Chapter 668 Provocative Action
Lin Yue'e arrived at the Xiyuan Courtyard, where Jiaoniang had just finished serving Lin Shusheng his dinner.
Because of the knife stuck in his back, Lin Shusheng couldn't lift his arm and had to be fed spoonful by spoonful by his wife.
"Jiaojiao, for nearly ten years, you have suffered a lot of injustices without a proper status. I have finally fulfilled my promise and brought you into the manor, but..."
Not long after Qin Shi died, Qin Nanyan caused trouble again, and the Lin family was being watched closely, so it was not advisable to immediately clear Jiao Niang's name.
"Master, what are you saying? If it weren't for you back then, Jiao Niang would probably be living in a brothel now..."
Once upon a time, Jiao Niang felt very grateful to Lin Shusheng. Otherwise, even if she was very beautiful, she might not have been treated sincerely. Moreover, she and her son had been raised in the outer residence for nearly ten years.
Lin Shusheng did not abandon her, nor did he change his mind about her. Although it was mainly for the sake of his two sons, the beautiful woman was still satisfied.
She wanted to be brought closer to the family and have Haowen and Haowu added to the family genealogy. As for her own status, Jiaoniang didn't think much about herself.
Ever since she learned that she was actually Lin Shusheng's cousin and had been sold off by Old Madam Lin, she had wanted nothing more than to stab people with a dagger until they were riddled with holes, but even that wouldn't be enough to quell her hatred.
Old Mrs. Lin was so heartless, yet her parents traveled all over the country for more than 20 years to find her, going bankrupt in the process, and in the end, her mother died with resentment.
If she hadn't been sold, even though she wasn't born into a wealthy family, she would have been married and had children by now, and could have lived a simple life as a village woman.
All of this was completely destroyed by the Lin family. How could she not hate them!
Jiao Niang slipped some silver to the steward, and sure enough, she was brought to the mansion as she wished.
When Jiao Niang entered the house to pay her respects to Old Madam Lin today, she almost couldn't resist pulling out a dagger. She couldn't remember anything from when she was three years old, but she was inexplicably terrified when she saw Old Madam Lin's harsh face.
She told her father about her plan: once it was completed, she would change the surnames of her two sons and let them return to their hometown to live.
The prerequisite is that Old Mrs. Lin and Scholar Lin must die.
All her previous gratitude turned into resentment. When she saw her father's hunched back and thought of her mother's regret when she died with her eyes wide open, she wished she could bleed the Lin family dry!
"Jiaoniang, what's wrong with you?"
Lin Shusheng sensed that something was wrong with Jiao Niang, and a hint of suspicion immediately appeared in his eyes.
"My lord, I am a little scared."
Knowing Lin Shusheng's suspicious nature, Jiao Niang quickly made up an excuse to cover it up.
"What are you afraid of? This is the Lin residence, and Master is the master of the Lin family."
Compared to Qin Shisheng's son, Lin Haoran, Lin Shusheng has a deeper affection for Haowen and Haowu. He doesn't care about rules or whether they are legitimate or illegitimate; as long as Haowen and Haowu are capable, they can inherit the Lin family business in the future.
Lin Shusheng loathed Qin Shi to the core, and therefore he also loathed Lin Yue'e and Lin Haoran, who resembled Qin Shi.
"This humble servant is somewhat afraid to face Miss Yue'e, fearing that she might cause trouble for me."
A hint of worry appeared in Jiao Niang's eyes. She was still a servant, while Lin Yue'e was the mistress. The difference in their status was obvious.
"Don't be afraid of her. In a few days, the master will go to the Wei family to plead for Yue'e to stay there for a while."
It's supposed to be a short stay, but as long as he doesn't pick her up, Lin Yue'e can forget about coming back. She can just be raised as a child bride by the Wei family, out of sight, out of mind.
"Um."
The young woman answered softly, her mind heavy with worries.
"Master, Miss Yue'e has come to pay her respects."
As soon as Lin Shusheng mentioned Lin Yue'e to Jiaoniang, Lin Yue'e came to the Xiyuan to visit him.
"not see."
Lin Shusheng resolutely refused, but the steward said, "Master, Miss Yue'e is just being filial and worried about your health. She has already come twice."
The father and daughter would meet sooner or later, and the steward mediated between them.
"Alright, let her in."
Lin Shusheng thought about it and realized that this made perfect sense. He then had someone bring Lin Yue'e in and have the beautiful maid serve tea.
"Father, I heard that you were injured and I have no desire to stay at the Wei family's residence, so I have returned home ahead of schedule."
After entering the room, Lin Yue'e glanced around, paused on Jiao Niang, and said, "Judging from your complexion, you seem to be alright, so I can rest assured."
“It’s good that you have this filial piety. There’s less than a month until the Cold Clothes Festival. Your mother just passed away, so you should stay in your room and copy scriptures. Your father will ask the monks from Huguo Temple to perform a ritual for your mother on the Cold Clothes Festival.”
Lin Shusheng wished Qin would go to the eighteenth level of hell, but when he heard that Haowen and Haowu were so frightened that they kept having nightmares, he wanted to send Qin's soul away.
Originally, he planned to completely destroy Qin's soul so that she could not be reincarnated as a human in her next life, but time was short and he could not find a master to help him in his desperation.
Hmph, the Qin family really got off easy by performing the ritual of deliverance!
"Father, who is this daughter-in-law? She looks unfamiliar."
Lin Yue'e pointed at Jiao Niang and asked.
"The servants your grandmother found for your father are very attentive to his needs."
Lin Shusheng was most annoyed by Lin Yue'e's sarcastic and strange manner. In contrast, Lin Yuesha didn't have these bad habits. That girl was pure and kind, listened to him and let him do as he pleased. She was a likable girl.
"Then Father, take good care of your injuries and get some rest."
Lin Yue'e glanced at Jiao Niang and came out of the wedding courtyard, but to her surprise, Jiao Niang followed behind her.
Who exactly are you?
Lin Yue'e stopped, handed the lantern in her hand to Pipa, and said with a forced smile.
She didn't want to cause trouble for Jiao Niang, but she didn't expect the other party to be so bold as to follow her up and provoke her.
"Didn't you already know?"
Jiao Niang leaned against the tree, casually playing with her nails, deciding to use Lin Yue'e to achieve her goal.
"Are you my father's mistress?"
Lin Yue'e felt as if she had been struck by a hammer. She had only suspected it before, but had no solid evidence. If this was the case, her mother's years of effort would have been in vain, and she would have become a laughing stock!
"The word 'concubine' doesn't sound very nice. Now that I've been brought back to the manor by the master, I guess I'll just be considered a confidante."
The beautiful woman's smile was as radiant as a flower. If Qin Shi hadn't died, she wouldn't have had the chance to enter the family.
"You bitch!"
Thinking of her mother, Qin Shi, Lin Yue'e cursed loudly, wishing she could scratch Jiao Niang's face and tear her mouth apart.
"You really disappoint me, and that's all you're capable of."
The young woman looked up at the moon. It was almost the fifteenth of the ninth lunar month, and the moon would be full again. She said softly, "It's been almost ten years since I started following my master."
Why do people always condemn women as shameless and despicable, yet never consider that it is men who decide all of this?
The capital city is full of beauties, and she, Jiao Niang, knew she didn't have the ability to make Lin Shusheng's heart remain unchanged. Qin Shi gave everything but couldn't win his heart, and neither could she.
"Nearly ten years?"
Lin Yue'e was shocked by Jiao Niang's words. If that were the case, then the two boys she saw at Old Madam Lin's place at dinner... were her father's children!
In other words, Father not only had an affair with a mistress but also had two sons behind Mother Qin's back, hiding it so perfectly that Mother never found out until her death.
That's impossible!
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