Nacai

"Young lady, what's wrong?"

Lin Yunwan looked rather unwell after returning from Old Madam Lin's place.

Xiruo had no idea what had happened.

Lin Yunwan and Xiruo returned to their room, closed the door, and spoke, "Master is really too..."

That's so stupid!

The Old Madam was just trying to trick Lin Huabin, and he told her everything.

It's just a burnt copy of a calligraphy model; isn't it easy to fabricate a story?

She said calmly, "The Old Madam knows I am Lord Zhao's illegitimate daughter."

Xiruo remained silent.

Lin Yunwan said, "Bring me paper and pen; we need to tell the Prince about this."

Xiruo went to get something, Lin Yunwan also pinched the bridge of her nose. Things had now become unpredictable.

"Young lady, don't worry too much. I don't think the Old Madam is a confused person. Even if she knows a lot, she won't say anything casually."

Lin Yunwan poured water into the inkstone herself and ground the ink herself.

"Although I don't want to reveal my background, I'm not worried that the Old Madam will expose my affairs."

Xiruo was puzzled. "Then what are you worried about?"

Lin Yunwan said calmly, "It's not difficult for me to move into the Lin Residence."

"Lord Zhao brought me in, but I only owe the master a favor. A silver shop and a winery will be enough to repay it."

"The Old Madam is far more shrewd than the master. Once she guesses that this is the Prince's intention, then it becomes a matter between the Prince and the Lin Clan."

That changes the meaning.

Xiruo understood. "Are you afraid that the Lin clan will take advantage of our kindness in the future? Then... things like the silver shops and wineries won't be enough to repay the debt."

That's what Lin Yunwan meant.

"It's not that I don't want to repay the favor. Old Madam Lin is a sensible person."

Otherwise, he wouldn't have immediately become more enthusiastic towards her.

"However, there are so many people in the Lin Clan; no one can say for sure what will happen in the future."

She was once the matriarch of the household and was accustomed to deep thinking and foresight.

Lin Yunwan said helplessly, "People like the master and Madam are much easier to deal with."

Xiruo thought for a moment and said, "You really know how to curse."

Lin Yunwan smiled.

After sending a letter to Qi Lingheng, Lin Yunwan began tidying up her Bixi Hall.

She instructed Cuiqin, "Find all the maids and Matron who cleaned up the filth in my room."

"Yes."

After asking around for half an hour, Lin Yunwan determined how the paper had been leaked.

The maid was innocent too, terrified, and still trying to defend herself. "Miss, I just... just like usual, I took all the filth in the Courtyard out to be cleaned up..."

At that time Lin Yunwan and Xiruo had gone out, and Cuiqin had not yet arrived.

The items were all taken to the designated area in the backyard for centralized processing, which was managed by Nanny Zhao.

Nanny Fan wanted that thing, Nanny Zhao dug it out of the ashes and gave it to her.

The girl even cried.

Lin Yunwan said gently, "Get up. I'm not going to punish you."

The girl wiped her face, thinking she was about to be punished.

Lin Yunwan told Cuiqin, "From now on, when you're in charge of my things, you have to do it this way. Without my permission, not a single piece of paper can be leaked."

Cuiqin was clever. After thinking for a moment, she said, "This servant understands. From now on, every thread in your room must pass under this servant's watchful eye before leaving this Courtyard."

Lin Yunwan nodded and decided not to pursue the matter further.

"Bixi Hall is quite large, and everyone is bound to make mistakes. Cuiqin, you need to learn how to use and manage the maids."

"The Courtyard should be just as it is when the master is present, even when you are not there."

She will also teach Cuiqin how to manage affairs later.

Cuiqin had never learned anything so complicated before. She nodded and silently pondered what Lin Yunwan had said.

Lin Yunwan, however, was already thinking about her marriage to Qi Lingheng.

Once inside, Xiruo asked Lin Yunwan, "Does the young lady intend to take Cuiqin with her as part of her dowry maid?"

Lin Yunwan hummed in agreement and said, "Old Madam already knows about my situation. If I leave too cleanly, Old Madam and Master will feel uncomfortable. I don't want to be so heartless."

"Cuiqin is perfect, let's take her with us."

Xiruo also quite liked Cuiqin, so she said, "It's fortunate that you chose Cuiqin in advance; the Lin Residence won't be able to find anyone else to take in later."

Lin Yunwan smiled.

That's impossible. Given the chance, why wouldn't the Lin Residence send people there?

But those are minor matters; what she's most worried about right now is something else entirely.

"If the Emperor and Empress agree to the marriage between the Prince and me, the Prince's wedding... will probably require a return to the Capital."

Lin Yunwan began to feel uneasy.

She closed her eyes and thought of her mother and younger brother; she missed them dearly.

But she wasn't confident about facing the Emperor and Empress now, or the potential scandal of being recognized.

Xiruo her worries, Xiruo said softly, "Isn't the Prince here?"

Lin Yunwan smiled.

Qi Lingheng isn't afraid, why should she be?

Once you become husband and wife, you will share both glory and loss.

After the letter dried, Lin Yunwan said to Xiruo, "Things haven't been peaceful in the manor these past few days, so please send it out in a few days."

"Yes."

A few days later, Xiruo dawn.

Although there has been no news from the Capital yet, the Lin Residence believes that Lin Yunwan's marriage is a foregone conclusion, and they have already begun to arrange manpower and set aside money to prepare for her wedding.

Xiruo returned with the letter, smiling, and said, "Apart from Matron Gatehouse, no one recognized me as someone from the Bixi Hall. They were all in such a hurry that they didn't have time to look at me."

Her trip went smoothly, and she even brought back a letter from Qi Lingheng.

Lin Yunwan opened it, glanced at it, and smiled faintly.

How could the Prince be such an improper person?

He asked her if she was in a hurry to marry him.

Why is she in such a hurry?

He only said a short sentence about the important matter, saying that he knew and that she shouldn't take it to heart.

Just by looking at the handwriting in the letter, Lin Yunwan could imagine his nonchalant attitude and disregard for the Lin Residence.

"Bring me my embroidery hoop."

She had been playing the zither for the past few days, Xiruo brought over her embroidery frame and asked, "Aren't you playing the zither anymore?"

Lin Yunwan threaded the needle, then smiled helplessly, "Your Prince wants a purse."

He said other men had them too.

It means he also needs to have it.

"I've already taken his personal seal, so let me return something to him."

There's just no way to deal with him.

Lin Yunwan found a pattern she usually made and embroidered it to make the embroidered surface of the purse.

In early August, people came from the Capital.

The Imperial Court sent officials from the Ministry of Ministry of Rites to the Lin Residence to Nacai.

The marriage was finally settled, and the Prince Huan's marriage caused a sensation throughout Jiangqian.

It's being spread everywhere.

"The Lin family's daughter is truly blessed with good fortune and a long life. She was rescued from the water by the Prince, and now she's become Princess Consort!"

Which branch of the Lin family has the daughter?

"The Second Branch's."

As for how many daughters the Second Branch had, and which daughters they were, outsiders had no idea.

The Lin Residence was bustling with activity, but Zheng Shi had lost a lot of weight.

Her face paled with rage, and she continued to berate Nanny Fan: "That vile woman! She deliberately harmed Jiao'er! If she hadn't tricked Jiao'er, Prince Huan would have married my Jiao'er!"

Ever since that fall into the water, Nanny Fan has been in low spirits.

She didn't want to offend Prince Huan Consort.

She listened to her wife's Madam without interrupting.

Moreover, she had a vague feeling that even if the Eldest Miss wasn't the Prince Huan Consort, the Madam still couldn't defeat the Eldest Miss.

Suddenly, Zheng Shi stood up, gritting her teeth, and said, "No... why should she be the Prince Huan Consort? My Jiao'er cannot marry Wenhai. There must be a mistake; they should be on the other side!"

This is utterly insane.

Nanny Fan advised, "Madam, things have come to this point, please don't..."

Zheng Shi glared at her. "What do you know!"

If the stepdaughter wanted to settle scores later, she wouldn't go after her own father or the Lin Residence; she would only go after her stepmother.

Will she and her daughter have any good days ahead?

When will the people from the Ministry of Ministry of Rites come to Wenming?

Zheng Shi had a headache and didn't go to see Old Madam Lin, but the news must have spread throughout the mansion.

Nanny Fan was also very concerned about this matter; everyone in Jiangqian was paying attention, so how could she not be involved?

She said, "Madam, they said they'd come to Wenming on the sixteenth, after the Mid-Autumn Festival."

Zheng Shi was taken aback. "So soon?"

Princes take a very long time to get married.

Nanny Fan said, "Maybe the date August 16th is an auspicious day!"

Zheng Shi was lost in thought, murmuring, "At sixteen Wenming..."

The Wenming Ministry of Rites inquiring about the birth mother and birth date of the Princess Consort. If the person being Wenming were to be her Jiao'er, then the Jiao'er's birth date and time would be sent over.

Thinking about this, her own eyelids twitched.

Never mind, for my daughter's sake, and for my own, I have to give it a try.

Zheng Shi went to Lin Huabin to discuss the matter.