Chapter 572 Concession

As Qin entered the main courtyard, she walked and cursed. Lin Shusheng, standing to the side, had a gloomy face and a fleeting murderous intent in his eyes. But after a moment, he regained his composure. Lin Yuesha, standing opposite her scumbag father, saw everything clearly.

The inner room was dark due to the rain, so Old Mrs. Lin lit two more oil lamps to make the side room brighter.

“Grandmother, Father, Qin Shi is here to cause trouble. It’s inconvenient for Yue Sha to stay here.”

Lin Yuesha was in a difficult position. As a junior, she needed to step aside to prevent Qin Shi from having to confront her if she was present.

"Qin is a crazy woman!"

Old Mrs. Lin spat. When it came to shrewishness, she was unbeatable in Lin Family Village back in the day. Could she really be fooled by Qin Shi? She wanted to see what Qin Shi dared to do to her mother-in-law.

After saying that, she looked at Lin Yuesha and said, "Yuesha, go out through the side door and hide in the tea room for a while."

"good."

Lin Yuesha told Bai Cha to go out through the small door so that they wouldn't have to run into Qin Shi and could still eavesdrop from the tea room.

"Grandmother, Father, your health is of utmost importance."

Lin Yuesha lifted her skirt and strode to the side gate. Seeing that Old Madam Lin and Scholar Lin were looking at her, she quickly suppressed her excited gaze and said with a hint of worry.

“Good child, Grandma knows.”

Grandma Lin nodded, turned around and took out a feather duster from the inner room, ready to start her contest with Madam Qin.

No sooner had Lin Yuesha left than Qin Shi entered the inner room.

"Qin, what are you shouting about in my yard? What kind of behavior is this?"

When Old Mrs. Lin saw Qin arrive, her face immediately fell. She looked at Qin with the eyes of someone looking at a dead person and said, "Not only that, you didn't call Er Gou by his nickname."

"Grandma Lin, you're such a troublemaker."

After entering the room, Qin pulled up a chair and sat down, her expression much calmer. She considered her options; if she didn't make a scene, it would be tantamount to admitting defeat, and Old Madam Lin might cause even more trouble.

She had been married to Lin Ergou for seven or eight years before giving birth to this precious son, and there had been no further news for the past five years. Perhaps this is the only precious child she has in her life. If she were to let Old Madam Lin raise him, it would only cause a rift between mother and son.

"Why can't I call him Er Gou by his nickname? It's just a bit of fun between husband and wife. You're a widow, you wouldn't understand."

Qin launched a fierce attack, declaring that victory was imperative and that no one should try to pressure her with the concept of filial piety. She argued that if her mother-in-law was unkind, she couldn't even fight back. Old Mrs. Lin, however, was merely a countrywoman; even if she spoke elegantly, the other party might not understand.

Inside the tea room, Bai Cha was eavesdropping. The rain outside was so loud that she could barely hear it if Qin Shi hadn't spoken so loudly.

“Miss, it is absolutely true that a woman’s family is her support.”

Bai Cha was deeply moved. If the Qin family hadn't also been a prominent family, and hadn't been Lin Shusheng's mentor who had helped him, even as the principal wife, Qin Shi wouldn't have dared to raise her voice like that.

For example, Song, a new servant in the household, only wanted to become more beautiful to keep the man's heart after the man took a concubine, simply because she had no family to rely on. However, Qin was different; she was very confident.

"If the young master passes the imperial examination and becomes a Jinshi next spring, you will have someone to rely on in the future, Miss."

The Lin family members each had their own agendas and schemed against each other; none of them could be relied upon.

"Even if my older brother fails the exam, he will still be my support."

Lin Yuesha was very proud, and she believed that even if she remained unmarried and stayed single for life, her parents and older brother would not look down on her, because they truly treated her as family.

Bai Cha hesitated for a moment, realizing her young mistress's inexplicable self-confidence, but decided to bring her back to reality. So she said, "Yes, the young master treats you so well, he certainly won't mind if you can't get married, but your sister-in-law might not be so sure."

Xiao Qi will get married sooner or later. Once his wife is married into the family, who would want to see their man worrying about his sister all day long, and she's not even his own sister? Besides, his sister stays at home and doesn't go out, just eating rice all day.

If we take white tea as an example, and put ourselves in their shoes, most people wouldn't accept it.

"White Tea, do you really have to analyze this so thoroughly?"

Lin Yuesha's face fell. Bai Cha pointed out that if things continued this way, her relationship with her stepbrother would be nothing more than a superficial one, and if another woman came into the picture, the two of them would drift apart.

"There are two possibilities: your status remains unchanged."

Bai Cha walked around with her hands behind her back, then said, "Miss, would you like to know?"

"you say."

Compared to the troubles of the Lin family, Lin Yuesha was more interested in how her own family members were doing.

"It's very simple. Either the young master doesn't get married and remains a bachelor, or you marry the young master. That way, we'll be one family and won't have to worry about anything else."

After Bai Cha finished speaking, she quickly retreated to the door so that she could run away if her young mistress attacked.

Lin Yuesha: ...

She was naive; she hadn't realized how talented Bai Cha was. Lin Yuesha gained a new understanding of Bai Cha.

Inside the main room, Madam Qin and Old Madam Lin were facing off.

Lin Shusheng realized the situation was not good, so he tried to smooth things over by saying, "My mother came to the capital from the south, and she doesn't know anyone there. She's very lonely. What's wrong with her taking Haoran with her? Is it worth your big reaction?"

"Lin Ergou, what do you mean? Haoran is my precious eye, and I would never give him to anyone."

Qin sneered inwardly. Playing the peacemaker was Lin Ergou's usual style; he'd first sweet-talk her, then secretly have his own plans. If she gave in, what would the servants think of her as the mistress of the household?

"Mother is none other than..."

Lin Shusheng frowned. He intended to kill Qin Shi, but not now. However, Qin Shi's words were harsh, making it clear that there was no room for negotiation.

Should they try to ease tensions first, or plan ahead? Lin Shusheng was unsure.

"snort."

Qin snorted coldly, saying that no matter who it was, it wouldn't work, let alone an illiterate old woman.

Lin Ergou was incredibly lucky to survive a near-death experience. He abandoned his wife and joined the Qin family. Otherwise, with so many scholars passing the imperial examinations every year in the capital, who would have become the Prefect of the Capital?

"Don't you know how you got this position as the Prefect of the Capital?"

Qin was furious. She squinted at her husband. The fact that the two of them had kept this a secret was also one of her trump cards.

"you……"

Lin Shusheng's body trembled violently. He took a deep breath, sat down in the chair, and said to Old Madam Lin, "Mother, how about letting Haoran stay with Qin Shi first? As for the grandson..."

Jiaoniang has two sons. When Jiaoniang enters the mansion, Haowen and Haowu will come to keep the old lady company and bring her joy.

Grandma Lin didn't understand the riddles the two were playing, but she sensed something was amiss. Her son must have been caught red-handed, otherwise he wouldn't have been defeated so quickly.

"That's fine. Mother has been having headaches lately and hasn't had the energy to look after Haoran."

Old Mrs. Lin was very shrewd. Her son had his reasons for making concessions, and she was determined to show her stance in front of Qin Shi.