The layout of the Shen family mansion's inner quarters has undergone a major change.
Lin Huaiyin was overjoyed. She carefully straightened his official robe, stepped aside, lowered her head, and twisted her fingers, occasionally stealing shy glances at him.
He hugged and rubbed her haphazardly, and her hair ornaments and hairpins were all askew, making her look like a madwoman.
Shen Congyun usually valued appearances the most, and seeing her like this only made him more disgusted.
However, for the sake of his and Pingyang's great cause, no matter how much he disliked him, he could only be patient and said to Lin Huaiyin, "Since you are pregnant, it is not convenient for you to stay in the Shen residence anymore. This place is remote, and your father and brothers have arranged for the Imperial Guards to patrol this area in order to avoid suspicion. Yesterday, the White Lotus Sect fled into the capital, and Minister Zhao was assassinated. Rebels and assassins are rampant in the capital, and you have such an experience."
He deliberately brought up the old story of Lin Huaiyin being abducted by the White Lotus Sect. Seeing that Lin Huaiyin's body stiffened and began to tremble, he continued, "Now we need to change your residence, add more guards, and hire a doctor so that you and your son can live comfortably and safely."
"I am deeply grateful for my husband's kindness."
Lin Huaiyin wiped her eyes, moved to tears.
He went around in circles, even bringing up painful memories from the past, but in the end, he still wanted money.
Lin Huaiyin understood, and responded with loving, watery eyes: "Last night, in front of my mother-in-law, I had no choice but to promise 800,000 taels to Guanyin Bodhisattva. For the sake of our child, I absolutely cannot go back on my word. I beg my husband to allow me to go to the Lin residence again today to get another 800,000 taels."
Lin Huaiyin readily agreed, seemingly without any ulterior motives, which put Shen Congyun at ease, but also left him with a dilemma.
Returning to the Lin family to collect money for two consecutive days is bound to attract attention and damage his reputation.
Moreover, such a large sum of silver is something a lowly servant girl, raised in a gold mine, has no concept of money and would take it without hesitation. But once Lin Zhenlie and his son find out, they will inevitably speculate about its purpose.
It was not advisable to take the risk. Shen Congyun made a decisive decision to choose another time.
According to his plan, the prince would not die but would be seriously injured if he was assassinated on Buddha's Birthday. The Lin family father and son would be guilty of dereliction of duty and would definitely be busy with the investigation of the assassin. When they went to collect the silver, they would definitely not have time to care about anything else.
By then, with the Crown Prince seriously injured and the Emperor critically ill, the court will be entirely under his control. He can then use silver to support the White Lotus Cult and eliminate the disloyal officials. The only thing standing in his way will be the Lin family's Imperial Guards, the last line of defense against Pingyang.
Shen Congyun envisioned the future, and he and Pingyang were getting closer and closer to their goal. When Pingyang ascended the throne, they would have a child, and their child would be the crown prince of the Daxing Dynasty.
As for the lowly servant Lin Huaiyin, she will disappear without a trace, as if she had never existed.
Shen Congyun didn't even bother to glance at her. He stood up and casually said, "This matter isn't urgent. We'll talk about it after the Buddha's Birthday," before turning and leaving.
Upon hearing this, Lin Huaiyin's gaze darkened. She followed his retreating figure, bent her knees, clasped her hands on her left hip, and said softly, "This concubine will obey my husband's orders."
Looking up, Lin Huaiyin saw Chen Congyun and Chu Jiu passing by the window. She watched their silhouettes disappear quietly, then obediently blew out the lamp, left, closed the door, and went downstairs.
As dawn broke, Lin Huaiyin gained a temporary respite. She dismissed her servants and walked slowly through the chaos of the world, where heaven and earth were neither fully awake nor fully asleep, pondering each step carefully.
The money is safe for now, but Shen Congyun will definitely confirm whether she is really pregnant and will certainly try his best to get rid of this bastard child. He will postpone asking for the money until the Buddha's Birthday...
Lin Huaiyin recalled the calamity that befell the Lin family in her previous life, the first blow being the Buddha's Birthday—the assassination attempt on His Highness the Crown Prince.
As a result, his elder brother Lin Cuiyue was punished, and shortly afterward, the White Lotus Sect attacked the camp at Heming Mountain, resulting in the deaths of many court officials. With these two events occurring one after another, his elder brother was dismissed from his post and punished, and the power to defend the capital fell completely into the hands of Shen Congyun and Princess Pingyang.
That damned Shen Congyun not only framed my father and brothers and seized my Lin family's military power, but also tried to manipulate me so that I could take advantage of the chaos to siphon off the Lin family's assets from within.
They used my family's money to support Princess Pingyang's White Lotus Rebels, then attacked my father and brothers, dismantled the Imperial Guards, and helped Princess Pingyang ascend the throne. What a pair of wicked dogs!
Don't worry, you won't get the silver. You're not getting a chance to get it from His Highness the Crown Prince!
As long as I don't become an accomplice, the Lin family will always be impregnable. My father, brothers, mother, fourth sister, nephew, fish and crab, and all nine generations of my Lin clan will keep their eyes wide open and watch as your pipe dreams are shattered and you die without a burial place.
The most important thing is to protect His Highness the Crown Prince.
If Your Highness is unharmed, then the Lin family is unharmed.
Lin Huaiyin stopped, completely unaware that her fingernails had dug into her palms. All she heard was His Highness the Crown Prince pinching her ear and saying, "You must live."
I survived, Your Highness.
Lin Huaiyin saw the Crown Prince in his pristine white robes before her eyes. Through the thin mist, she seemed to meet his eyes again. She couldn't see through him, and she didn't understand the true weight of what he had entrusted to her. She lowered her head, as if the sparrow-head shoes were at her feet again, and her heart softened inexplicably.
Please forgive me for having to go and check the address you gave me.
To go out, one must have an excuse, and also be wary of Shen Congyun sending people to follow one.
The bow and arrows hidden with Su Jinggui must also be retrieved as soon as possible.
Lin Huaiyin walked slowly, her thoughts gradually clearing as she thought about the family dinner in a few days.
Princess Pingyang attended the banquet, which provided a perfect opportunity to witness the disgraceful behavior of the Shen family.
Once she discovers that the Shen family mother and daughter have colluded with His Highness the Crown Prince, and that I am pregnant with Shen Congyun's child, what will become of her and Shen Congyun? Just thinking about it makes me look forward to it.
Back at Qingyin Pavilion, she had finished calculating every single detail and wanted to share it with someone.
Passing by the crab claw room, I heard little pigs snoring inside.
Lin Huaiyin smiled knowingly, deciding not to disturb her and let her continue sleeping in. She turned back to her own room, where she found someone sitting inside.
She was startled, and the other person flinched before saying, "Miss, it's me."
With a flash of cold light, Yu Li concealed the small dagger, fumbled to light a candle, poured a cup of hot tea, and handed it over, saying, "I came to wake you up, but you weren't there, and the house wasn't in any mess, so I didn't disturb anyone."
"well done."
Lin Huaiyin was generous with her praise, and since she was indeed thirsty, she took the tea to drink, but unexpectedly touched the sticky cup first.
Was it sweat? Lin Huaiyin felt a jolt in her heart and suddenly realized that Yu Li was waiting alone in the dark, the tea had gone cold and then warmed up again, and she wanted to call for help but didn't dare. She was timid to begin with, so how much she must be suffering.
I'm sorry. Lin Huaiyin was filled with regret; she should have said goodbye before leaving.
But if Yu Li notifies him beforehand, wouldn't she be worried and afraid?
Lin Huaiyin gripped her teacup tightly, thinking that she had rushed ahead to protect them, but in this hellish Shen family, no matter what she did, they were still three frightened birds.
Of course, the crab claw counts as half a crab.
We need to leave as soon as possible to truly feel at ease.
There was no time to lose. Lin Huaiyin didn't want to waste a single moment. She tilted her head back and drank the tea, then washed up, changed her clothes and do her hair. She then dragged the crab claw out of the bed, and the three of them went together to Old Madam Shen's courtyard.
To keep the act convincing, one must go all the way. If you discover you're pregnant yesterday, you can't break the rules today.
Lin Huaiyin wore a headband and walked with graceful steps, supported by Yu Li and Xie Ao on either side, carrying two lanterns as she walked slowly and elegantly.
Memories of her past life surged like a tide, pounding against her forehead.
Ever since she married into the family last October, she had been going to the old witch's courtyard to be at her beck and call all winter long, regardless of wind, frost, rain, snow, headaches, or fevers.
When it's almost dawn and the old witch is still asleep, she stands and waits; once she wakes up, she greets her, helps her get up, serves her meals, and asks for instructions on household matters—this is called the morning greeting.
After a long day, she would go again at 5 PM to greet everyone, make the bed, offer words of comfort, listen to instructions, and take her leave. This was her final bowing.
She performed the morning and evening greetings without fail for six months straight. With Yu Li and Xie Ao by her side, she worked like a slave in the Shen family, enduring Shen Lanyan's beatings and scoldings, as well as the old witch's hypocritical words and the frequent punishment of kneeling in the ancestral hall.
It's a small temple with a lot of evil influence.
The morning breeze lifted the lanterns, and Lin Huaiyin and the other two dispelled the thin mist along the way. She was determined that if she was made to stand again today, her back would ache and her head would ache; if she asked the old hag to get up, she would spit on the bed; and if she was given chores by Yu Li and Xie Ao, she would wobble and feel uncomfortable all over.
Anyway, she was pregnant, and she was so weak that she felt nauseous and vomited whenever she saw anyone.
She started acting immediately, channeling her inner drama queen, panting softly on the spot, taking three steps and then resting.
The maids and servants in the house who got up early greeted them from afar, surrounding Lin Huaiyin and her two companions, clearing the way in front and following behind, showing concern and care in their own way.
Lin Huaiyin and the other two ignored everyone. The group of about ten people slowly walked to the gate of Madam Shen's courtyard, and then dismissed them all on the pretext that their mother-in-law was displeased.
Once the people dispersed, the view became clear.
Upon entering the courtyard, Lin Huaiyin spotted Granny Xu ahead and chuckled, thinking how coincidental it was.
She turned cold, her gaze distant, and walked slowly and deliberately.
In the courtyard, Granny Xu, supported by two maids, was slowly moving around to dispel her illness.
Perhaps sensing something, Lin Huaiyin's cold gaze made her feel uneasy and her heart skipped a beat. She realized that it was time for Lin Huaiyin to come and pay her respects.
The thought of Lin Huaiyin caused Xu Mama's eyes to ache again. She couldn't understand how a girl of only fifteen years old could have such fierce eyes, as if she wanted to devour someone.
She dared not recall it; the pain returned every time she thought of it, yet she could not resist it at all. There was a rustling sound outside, but she dared not look. Her missing tooth made it difficult to clench her jaw, and she couldn't help but turn her head. When she glanced to the side, it was indeed Lin Huaiyin. Her body trembled, and she gasped!
Their eyes met, and Lin Huaiyin smiled slightly, calling out, "Granny Xu."
With a sweet voice but a fierce killing intent, Lin Huaiyin's laughter was chilling. Xu Mama shuddered, her mind went blank, and her bulky body knocked over the two young maids.
"Pass!"
The three fell to the ground. Before the little girl could even cry out, she huffed and puffed as she greeted Lin Huaiyin, "Greetings, Madam. May Madam enjoy boundless blessings."
Lin Huaiyin nodded, which was taken as an agreement.
As usual, in her mother-in-law's courtyard, she couldn't speak unless her mother-in-law spoke, and she couldn't move unless her mother-in-law ordered her to. She was just like a clay doll, waiting to be kneaded and molded by others.
So at this moment, even though the two little maids couldn't move Granny Xu, Lin Huaiyin just watched quietly, while inwardly poking her own forehead with her finger and cursing herself for being such a pig brain, having been bullied by this cowardly creature for half a year.
Yu Li watched silently.
The crab claw was different. She was very skilled, unlike Lin Huaiyin who specialized in archery. She was proficient in all sorts of martial arts. In fact, if she fought freely, few people in the Shen family could touch her. It was just that because Lin Huaiyin was the punching bag, she kept her crab claws hidden and never used them.
At that moment, she really wanted to kick Granny Xu a couple of times and beat a dog when it was down.
She would never forget how the old woman would beat and scold them at the drop of a hat, how on rainy or snowy days she would only let the three of them share one broken umbrella, and how on many days she would stand from dawn till dusk until her legs were about to break, but she would never inform the old woman. She was very good at using her authority.
Before long, the two maids ran off, seemingly to fetch help. When they returned, they brought not only several older female servants, but also another elderly woman, Aunt Huang, who was by Madam Shen's side.
Aunt Huang is also an old servant of the Shen family, and her seniority is no less than that of Granny Xu, but she just can't compete with her. She thought she would be suppressed for the rest of her life, but unexpectedly, Lin Huaiyin kicked Granny Xu yesterday and made her look like a ghost. Now that the mansion is bustling and lively and short of manpower, she naturally took over the position of temporary steward of the inner quarters.
It's temporary and not yet stable.
Aunt Huang knew that she owed her current status entirely to Madam Lin Huaiyin's kick. In addition, after listening to Granny Xu's nonsensical ramblings all night, every word of which described how terrifying Madam Lin was, she began to harbor some thoughts. Madam Lin was pregnant, and her status was rising. She could trample on Granny Xu, and naturally she could trample on others as well. No one should oppose her.
For these reasons, upon hearing that Lin Huaiyin, despite being pregnant, still came to visit in the morning and was exposed to the wind and cold outside, Aunt Huang disregarded the fact that Old Madam Shen was still asleep and rushed directly to the bedroom to ask for permission.
She had come to convey Old Madam Shen's message. As she approached Lin Huaiyin, Aunt Huang bowed and greeted her: "Madam has arrived. Did you rest well last night?"
Lin Huaiyin saw her face and recognized her as Aunt Huang. It was the first time she had seen her with her head bowed and eyes lowered. After thinking for a moment, she nodded and said, "Thanks to Aunt Huang, I am well."
“Madam, you flatter me. The old lady said that since you are now in poor health, you are exempt from the morning and evening greetings. You only need to come to eat lunch and dinner with the old lady so that she can take a good look at you.”
These words were exactly what Lin Huaiyin wanted to hear.
She rushed over early in the morning to make a fuss, just to make sure that the old witch had come to her senses after a night's rest and was wondering what she might be suspicious about.
Now that she heard the word "no need," she felt relieved, but she still looked flattered and replied with delight: "In that case, please tell Aunt that I am very grateful for your consideration and that I will come to pay my respects again at noon."
"This servant has noted it down. Madam, please take care on your journey and rest in your room." Aunt Huang was very caring. She then arranged for two maids to carry lanterns and lead the way to escort Lin Huaiyin back.
Lin Huaiyin did not refuse. She glanced at Xu Mama who was being carried away, then turned and left.
Aunt Huang bowed as she saw her off, secretly pondering how she, as a newly appointed official, could win the favor of the madam and let her know that she was different from Granny Xu and was easy to get along with.
After thinking it over, she came up with a good idea, caught up with Lin Huaiyin, and said, "Madam, I have a favor to ask of you."
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