Chapter 1 The second young lady of the Lin family is very likely to become…

"Miss."

"Miss, this is terrible!"

Just after 7 PM, at the Lin family mansion in the capital.

A maidservant, about fourteen or fifteen years old, hurriedly entered a small courtyard. As soon as she stepped through the archway, she began to shout anxiously, and the lotus lantern in her hand swayed even more violently.

This maid's name was Mingqian. She was the personal maid of Lin Qingdai, the second daughter of the Lin family. She had been by Lin Qingdai's side since childhood, and they had a very deep friendship.

That's why, once inside the hospital, Mingqian seemed to have a completely different soul; she couldn't find a trace of the restraint and caution she had shown outside.

Finally, she entered the room, wandered around for a while, and lifted a beaded curtain, revealing everything that had been hidden behind it.

The beautiful young woman, in the prime of her life, had just finished washing up and was now wearing only a light green undergarment. The fabric was soft and thin, clinging smoothly to her skin, her slender curves faintly visible. She was exceptionally beautiful, with delicate features, black hair, and snow-white skin. Bathed in the dim light, she possessed a pure and radiant beauty, like a lotus blossom.

Jiaojiao'er was none other than Lin Qingdai, the second young lady of the Lin family. At this moment, she was leaning against the tea table, flipping through a storybook, looking languid. Mingqian didn't need to ask in detail to know that her young lady was reading "The Heroes of Xun Kingdom".

It's common knowledge in the capital that her daughter loves reading.

Few people know that, in addition to those obscure and difficult historical and literary classics, she also loves to read vernacular stories, with "The Heroes of Xun Kingdom" being her favorite.

"Small……"

"Let's talk about it later."

After staring at her young mistress for a few moments, Mingqian was about to speak when Mingyue, who was serving Lin Qingdai, suddenly spoke up.

The simple sentence, gentle yet firm, resonated deeply in Yu Mingqian's ear, and she fell silent without hesitation.

Mingyue is not her biological sister, but she is more like a sister to her than a biological sister.

She found her and took her in. Before entering the Lin family mansion, she would only drink the porridge water from a bowl of plain porridge, leaving the part mixed with coarse rice grains for her.

The room fell silent. Lin Qingdai's gaze was fixed on the storybook, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

After a while, Mingqian spoke again, this time her breathing was steady and her voice was normal.

"Miss, Mingqian has something to say."

Lin Qingdai looked up at her, her gaze gentle: "Go ahead and speak."

Mingqian told the truth, "The eldest young lady and the fourth young master Su are kneeling in the ancestral hall right now."

The difference is that one is kneeling inside the ancestral hall, while the other is outside.

Lin Qingdai was stunned for a moment, then came to her senses, and a hint of anxiety suddenly appeared in her eyes, "What's wrong?"

Mingqian replied, "I asked in detail and it was said that the eldest young lady did not want to marry into Lingdong. In fact, she already had someone she liked, and that person was the fourth young master of the Su family."

"According to the servants who work near the ancestral hall, the old master not only made the eldest young lady and the fourth young master Su kneel down, but also scolded the Marquis in public."

The "Lord" that Mingqian mentioned was Lin Yansen, the eldest son of the Lin family, a renowned first-rank nobleman. After marrying the eldest daughter of the Leyu Zhuo family, another prominent family in the capital, they had one son and two daughters.

eldest son Lin Qingyu

eldest daughter Lin Qingwu

Second daughter Lin Qingdai

Life was harmonious and peaceful.

The old master of the Lin family was known for his good temper, but this time he not only scolded his eldest son in front of a group of servants, but also made his eldest daughter kneel in the ancestral hall. The intensity of his anger was evident from this.

With her family involved, Lin Qingdai could no longer sit still.

"Mingyue, change your clothes."

"promise."

After finishing her reply, Mingyue strode toward the wardrobe. However, she had only taken a few steps when she was stopped by a single sentence from Mingqian.

She said: The old man said that no one was allowed to plead for them, and he specifically mentioned the young lady's name.

Lin Qingdai frowned involuntarily.

After some hesitation, she decided to go anyway.

Lin Qingdai changed into a white brocade robe, adorned with only a few pearls and jade ornaments. It was simple and elegant, but that did not diminish the vibrancy of her outfit.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Lin Qingdai arrived at the ancestral hall, accompanied by her two maids, Mingqian and Mingyue, and they passed without any hindrance.

No one dared to stop her.

Almost everyone in the capital knows that the second young lady of the Baiyang family is not only the apple of her family's eye, but also the apple of the eye of the second prince, Song Yunlan.

The Second Prince's mother is the current Empress. Although the Crown Prince has not yet been appointed, he remains the most popular candidate. Therefore, the Second Miss Lin is highly likely to become the future Crown Princess. Rumors circulate in the court and among the people that the Empress dotes on the Second Miss Lin, treating her like a daughter-in-law.

"Second Miss." As soon as Lin Qingdai appeared, Chen Qing, who was in charge of guarding the ancestral hall, strode over, bowed to her, and greeted her respectfully.

Not far behind him, the Fourth Young Master Su was still kneeling on the ground. It was impossible to tell whether his plain brocade robe was stained with gray in the darkness, but his straight back showed that his demeanor remained unchanged and his mind was resolute.

Lin Qingdai silently looked at him for a moment, then looked away and focused her gaze on Chen Qing.

She spoke softly, "No need for formalities. Where is my sister?"

Chen Qing replied in a low, cold voice, "In the ancestral hall."

Lin Qingdai: "I want to go in and talk to her."

Chen Qing: "Lin Gong has made it clear that no one is allowed to approach Miss without his permission."

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingdai suddenly chuckled. If one were to take it seriously, this chuckle was as gentle and refreshing as the mist after rain. Yet, it also concealed the pride and certainty nurtured by countless acts of pampering. "I will go in now, and I will bear all the consequences."

"Chen Qing, stop stopping me."

After saying that, she took a step forward and walked straight ahead.

Chen Qing was forced to take a few steps back before finally stepping aside.

Walking through the night, Lin Qingdai passed Su Yu. Just before she passed him, she slowed her pace, as if she wanted to stop and say something. However, in the end, she did not stop, nor did she say anything.

Su Yu, however, belatedly realized that the person who had passed by him was Lin Qingdai. A sharp emotion welled up and easily pierced through his wooden demeanor. "Little sister."

He used to call Lin Qingdai that too.

Both the Su and Lin families are prominent families in the capital. Their elders had a deep relationship, and the younger generation grew up together, so their bond was naturally strong.

Lin Qingdai stopped and remained silent for several breaths before turning to look at him. "Brother Yu, is there something you want to say to me?"

Su Yu nodded slightly. "Please tell your sister: Don't be afraid, I will never compromise. Even if it costs me my life, I will stay with her."

At the end of his sentence, his composure shattered completely, and his intense emotions erupted completely.

In Lin Qingdai's memory, Su Yu had always been a noble and gentle man, and she had never seen him lose his composure like this before.

After a moment of stunned silence, Lin Qingdai nodded to him, a very subtle gesture. But Su Yu noticed it, and a light welled up in his eyes.

It was late spring, and the weather was warming up, but the depths of the ancestral hall were still chilled to the bone. Stepping inside, Lin Qingdai couldn't help but shiver.

"elder sister."

Lin Qingdai called out softly, and Lin Qingwu immediately turned to look at her, "Dai Dai, what brings you here?"

As she answered, Lin Qingdai continued to walk closer to her, and finally, without much ceremony, knelt down beside her.

Lin Qingwu was so angry that she poked her forehead with her finger. "Nonsense."

Then, he urged her anxiously, "Get up quickly, you'll suffer if you catch a cold."

It's no wonder Lin Qingwu was so anxious.

Lin Qingdai was a premature baby. She had been taking various rare and precious medicinal herbs for many years, but her body was still far more delicate than the rest of the family. She simply couldn't be left untreated.

However, instead of getting up, Jiaojiao started scolding her older sister.

“Is this the time to fuss over such trivial matters? Grandpa must be furious this time. He has ordered that no one is allowed to plead for you and Brother Yu.”

"And you and Brother Yu, you've been hiding it well, haven't you? I never noticed that you two were in love before. When I came in earlier, Brother Yu even asked me to pass on a message to you."

They chattered on and on, making a huge racket, but Lin Qingwu didn't say a word to stop them until her sister mentioned Su Yu.

What did he say?

He said…

Lin Qingdai repeated it word for word, even imitating Su Yu's kneeling posture and the intonation of his speech.

After listening, Lin Qingwu suddenly smiled.

Lin Qingdai's gaze fell on the slightly upturned corners of her mouth, and after a moment, she spoke softly.

This time, the beautiful woman appeared calm and rational, as if she wanted to discuss serious matters.

"How does your sister plan to wrap this up?"

Lin Qingwu pondered for a moment, then softly replied, "Dai Dai, I am not as clever as you, you could even say I'm stupid. To be honest, until this moment, I still can't think of how to end this."

Just now, as she pondered this, she even wondered if there was any way to break the deadlock. The man she was betrothed to was Ji Yujing, the King of Lingdong, a peerless hero. How could such a man tolerate his fiancée's affections for another, and bring this affair into the open? He would most likely use this as a pretext to attack the Lin family and vent his anger on the royal family.

Even so, “I still want to be true to myself. Dai Dai, I want to marry the man I love, rather than obey my ancestors’ wishes and marry a man I’ve never met.”

At this point, Lin Qingwu reached out and grasped Lin Qingdai's hand, tears glistening in her eyes, "Isn't my sister very selfish? For the sake of personal love, she disregards the family and the greater good."

Lin Qingdai saw her sister's panic and self-blame, and her heart ached. After a moment, she took her sister's hand in return and gently comforted her, "No matter how others see you, you will always be the best sister in my heart."

"If you really don't want to get married, then don't. Dai Dai will help you with the rest."

Looking at her younger sister, who was two years younger than her but was intelligent, calm, and dependable, Lin Qingwu could no longer control her emotions.

She suddenly hugged Lin Qingdai tightly, burying her face in her shoulder and crying incessantly, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Lin Qingdai let her vent until the fabric on her shoulder was soaked and there was a commotion outside the ancestral hall.

She then pushed Lin Qingwu away, and took out a silk handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it to her, saying, "Sister, don't cry anymore."

"Wait a moment, perhaps there will be a way to have the best of both worlds."

Before Lin Qingwu could ponder the deeper meaning of those words, Lady Hou Zhuo Shuming had already entered the ancestral hall. Seeing her two darlings kneeling on the ground, unable to move in their sorry state, she couldn't help but feel a surge of sorrow. She immediately rushed towards them, her steps faltering, and upon reaching them, she opened her arms wide and embraced them both tightly. "Neither of them is easy to deal with."

Her words were full of disdain, but the tears welling up in her eyes completely revealed her true feelings.

She felt sorry for her daughter, even though she knew that most noble ladies in the vast Xun Kingdom had no say in their marriages.

After a short while, Zhuo Shuming led Lin Qingdai out of the ancestral hall. He was simply following Old Master Lin's instructions to take her away.

Despite his fury, Old Master Lin was still concerned about his precious daughter's frail health, fearing that she might catch a cold and fall ill.

At first, Lin Qingdai obediently followed her mother, remaining silent the whole way. Zhuo Shuming assumed she was grieving for her sister, and since he was also in a bad mood, he didn't ask any further questions. After a silent journey, the two approached the main building. To return to Lin Qingdai's courtyard, they should turn left. However, Jiaojiao'er didn't; she suddenly stopped, and a soft ripple spread across the hem of her skirt.

Zhuo Shuming walked a little further before realizing that his darling hadn't followed. He turned around to look for her, "Dai Dai, what are you doing standing there? It's late, go back and rest."

As they spoke, they began to walk back and soon stopped in front of Lin Qingdai.

Lin Qingdai bowed to her, her manner perfectly proper and flawless. "Mother, please go back to your room to rest. I'll go talk to my grandfather."

Zhuo Shuming knew perfectly well what her daughter wanted to do, since it was her own child, but she didn't approve. Although the old man loved the younger generation, his love was always within reasonable limits.

Take this situation for example. If Qingwu's future husband were from another noble family or a member of the royal family, there would still be room for negotiation if she didn't want to marry him. Even if he didn't understand, he would still try his best to plan for the young lady. But this time, the other end of the marriage contract involves the vast Lingdong region and Ji Yujing, who commands 100,000 elite troops or even more.

The situation in the court is currently unstable. Outside the court, numerous warlords have risen up, each openly vying for power. Under such circumstances, the so-called harmony is nothing more than a thin, fragile veil that will crumble at the slightest touch.

Many people understand the current situation, but no one wants to be the first to break the "harmony".

The old man was no exception.

He might tolerate the Lin family's century-old reputation being tarnished, but he could never accept the Lin family's destruction in his hands. Even if there was only a sliver of a possibility.

As his thoughts flowed like a gentle stream, with subtle ups and downs, Zhuo Shuming reached out and stroked his daughter's slender arm.

Even through the fabric, the coldness still stung her fingertips, causing her to frown. "Dai Dai..."

This was a prelude to Zhuo Shuming's anger, but before he could vent it, it was crushed by Lin Qingdai's affectionate embrace without any warning. The next moment, a soft voice rang out, "Mother, don't worry, Dai Dai is just going to talk to Grandfather, and I promise I won't do anything to upset him."

"He's so angry, how can we not go and comfort him? What if..."

Zhuo Shuming didn't give Lin Qingdai a chance to explain what "what if" meant, as he considered it unlucky.

After a moment's thought, she finally relented: "Go ahead, but be good."

Lin Qingdai obediently complied.