Suspicion
As people get older, their legs and feet become less agile than when they were young.
Old Madam Lin sat under the bamboo grove, with Lin Yunwan beside her.
She asked Lin Yunwan about her time in the countryside, "What did you and your two old servants eat when it snowed heavily in winter?"
Do you often associate with those villagers and hunters? Are there any reclusive old gentlemen in the countryside?
Does this mean they doubt her?
Lin Yunwan was wary, but she answered fluently and without making a single mistake.
Old Madam Lin nodded, asked a couple of questions, and then stopped.
She smiled and said to Lin Yunwan, "I heard you offered Eternal Light Lamp for your mother at Ci'en Temple? It's getting hot, so it won't be easy to go out anymore. Why don't you go see your mother?"
Lin Yunwan and curtsied. "Yes."
He took Xiruo to the Main Buddha Hall to look at the Eternal Light Lamps and add incense oil.
Old Madam Lin's smile faded, and she asked Nanny Fan, "What do you think?"
Nanny Fan shook her head. "I can't see any flaws."
Old Madam Lin calmly said, "Such outstanding looks and impeccable manners; even with the meticulous upbringing in the household, we couldn't raise such a child..."
Nanny Fan nodded in agreement. "Even the Eldest Sister who has married is not Yun Wan."
It refers to the eldest daughter of the Lin Residence Eldest Master, who is now married very well and has a good reputation in her husband's family. Almost everyone praises her, bringing honor to the entire Lin Residence.
Nanny Fan added, "Didn't you say that the two old servants who take care of the young lady are quite literate? The young lady may have had a hard time in the countryside, but I don't think her education is necessarily lacking."
After thinking for a moment, Old Madam Lin added, "You haven't met Yun Wan's mother."
Nanny Fan asked curiously, "What do you mean?"
With a complicated expression, Old Madam Lin said, "Nine out of ten women are not as good as her. Although she came from a merchant family and didn't know anything about music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, she was an excellent housekeeper. It's a pity... she didn't have that good fortune."
It's hard to say whether it's Yun Wan's mother who's unlucky, or the Lin Residence who's unlucky.
Nanny Fan said, "The young lady is probably just like the former Second Madam; she's just as clever, learns everything quickly, and understands things immediately."
"Maybe..."
Old Madam Lin lowered her head and muttered to herself, "I hope I'm just overthinking it."
Knowing her concerns, Nanny Fan said, "Perhaps the Second Master has offended someone without even realizing it. If I may be so bold, the Second Master is shrewd, but he's not as mature as the Eldest Master."
Old Madam Lin, "You're so foolish. Offending people is a skill in itself. Just as you said, he's a master of scheming. He's painstakingly cultivated a good reputation for himself, and usually doesn't offend anyone. Actually, he's just like Zheng Shi —too short-sighted... utterly useless."
Nanny Fan laughed and said, "You're really too kind! If you say that to the Second Master, he'll be annoyed again."
Old Madam Lin fell silent.
What's the use of being upset? That's just how my second son is.
Her expression gradually turned cold as she thought to herself that the person who benefited the most from Lingxiang's affair was her granddaughter Yun Wan. But Yun Wan didn't seem to have the ability to find Lingxiang, who was thousands of miles away, and even bring her to Ci'en Temple.
But Lingxiang wasn't bold enough to target the entire Lin Residence, which means they only wanted to use her birthday to target the Second Branch.
Who did the second son offend...?
Or is it really just a coincidence?
Old Madam Lin chuckled inwardly. Where could there be so many coincidences?
Nanny Fan came over to comfort her, "Old Madam, at least there's no bad outcome. Don't worry about it too much. The Second Master and the Lin Residence are both fine, aren't they?"
Old Madam Lin, accustomed to caution since she was in charge of the household, said, "Better safe than sorry."
"Let's go back to the carriage first. Send someone to find Yun Wan and tell her to come back after she's finished looking at the Eternal Light Lamp."
Nanny Fan sent a clear-speaking maid to deliver the message.
Lin Yunwan and Xiruo arrived inside the Main Buddha Hall.
The weather is hot, and the place where the Eternal Light Lamps are kept is even hotter. Apart from the monks who are guarding it, there is no one else there.
Xiruo gave the money and asked the other party to leave.
Two people were talking inside.
"Young lady, I think the Old Madam is suspicious of you."
Lin Yunwan herself realized this, but she wasn't worried about it. She said, "... The Old Madam is just suspicious that I have some people in the countryside, not that she completely suspects my identity."
Lin Huabin would dare to do something like this—switching the beams and pillars—but Old Madam Lin wouldn't even dare to think about it!
However, Lin Yunwan had other concerns.
She told Xiruo, "Luckily, I didn't rely on the Old Madam from the beginning." If she had expected the Old Madam to arrange her marriage, she probably wouldn't have had a good ending.
What does "girl" mean?
Xiruo frowned; she was slow-witted and didn't understand.
Lin Yunwan said calmly, "Do you see the Old Madam having any intention of interfering?"
"Knowing full well that the master and Madam are a wolf in sheep's clothing and won't find a good marriage for Miss Lin, the Old Madam will at most try to prevent them from mistreating Miss Lin too harshly in the marriage. But she won't help Miss Lin escape her misery."
Lin Yunwan could also guess the reason, and sighed, "Choosing a husband for a young lady is not an easy task. Selecting a suitable person, finding out the details of the other party's family background, especially the temperament of the parents-in-law, and then going through the six betrothal rites, it is indeed troublesome."
"A granddaughter whom I personally married off deserves a respectable dowry."
"With so many grandchildren in the Lin Residence, the Old Madam can't possibly only care about one and ignore the others. There will always be daughters-in-law, sons, grandchildren, and other family members who are unhappy about it, and the Old Madam will end up with a reputation for favoring one over the other."
In short, she's a hot potato right now.
You have to rely on yourself for everything.
Xiruo sighed, "It's a good thing it's you, if it were..." She glanced at the wordless Eternal Light Lamp. If it were really Miss Lin, how tragic would that be? She wouldn't even know whether living or dying was better.
The maidservant sent by Old Madam Lin urged them to go back quickly.
Lin Yunwan led Xiruo back to where the carriages were parked at the Lin Residence. She and Xiruo one carriage, while Old Madam Lin and Nanny Fan in the other.
When we got to the street, there was a traffic jam.
Lin Yunwan asked Xiruo get out of the carriage and speak to Old Madam Lin, "Miss, would like to choose some jewelry and embroidery thread yourself..."
Old Madam Lin is quite lenient in these matters; with so many servants watching, nothing will happen in broad daylight.
She nodded and said yes, then told Xiruo, "Take good care of your girl. Don't let anyone bother her."
Xiruo lowered her head and said, "Yes."
Old Madam Lin left enough people for the carriages behind her and went back first.
Lin Yunwan and Xiruo went for a stroll, wearing veils and picking out some jewelry. When they got tired, they found a teahouse to rest.
They sat upstairs and could see the street below. It was a shop that Dong Shuangshuang's husband Lu Rong, frequented; there was a tavern in front and a gambling den in the back.
Dong Shuangshuang said that there were many sycophants there, who looked fierce and were extremely ruthless... It was unknown who they were backing, but the Lu family could not afford to offend such people. Even if they crippled Lu Rong, the Lu family would not be able to get anywhere by taking the matter to the authorities.