said, "Father, I will stay by your side from now on and take care of you in your old age."

The father was deaf, but when he saw his daughter's mouth move, he nodded.

When villagers asked, her brothers and sisters-in-law would say, "... My sister is pitiful; she's a widow. She came back to take care of Father in his old age."

Lingxiang gradually settled down in the village.

When the Eldest Madam heard this, she frowned and asked, "Didn't she go to see anyone?"

The person who went with me said, "No, I just stay home every day feeding the chickens and pigs."

After thinking about it, the Eldest Madam decided to tell the Old Madam the truth.

"Old Madam, would you like to inquire further?"

With her eyes closed, Old Madam Lin said, "No need."

It's been done so flawlessly, what else is there to ask?

Who did the second brother offend?!

"Young lady, Lingxiang has already returned to her hometown."

After thinking for a while, Lin Yunwan said to Xiruo, "We don't need to worry about her for now."

Lingxiang didn't even think about coming to her for the money, so it seems the Prince has already taken care of it.

If she adds anything unnecessary, it might leave her with something to use against her.

What day is it?

Xiruo immediately told him the date.

Lin Yunwan frowned slightly. "It's almost May..."

She sighed, "The baby will be almost a month old."

Zhu Qing's daughter... she must be a daughter!

A maidservant came in to deliver a message, bowing her head as she said, "Sister Xiruo, Madam Dong has sent an invitation."

Xiruo immediately went to retrieve the invitation and handed it to Lin Yunwan.

Lin Yunwan smiled after reading the post, "Shuangshuang invited me to meet at Ci'en Temple."

Xiruo frowned and asked, "But how will you get out?"

Ever since her argument with Lin Huabin, Zheng Shi has stopped going out and has stopped caring about household matters.

They also forbade their daughter from going to pay her respects.

It wasn't that she didn't want to help, but she heard that the person's face was disfigured, and Lin Yunjiao, so she simply couldn't spare the time to intervene.

Lin Yunwan said calmly, "Just go and tell Nanny Zhao that I'm going to offer incense, and ask her to make the arrangements. Just say that Master has agreed."

Xiruo it came to going out with Nanny Zhao in the past, Nanny Zhao still consulted Lin Huabin.

"Master, Eldest Miss says she's going to Ci'en Temple to offer... to... the Former Madam Eternal Light Lamp."

Nanny Zhao didn't really want to mention his Former Madam.

Everyone knew things had been going awry in the manor lately, and she didn't want to bring up something so sensitive, but to her surprise, the master wasn't angry.

Lin Huabin said calmly, "Madam is busy. You take Eldest Miss out."

Nanny Zhao said, "Yes."

Completely bewildered, I went out to make the arrangements... The master really dotes on the Eldest Miss!

For the past two weeks, Lin Huabin's complexion has been poor, a far cry from his usual gentle demeanor, and his eyes have been gloomy.

That evening, he still went to Zheng Shi's room.

The couple still didn't talk much.

Zheng Shi sat on the couch, her face still covered with green ointment, on which was a long scratch.

Everyone thought she had a fight with Lin Huabin and got slapped, but that wasn't the case. When she and Lin Huabin were pushing each other, she accidentally bumped into the table and cut her face with scissors!

The wound wasn't deep, but it will inevitably leave a scar.

She is very concerned about her appearance and now refuses to see anyone.

How's your face?

Lin Huabin sat down, picked up a book, and said casually, "The Physician said that when a wound itches, it means it's about to heal. Keep your hands to yourself."

Zheng Shi lowered her head and wept, lamenting her fate, "... I should have died!"

Lin Huabin put down his book, his face cold, and said, "Why are you saying such things again!"

Zheng Shi wiped away her tears with a handkerchief.

"... Now everyone outside says I'm a wicked stepmother. I didn't want to do that. We grew up together, and I always thought I was destined to marry you. If it weren't for the Old Madam's interference, how could I not tolerate the Eldest Miss?"

"I may be foolish, I may be wicked, but has no one considered that if I were your first wife, our Jiao'er would be our only child? Would I need to drive away your child with another woman?"

She became more and more upset as she spoke, and the wounds on her face seemed to tear open again.

Lin Huabin couldn't bear it and grabbed her hand, saying, "Alright, don't cry. I... I'm not blaming you anymore, am I?"

Zheng Shi complained, "But you only come once every five or seven days..."

Lin Huabin remained silent.

He was still angry, which is why he deliberately ignored Zheng Shi.

"Don't do that again. If the Old Madam catches you doing something wrong, people outside will say bad things about you."

Zheng Shi said so.

She said cautiously, "... Master, I know I was wrong. Please give me a chance to make amends to Eldest Miss."

Lin Huabin was skeptical. He asked coldly, "How do you plan to make amends?"

Zheng Shi said, "I'm willing to do anything to salvage my and your reputation."

She said, "I'd like to find a good match for the Eldest Miss..."

Lin Huabin pushed her away and firmly refused, "No."

He scrutinized Zheng Shi and said, "You must not interfere in Yun Wan's marriage."

She left angrily.

Zheng Shi sat trembling on the couch. She had always thought that she and her daughter were her husband's lifeblood, but it seemed she had been wrong!

"Then we should definitely find her a good marriage..."

Otherwise, everyone would think she was really that vicious, even though she was the one who was wronged!