Chapter 440 Miss Lin fell into the water
The morning breeze was quite cool.
A breeze blew across the lake, carrying the fragrance of lotus leaves. A dozen ladies were enjoying tea and the scenery in the pavilion, having a very pleasant time.
As they admired the game, the ladies would call their maids to bring out the playing cards and start playing Dou Dizhu (a popular Chinese card game).
These ladies were new to this game and became addicted to it; whoever lost would be eliminated and another would take their place.
Cheng Wanwan felt once again that she had to hurry up and set up the mahjong game. She was slightly better at mahjong than at playing Dou Dizhu, so she would use thicker bamboo strips as the material. She was sure that it would become a hit in the whole of Huzhou.
Just as they were having fun, suddenly, there was a thud.
"Something terrible has happened!"
"Someone fell into the water!"
The ladies playing cards were immediately shocked.
The ladies on that boat are all their own daughters. If their own daughters fell into the water, they would be frantic with worry.
Cheng Wanwan repeatedly reassured everyone, "The water level in the lotus pond only reaches your thighs, it's not deep, there's no danger to your lives, please be patient."
She told others not to rush, but she lifted her skirt and ran towards the boardwalk leading to the center of the lake. Theoretically, this lake shouldn't drown, but what if it does?
As soon as I ran over, I saw the young ladies on the boat in the middle anxiously clinging to the side of the boat, trying to pull the person who had fallen into the lake out of the water. The person who had fallen into the water was Miss Lin, the eldest daughter of the Lin family.
Ms. Lin was unaware of the water's depth and kept struggling in the water, getting soaked from head to toe and looking utterly disheveled.
Cao Yingying snatched the bamboo pole from the boatman's hand, stretched it into the lake, and shouted, "Miss Lin, quick, grab the bamboo pole, I'll pull you up."
Miss Lin's body bobbed up and down. Because water got into her eyes, she couldn't see clearly. She tried to reach the bamboo pole several times, but couldn't.
Cheng Wanwan tied up her skirt, preparing to jump down and pull the person up.
First, young ladies in ancient times valued their reputation. If a man saw them in such a disheveled state, Miss Lin's reputation would be ruined.
Secondly, this is Dahe Village, her territory, and the place where she is hosting the lotus appreciation banquet. Miss Lin cannot have anything happen to her here.
Third, she is an old woman in her thirties, so there is no issue of reputation for her; she is the most suitable person to come and save her.
"thump!"
Cheng Wanwan jumped down.
She had just stepped down when she heard another thud beside her.
She looked over in surprise and saw Zheng Wangfeng jump down from the east bank as well.
Wasn't this person going to find Master Yu? How come he just happened to appear by the lotus pond?
"Young Master Zheng, please stop!" Cheng Wanwan shouted. "You are a man, you should not look at what is improper, please go ashore."
Zheng Wangfeng paused for a moment, then said, "I heard someone had fallen into the water, so I rushed over to help."
“This water is too shallow for you to handle,” Cheng Wanwan said indifferently. “If Young Master Zheng wants to ruin Miss Lin’s reputation, then come on.”
A hint of embarrassment appeared on Zheng Wangfeng's face as he cupped his hands and said, "It was just my assumption."
He turned around and was pulled ashore by the pageboy on the bank.
Cheng Wanwan moved quickly toward the center of the lake. She broke off any lotus leaves that blocked her way and soon arrived in front of Miss Lin.
She grabbed Miss Lin's arm and pulled her into her arms, whispering, "The water isn't deep. Try stepping in; you'll feel the bottom. Don't panic, stay calm..."
Under her gentle reassurance, Miss Lin gradually calmed down.
Cheng Wanwan looked at the woman rowing the boat and said slowly, "If anyone falls into the water again in the future, you must come down and save them immediately."
She usually spoke softly to the villagers, but now that she was being stern, the woman rowing the boat tensed up and quickly nodded, "Yes, I was too slow to react."
The woman hurriedly took off her coat and handed it to Cheng Wanwan.
Cheng Wanwan wrapped Miss Lin's body in her coat before being pulled onto the boat. Miss Lin was trembling and huddled in Cheng Wanwan's arms.
Madam Lin was so anxious on the shore that she kept stamping her feet. As soon as the boat docked, she quickly hugged her daughter and kept thanking her, saying, "Madam Sui, thank you so much for saving my life. I don't know what to say..."
Cheng Wanwan's upper body was not wet, but her body below the knees was soaked, and her upper body was also a little wet. She pointed to herself and said, "Look, the water only goes this far. Even if I didn't jump in, Miss Lin would be fine. It's not a matter of saving a life. Madam Lin, don't worry. Come on, let's go back to the courtyard and change your clothes so you don't catch a cold."
Mrs. Qian breathed a sigh of relief: "Miss Lin's face is pale. Come inside and have some ginger soup."
The crowd thronged around Cheng Wanwan's courtyard.
Among the crowd, Madam Zheng's face was somewhat unpleasant. She had just vaguely seen her son; if it weren't for Madam Sui's meddling, then...
She pursed her lips, suppressing her thoughts.
Cheng Wanwan led Madam Lin and Miss Lin into her bedroom. Cao Yingying brought out one of her own embroidered clothes, a brand new garment that she had never worn before. It fit her perfectly, as she and Miss Lin were about the same size.
Miss Lin changed her clothes, dried her hair, and then sipped a bowl of ginger soup.
After taking a sip, she spoke slowly, "I didn't fall into the water by accident; it felt like someone pushed me."
"What?" Madam Lin was utterly astonished. "Who pushed you? And why did they push you?"
Isn't this kind of framing usually something that happens in grand mansions in the capital? How come there's such intrigue and backstabbing happening in this village?
Cheng Wanwan had a vague guess in her mind, and she asked, "Miss Lin, who are you on the same boat with?"
Cao Yingying answered on her behalf: "Miss Lin, Miss Wu, Miss Huang, Miss Zhou, Miss Zheng, and their respective maids are on the same boat."
Miss Lin, her face pale, said, "Miss Zheng was talking to me then, and her maid was right behind me. Could it be..."
Cheng Wanwan frowned; no wonder Zheng Wangfeng would appear near the lake.
Madam Lin's face turned extremely ugly. She was from the capital and had grown up in the inner courtyard of the mansion. She was all too familiar with these kinds of methods. She never expected that the Zheng family would actually scheme against her.
She couldn't swallow this insult.
"Mrs. Lin, calm down." Cheng Wanwan held her hand. "There is no evidence in this matter. Even if it is determined to be the Zheng family, the Zheng family will only push a maid out to take the blame. You still can't swallow this anger. You might as well pretend that you don't know anything and make plans in private."
If this matter blows up, the Zheng family will certainly lose face, but Miss Lin's reputation will also be damaged. There's no need to hurt the enemy a thousand while hurting yourself eight hundred.
Anyway, since Lord Lin is an imperial censor, he can easily find some minor pretext to make things difficult for the Zheng family. It's much easier to do things secretly than openly.
"It's all thanks to Madam Sui's wisdom!" Madam Lin breathed a sigh of relief. "Fortunately, Madam Sui intervened, otherwise my daughter would have had to marry into the Zheng family. That young master of the Zheng family is indeed talented, but he is not yet married and already has countless concubines in his harem, one of whom is pregnant. Who would dare to marry their daughter into that family... Madam Zheng is truly shameless!"
Cheng Wanwan patted Madam Lin's shoulder: "This matter cannot be left unresolved. I will go out and give her a warning."
If you cause trouble on her turf, you'll have to bear her wrath.
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