Lantern Festival

"This humble servant greets Your Princess Consort."

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Lin Yunwan came to the Lin Residence, but instead of seeing Zheng Shi, she met a Concubine.

They weren't exactly new faces, but Lin Huabin's Concubines rarely showed up, so their sudden appearance made her feel like she was seeing newcomers.

"Concubine Man."

Lin Yunwan didn't need to greet a Concubine; she said, "Concubine sit down, Concubine."

Concubine Man was very sensible. She walked over to Lin Yunwan and stood at a distance that was neither too close nor too far, with a gentle smile on her face.

"I will not sit."

Concubine Man poured tea for Lin Yunwan.

She was the master's Concubine, and she was expected to be filial; she didn't really need to do such a thing.

"Master has gone to pay his respects to the Old Madam. Your Princess Consort, please wait a moment. Master knows you and the Prince are coming home, he will be here soon."

Although Concubine Man was several years older than Lin Yunwan and not a junior, she still retained her charm.

She consciously kept her distance from Qi Lingheng, and apart from greeting him upon entering, she didn't glance at the Prince twice.

Lin Yunwan found this Concubine Man interesting.

"Is it now that your Concubine is managing things at home?"

Concubine Man said modestly, "My status is too lowly for me to manage household affairs. Master has entrusted it to Nanny Zhao, only asking me to learn some manners so as not to make a fool of myself in front of guests."

In fact, she was in charge of Lin Huabin's Inner Residence.

Lin Yunwan smiled faintly, "I remember Concubine Man's son, isn't he the eldest among the younger brothers?"

That is, Lin Huabin's eldest son.

Concubine Man said, "Yes." She lowered her head, not daring to meet Lin Yunwan's gaze.

Lin Yunwan smiled but remained silent.

This Concubine Man is quite shrewd in surviving.

"Concubine, where is Madam now?"

Concubine Man hesitated for a moment before saying, "Madam... she went to the estate to recuperate."

Lin Yunwan raised an eyebrow.

Is Lin Huabin really that ruthless as to drive Zheng Shi away? It seems like he's serious.

"Does the Concubine know why the master drove the Madam away?"

Concubine Man knew, of course, but she wouldn't say it directly.

"I heard that the master and Madam had a quarrel, and the master sent the Madam away the next day."

Fearing she might offend Lin Yunwan, she decided to be more explicit. "Back when Madam couldn't marry Master, didn't she go on a hunger strike at home? I heard the Zheng family wanted to marry Madam off to a merchant, Madam after meeting him, Madam felt the merchant wasn't as handsome as Master, so she refused..."

Cuiqin and Xiruo both stared wide-eyed.

This... this...

The master will surely despise the Madam and will never dote on Madam again!

Lin Yunwan was also quite surprised.

"Master."

Lin Huabin is back. Concubine Man heard the maid's voice and quickly shut her mouth.

Lin Yunwan and Qi Lingheng met with him together, but they still didn't have lunch. Less than an hour after returning to their parents' home, they hurriedly left.

Why didn't you invite the Prince and Princess Consort to stay for dinner?

Concubine Man served Lin Huabin tea and asked softly.

Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask.

Lin Huabin's expression was cold. Having experienced the Zheng Shi, he knew that one should not spoil women too much.

Concubine Man was also very perceptive.

She sat down and said, "I've had the Kitchen prepare lunch. When Second Great-Aunt returns soon, you'll have to have a meal with her, won't you?"

Lin Huabin's expression softened somewhat before he said, "Okay. Make a few dishes that Wenhai likes to eat."

Although she looked down on her son-in-law, she had no one else to rely on or trust, so her own son-in-law was better than any outsider.

He still owes his Elder Brother and Third Younger Brothers a considerable amount of money, but he'll have plenty to pay back in the future.

"Your cheap old man wants to support his Concubine?"

Qi Lingheng was completely puzzled.

There was a hint of mockery in his cold gaze. "Favoring a concubine over one's wife is a grave crime in our dynasty. He probably doesn't want to be an official anymore."

Lin Yunwan smiled and said, "He didn't want to either."

She wasn't defending Lin Huabin.

How so?

Lin Yunwan said, "If Master Lin wants to remarry, he can only do so if he divorces Zheng Shi or Zheng Shi dies. Divorcing his wife now would not only be a disgrace and bad for his own daughter, but it would also prove that he made a mistake in insisting on marrying Zheng Shi back then."

"Your Prince, you don't know Second Master Lin. He will never admit that he's done anything wrong, so we can only drag this out."

Qi Lingheng found it amusing. "So you're just going to support a Concubine?"

What an stupid thing to do!

Lin Yunwan said, "The affairs of the Inner Residence need to be managed; servants alone are not enough."

"This Concubine Man..."

Thinking of how her Concubine had treated the guests earlier, she said, "She still knows how to behave appropriately. Her only son is already several years old, and the fact that she's only spoken up now shows she's a very composed person. We shouldn't underestimate her."

Qi Lingheng laughed and said, "It would be troublesome if we underestimated it."

Who says otherwise?

Lin Yunwan smiled faintly, "This is also the retribution for Second Master Lin. Even in death, Su Shi and Miss Lin cannot find peace, Zheng Shi was driven to the estate, but he is still perfectly fine."

That's not fair.

With Concubine Man and her son involved, things are getting complicated in his Inner Residence.

Lin Huabin has already separated from his brothers. If anything happens in the future and his career is ruined, the retribution will fall on him alone.

I don't think Old Madam Lin family will sit idly by.

Qi Lingheng had dealt with Old Madam Lin before and knew she was a very shrewd Old Madam.

Lin Yunwan laughed, "You still don't understand the helplessness of a mother. She can manage the family well, but she may not be able to manage each of her sons well."

"If the Second Master had listened to the Old Madam, things wouldn't have come to this."

After Lin Yunwan finished speaking, she looked at Qi Lingheng, who seemed lost in thought, and smiled slightly.

"Your Prince? What are you thinking about?"

Qi Lingheng chuckled softly, "A doting mother spoils her son. Yun Wan, you'll be the doting mother from now on, and I'll be the strict father."

Lin Yunwan chuckled, "Okay."

On the Lantern Festival, Qi Lingheng was not in Jiangqian. The Lin Residence held a grand and lively Lantern Festival banquet, inviting Lin Yunwan to guess riddles and eat glutinous rice balls.

People from West Lin Residence also came, along with female relatives from other long-standing families, and some new faces.

Lin Yunwan's attire was not particularly extravagant.

"Please, Your Princess Consort, write a riddle."

Nanny Zhao brought over the writing brush and ink. The Third Branches of the Lin family were holding a Lantern Festival banquet together, and she came to help as well.

Lin Yunwan picked up her pen and wrote a riddle, then offered a prize: a jade bracelet of excellent quality. She said, "The first one to guess correctly wins the prize."

With a smile, Nanny Zhao took the riddles and had them copied down and pasted onto the three Lantern Festival lanterns.

"Wow! This riddle is brilliantly crafted, with excellent writing and exquisite word choice. Who came up with it?"

The young ladies and gentlemen of both households were in high spirits.

Nanny Zhao said proudly, "Of course, she's our Princess Consort!"

"The Princess Consort can write poetry?"

Nanny Zhao helped spread the word: "You don't know, the Princess Consort studied under Nanny Fan and is proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting."

No wonder!

"The Princess Consort is truly a woman of great hidden talent!"

"I only heard today that the Princess Consort is proficient in poetry..."

Some people even secretly copied down the riddle and spread it out for others to guess.

The Lantern Festival had just ended when Qi Lingheng returned with the riddle and its answer.

"You mentioned this during the Lantern Festival?"

In broad daylight, he returned carrying a lantern, but there were no candles lit inside.

Lin Yunwan looked at the riddle and realized it was the one she had come up with. Curious, she asked, "How did it end up in your hands?"

Qi Lingheng laughed and said, "On my way back, I saw many scholars trying to solve this riddle."

Lin Yunwan found it amusing. "It was just something I made on a whim."

"The Princess Consort did it casually, and now everyone in the Jiangqian knows you are exceptionally talented."

Qi Lingheng narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of smugness in his expression.

Lin Yunwan and said, "Thank you for your support, Your Prince."

Having talent and fame is not enough; she and the Prince also need to be benevolent in Jiangqian to win the hearts of the people.

As Qi Lingheng's wife and the consort of Feudal Prince, she must prioritize the well-being of the people in her fiefdom.

As the couple talked into the night, in bed, Qi Lingheng suddenly whispered, "Has your period not come this month?"

Lin Yunwan checked the dates; it should be today. She frowned and said, "No."

She'd been busy with banquets and social engagements lately, and if it weren't for Qi Lingheng, she would have completely forgotten about it.

Qi Lingheng rolled over, no longer daring to lie on top of her. He took a deep breath and said in a hoarse voice, "... Let's sleep first."

"I'll have Physician come over tomorrow to take your pulse."

Lin Yunwan touched her lower abdomen.