Chapter 16 That's my future mistress of the house! ...
"Mother, did you know from the beginning that Grandmother and Uncle wouldn't agree?"
Inside the Hidden Spring Pavilion, the air was filled with the fragrance of incense, and the soft yellow candlelight illuminated a corner of the room. Wen Jinghao and her daughter were sitting on the daybed, taking inventory and chatting.
Lin Wenli sat down on a chair to the side, flipping through a book and occasionally interjecting with a few words.
"I'm afraid only someone as foolish as you wouldn't be able to see that."
Lin Shuyi was unconvinced and turned to look at Wen Jinghao: "If Mother had known that Grandmother and Uncle would not agree, why would she have made her daughter put on such a show of kindness!"
Wen Jing glanced at Lin Shuyi, then shook her head with a slight smile: "Li Ge'er, tell your silly little sister about it."
Lin Wenli stopped flipping through the book in his hand and glanced at Lin Shuyi.
"Tian Ji's horse racing strategy shows that he knew how to win through skill."
"My sister prides herself on her talent, how come she doesn't even understand this simple principle?"
Lin Shuyi was annoyed and wanted to retort, but she knew she couldn't win the argument. Her cheeks puffed up with anger, which made Wen Jinghao laugh.
"mother!"
Wen Jinghao put down the object in her hand and shook her head: "What a nemesis!"
"Sister Yi, those who achieve great things must remain composed even when the building is about to collapse!"
"Look at yourself now?"
Seeing that Lin Shuyi's emotions had calmed down, Wen Jinghao asked again, "Do you still remember why your mother took you and your brother to the capital?"
Lin Shuyi frowned and honestly said, "Isn't it because Grandmother is senile! She's been setting up these two people in such a mess!"
Wen Jinghao then asked, "Do you know why Mother was so opposed to it?"
Lin Shuyi asked in confusion, "Isn't it because that girl has bad intentions?"
Wen Jing chuckled and patiently explained, "That's only one aspect, but not the most important one! The most important thing is her father and brothers."
Seeing that Lin Shuyi was still in a daze, Wen Jinghao couldn't help but sigh.
"It's also my fault for always pitying you when you were young, which has led you to grow up to be so naive."
"Look at Hui-jie, she's two years younger than you!"
Lin Shuhui is the illegitimate daughter of the Lin family. Although she is younger than Lin Shuyi, she is a very shrewd and charming person. She is usually favored by her father, while Lin Shuyi and she have always been at odds.
Lin Shuyi: "Mother! Why are you bringing her up for no reason?"
Wen Jinghao sighed deeply, but after all, she was her own flesh and blood: "Then you should know why your mother and your grandmother don't get along, right?"
Lin Shuyi pouted, "Isn't it all because of that Wei Xiaoniang!"
Wen Jinghao was quite pleased: "That's it."
“That Wei is your grandmother’s niece. Your grandmother originally wanted to marry her off to your father as his principal wife.”
"But your grandfather chose your mother, do you know why?"
Lin Shuyi pondered for a moment: "The Wei family is just a poor family, how can they compare to the Wen family!"
Seeing that Lin Shuyi had finally figured it out, Wen Jinghao breathed a sigh of relief.
"The Wei family is facing a generational gap, and its fortunes are declining."
“That Wei Xiaoniang has not been able to give birth to a male heir. I’m afraid that one day when your grandmother passes away, your father will kick them away.”
"Furthermore, your elder brother passed the imperial examination at a young age and has a bright future, which is why we want to use marriage to bind the Lin family together."
With considerable indignation in her voice, Lin Shuyi said, "They've got a good plan, do they think everyone else is blind?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Shuyi's mind worked quickly.
“The Wei family is not like the Lin family. Mother does not want my cousin from the Wei family to take the position of my brother’s legal wife.”
"But the Lin family isn't as powerful as the Wen family!"
"See? Now I understand!"
Wen Jing chuckled and coaxed, "Your fourth cousin is exceptionally beautiful, and she studies at the private school in the Grand Princess's mansion. Aren't all her close friends from wealthy and influential families?"
With a touch of melancholy, Wen Jing smiled helplessly: "In the entire Wen family, only your third uncle is truly good to your mother. It's just a pity that he has no official rank or family fortune."
"Although your maternal grandmother favors your mother, she is not without limits. My mentioning your fourth cousin right away was just a test of the waters!"
Lin Shuyi sensed her mother's helplessness, and felt a heavy weight pressing on her heart, making her feel somewhat suffocated.
Wen Jinghao didn't elaborate further, but instead looked at Lin Wenli and asked, "What do you think of Sixth Sister?"
Among the eligible girls in the Wen family, the second and third daughters belonged to the third branch of the family. Their fathers and brothers had no power or wealth, so they were not within Wen Jinghao's consideration.
The fourth daughter of the eldest son's family was no ordinary person, so she dared not covet her. The remaining fifth daughter was a very arrogant person, and she would be difficult to control in the future.
The sixth daughter of the second wife is the best choice. She is gentle and shy, her father is a successful businessman, and her brother has achieved academic success.
Lin Wenli didn't answer immediately, but Lin Shuyi interrupted him.
"Distant mountains and lotus blossoms, crabapple blossoms intoxicated by the sun."
"Brother saw two stunning beauties in one day, how could he possibly have the leisure to share them with others?"
Wen Jinghao's face darkened. She warned, "Li Ge'er, it's good to have ambition, but if you're all talk and no action, you'll only make things worse."
"Your sister is getting engaged next year, so you'd better not cause any trouble!"
Feeling somewhat annoyed, Lin Wenli got up, put down his book, and went out to the side room, saying, "I will follow Mother's arrangements."
Wen Jinghao watched Lin Wenli's retreating figure.
The flickering candlelight reflected in her eyes, and Lin Shuyi heard her sigh softly, "In the end, it's all because Mother is useless."
Inside the Tu Nan Courtyard, Yu Heng relayed Ren Mama's words to Wen Lingzheng without missing a single one.
Wen Lingzheng found it amusing, but Yuheng remained angry for a long time.
When Yao Guang returned after finishing his business, he saw the little girl looking angry as soon as he entered the door, her pouting lips so thick they could probably hang three pounds of pork.
"Who has offended you this time?"
"He's so unrefined, even in front of girls."
Wen Lingzheng looked at Yao Guang.
Yao Guang said smoothly, "Don't worry, Miss. I had my brother go there himself, and I only came to report to you after he finished his business!"
Wen Lingzheng breathed a sigh of relief, got up and walked to the dressing table, taking out a purse from an inconspicuous little box.
"Take this to your brother for me tomorrow."
Yao Guang took the purse, picked it up and looked inside; there were five taels of loose silver.
“I cannot accept this, young lady. Even if my mother found out, she would not allow my brother to accept it.”
"Besides, we were originally the mistress's maids, and now we belong to the young lady, so it is only right that we do things for her."
Wen Lingzheng then stuffed the purse into Yao Guang's hand.
"The end of the year is just around the corner, and money is needed everywhere. You and Yuheng grew up together since childhood. Isn't our friendship worth more than a little money?"
Seeing Yao Guang hesitate, Wen Lingzheng added, "It's always inconvenient for us to act in the inner courtyard. I'm afraid we'll have to trouble your brother quite a bit in the future."
Yuheng was a straightforward person, and said, "What trouble is there? Just tell me what you need, and I'll go through fire and water for you."
Yao Guang sighed and finally took the things: "Look at this girl, talking like a child!"
Wen Lingzheng sighed, "That's right! If you hadn't come back just in time, you'd still be angry about something so trivial!"
Yuheng retorted, "Then it's not worth it! Miss Pei came all this way and got her word, and now you don't care about anything anymore!"
A look of confusion appeared in Yao Guang's eyes.
Yuheng then recounted the events in their entirety.
Yao Guang, composed and clear-headed, saw through the situation immediately: "Now that Granny Ren is here, it means that the old lady is on the young lady's side. What's with your anger?"
Yuheng said, "I'm just annoyed that those people have set their sights on my daughter for no reason! Do they think our Tu Nan Academy is easy to bully?"
At this point, Yuheng also recounted what had happened in the hallway that morning.
Yao Guang frowned, lit another candle, and said, "I think you should investigate this matter of the passageway properly, Miss."
Wen Lingzheng turned to look at her: "You noticed it too?"
Yao Guang sat down on the edge of the couch: "What do you think, young lady..."
Wen Lingzheng shook her head: "My grandmother is always cautious in her actions, she would never use such a stupid method to test me."
"It must have been that young lady Lu's idea. It's all thanks to my fifth sister, who prides herself on being clever."
Yuheng curled his lip and said irritably, "This room is truly full of demons and monsters. If we run into an old Taoist priest, he can take them all away!"
Yao Guang was so angry she laughed. She sighed several times, calling her "little ancestor," and begged that she never mention it again once she left the courtyard.
However, the news of the victory in the north spread throughout Shengjing like swallows returning to their nests the very next day.
The emperor was overjoyed and issued an edict to reduce taxes for the following year, which made even the common people at the bottom of society ecstatic.
As the saying goes, a timely snowfall promises a bumper harvest.
On the day Pei Lin returned to the capital, which happened to be the day before New Year's Eve, Shengjing was blanketed in heavy snow.
A vast expanse of snow draped the branches, turning even the bricks and tiles into a silvery mist, yet it couldn't stop the people who spontaneously flocked to the streets.
The city gates were wide open, and the silhouettes of the imperial army came into view in the distance.
The streets and alleys were bustling with people.
The Wen family's carriage was stuck in the crowd, and Wen Lingzheng slightly lifted the curtain.
The dark blue flag fluttered in the wind and snow.
She could faintly hear the sound of horses' hooves approaching from afar.
Yuheng sat next to the girl and also peeked out.
The movement was a bit too forceful, and Yao Guang, fearing she would fall, pulled her back.
"You'd better behave yourself!"
Yuheng sat down obediently, looking puzzled.
"Looking around, all I see are heads!"
"Didn't you say you were going to Sanweizhai to check the accounts?"
Sanweizhai was the teahouse that Wen Lingzheng owned, located outside the Zhuque Gate. This time, she used the excuse of going to Sanweizhai to check the accounts to go out.
Yao Guang was helpless, feeling that his sister's mind was sometimes sharp and sometimes not.
Wen Lingzheng smiled and said, "They were there to check the accounts, but they're stuck here, aren't they?"
It's obvious that their real intentions are not what they seem.
Yuheng realized what was going on and laughed, "So it turns out that the young lady's 'Sanweizhai' is right here in this carriage!"
The horses' hooves pounded, breaking dry branches and leaving a trail of marks on the snow.
The crowd became agitated.
At the end of the dense crowd, the figure of the young general in white horse and silver armor gradually emerged in the clear halo of light.
He rode his horse slowly down the street, his expression revealing neither joy nor anger.
It's unclear which daring young woman started it, but petals began to fall from the pavilion, swirling and dancing in the air.
Even though he tried to avoid it, he couldn't help but be tainted by the fragrance of the flowers.
Gu Jianchuan, riding behind him on his imperial horse, gently pulled on the reins and rode alongside him.
"Look! You, who still longs for the plum blossoms of Lingyuan in the North, are you happy now? There are so many flowers, surely you can have enough for you to see?"
After saying that, Gu Jianchuan reached out and snatched a flower from the wind, handing it to Pei Lin.
Pei Lin ignored him and simply brushed the flowers off his shoulder.
"Do you think everyone is like you?"
"If a few more girls come knocking on your door, I'm afraid the Duke will really break your legs!"
Why bring up something you shouldn't talk about?
Gu Jianchuan retorted angrily, "The pot calling the kettle black. If you go to Jin Yu Fang two more times, your old lady's cane will probably turn into a stick by now!"
Xingyun chimed in with a smile, "General Gu, you don't know this, but my lord doesn't really care about plum blossoms! We've planted them at home before, but I've never seen him show much appreciation for them."
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted several carriages stuck in the crowd, and Xingyun laughed even harder.
He rode his horse closer to Pei Lin, lowered his voice, and chuckled, "Why don't you turn your head and take a look, my lord?"
Pei Lin didn't understand, and only glanced back at him.
The bright winter sun shines on the white snow, light clouds obscure the moon, and the wind swirls the snow.
The curtain of a carriage not far away was lifted slightly, and he inadvertently met those calm eyes.
The little girl who was like a sour plum and a budding flower has grown up.
Amidst the crowd, she smiled and glanced at everyone.
Human colors are like dust.
The curtain swayed slightly, and Wen Lingzheng sat back in the carriage.
Her heart, which had been taut for years, relaxed slightly. She said to Yaoguang, "When we get to Sanweizhai later, you two can check the accounts for me and also help me rent a sedan chair. I need to go to the west of the city."
Yao Guang guessed the girl's thoughts and objected, "Miss, if there's something strange about that matter, who knows how many things are involved! How can you go alone?"
Wen Lingzheng did not answer; her gaze drifted out the window through the curtain.
In the vast white light, she seemed to see the scene that Xiao Weiyuan had described to her in the prison city that year.
An empty city, corpses floating everywhere, crimson blood flowing all over the ground, followed by falling snow in an attempt to cover it up.
The ground was stained pink, and a few weeds poked their heads out from the snow, their green so bright and dazzling that they looked just like the banners in the distance.
Stubborn and tenacious.
It also resembles a general holding a banner.
He knelt on top of countless mutilated corpses, heads rolling off, indistinguishable from blood and dust; his arms were broken into three pieces, and even his torso was pierced by arrows.
That day marked the 213th day he had been ordered to defend the city.
—The supplies have long been exhausted, and reinforcements have yet to arrive.
Wen Lingzheng took a deep breath, her eyes filled with a sorrow that Yaoguang could not fathom: "Yaoguang, I must go to the west of the city this time."
Just as Pei Lin withdrew his gaze, Gu Jianchuan approached him and asked, "Those are just a few carriages trapped here by the crowd. What are you looking at?"
Pei Lin didn't answer, but just laughed and rode away.
Gu Jianchuan looked at Xingyun, puzzled, and asked, "What is your lord looking at?"
Xingyun was clearly in a good mood, and jokingly moved closer to Gu Jianchuan, replying in agreement—
"My future mistress of the house!"
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