Yuan calmed Lin Huihui down with a jade bracelet.
Then he immediately ordered his maid to go find He Yuyan.
"Mother, I want a maid too, the kind I can take with me when I go out." Lin Huihui saw that all the other girls had maids with them, but she didn't. She was the daughter of a county magistrate, a lady of an official family, how could she be inferior to others?
Moreover, having a maidservant by your side makes you look more imposing. If you encounter someone who doesn't know what's good for them, you can just order the maidservant to do it. It's just a pity that Yang Cui, Er Ya, and San Ya can't see this kind of prestige, otherwise they would definitely be extremely envious of you.
The Yuan family had few descendants, so even though He Yuyan was a granddaughter, she was still very much loved. He Yuyan's surname was He, but her relationship with the He family was not very good. She grew up in the Yuan family since childhood, so she always called Yuan Weimin "Grandpa".
She returned to the Yuan family home in a huff, while Yuan Weimin smiled kindly and asked, "Who upset our young lady?"
"It's all because of that slut Lin Huihui and that old man from the Lin family. They only know how to take advantage of others, and they're always trying to squeeze something out of my mother. They're from a poor family, and they're really not presentable!" He Yuyan said, spilling the beans. "When we were serving tea this morning, that old man only gave me ten copper coins! It was an insult to me!"
Yuan Weimin said without changing his expression, "Their family is poor."
"Of course they're poor. When we went out this morning, Grandpa, you don't know, my mother gave Lin Huihui five taels of silver. The look on Lin Huihui's face showed that she had never seen so much money before. I just don't understand, what's so good about the Lin family? They're poor, and those two, grandmother and granddaughter, are so ignorant." He Yuyan's words were full of disdain and contempt for the Lin family.
The Yuan family actually looked down on Lin Shikang, but there was nothing they could do; after all, he was the county magistrate. The deaths of so many county magistrates had already attracted the attention of the capital, and Lin Shikang couldn't afford to have any more mishaps at this critical juncture.
In addition, his daughter Yuan Yajing likes him. It's better to be a father-in-law and son-in-law than enemies. The Lin family has no sons, and Lin Shikang is a third-place scholar in the imperial examination. If he is easy to control and obedient, he can be given some political achievements in a couple of years and then promoted.
By then, Yuan Weimin will be the beneficiary.
However, Yuan Weimin could not explain these principles to He Yuyan.
He Yuyan continued, "Hmph, this morning you said you wanted me to follow the Lin family's rules, but that poor family from the countryside, I didn't even make them follow my Yuan family's rules!"
“You are the precious darling of the Yuan family, so you don’t have to follow their rules. You can do whatever you want without having to worry about anyone’s feelings. As long as you don’t cause any deaths, Grandpa will cover for you.”
"I knew Grandpa was the best."
Yuan Weimin was just hoping He Yuyan would cause some trouble, and it would also be a good opportunity for him to see Lin Shikang's attitude.
*
On the Lin family's side.
Lin Huihui finally found an opportunity to speak with Lin Shikang alone.
"Father, you are the highest-ranking official here, but why is no one afraid of you? Even He Yuyan's maid dared to lay a hand on me." Thinking of this, Lin Huihui felt aggrieved. Her father was the highest-ranking official here, so she should be treated with deference. Why was everyone bullying her?
Hearing this, Lin Shikang didn't know how to explain to his daughter that what they needed to do now was to lie low and endure! Otherwise, how could they eradicate them completely? Otherwise, how could he truly control the region at will?
Lin Shikang paused for a moment, then said, "Your mother has already apologized to you for the jade bracelet, so don't be angry. What sisters don't quarrel? Didn't you and Er Ya and San Ya quarrel before?"
Mentioning Er Ya and San Ya, Lin Shikang couldn't help but think of Yang Cui. He received a letter from home informing him that Yang Cui's business was booming and that she had even started a private school, providing free education for children. She was highly respected in the surrounding villages.
Lin Shikang sometimes thought that if Yang Cui were still his wife, these "achievements" would be his, and with a little maneuvering, he could rise rapidly in rank based on them.
It's just a pity...
“Huihui, our family is new here and not well-off to begin with, so it’s understandable that we are looked down upon. If you want to change this fate and not be bullied, then study hard to learn etiquette and needlework, find a good husband in the future, and make everyone look up to you. Also, be more careful in everything you do and never act impulsively.”
Lin Huihui seemed to be deep in thought upon hearing this.
"Father, can you punish Xiuer? She dared to lay a hand on me, which is an act of disrespect. I promised Mother I would forgive He Yuyan, but Xiuer is a maid, a lowly servant. Shouldn't she be disciplined?"
Lin Shikang also wanted to avenge his daughter, but it would be inappropriate for him to take action. If Lin Huihui took action, it would just be a conflict between the two sisters.
Lin Shikang was about to give Lin Huihui a few words of advice when he saw someone arrive. He immediately adopted a serious tone and said, "Huihui, what sisters don't quarrel? It must be a misunderstanding. Don't be so petty. Your sister Yuyan was just joking with you. As the younger sister, you should learn to respect your elder sister."
Hearing this, Lin Huihui was stunned. Why did her father's attitude change so much?
She said, "Father, I am your biological daughter! Are you mistaken? Are you alright?"
Lin Shikang's expression turned serious, and his tone became fierce: "How dare you talk to me like that! Don't you even respect me as your father? You made a mistake and you're still unrepentant, making baseless accusations against others. Go to your room and reflect on your actions!"
Hearing this, Lin Huihui burst into tears, feeling that her father was biased. Sure enough, if there is a stepmother, there will be a stepfather.
Lin Huihui hid in her room and cried miserably. The more she thought about it, the more she couldn't swallow her anger. She had promised Yuan Yajing to forgive He Yuyan, and it wouldn't be good to go back on her word and hurt He Yuyan, since she still wanted to get money and jewelry from Yuan Yajing.
But she couldn't touch He Yuyan. She refused to believe she couldn't do anything to a mere maid!
In the afternoon, as soon as He Yuyan returned to the Lin family, she was summoned by Yuan Yajing. Yuan Yajing naturally couldn't bear to scold her precious daughter, so she gently advised her to get along peacefully with Lin Huihui in the future.
It was at this moment that Lin Huihui asked Fang Lei to teach Xiu'er a lesson. Fang Lei only listened to Lin Shikang and said he would ask Lin Shikang for permission first. Lin Huihui was worried that Lin Shikang would stop her from teaching Xiu'er a lesson, so she said forget it and then turned around to find Donkey Egg and Cow Egg.
Donkey Egg and Cow Egg are now essentially servants of the Lin family. When they first came here, they fantasized about being as powerful and imposing as the constables and yamen runners they had seen. But they never expected that they would just be doing housework. However, they eat and dress well every day. Compared to their old days in Lin'an Village, this is paradise now, and they are very content.
They were very simple-minded. They all shared the surname Lin and had come with the Lin family, so they were "one of their own." Since Lin Huihui had been bullied, as "one of their own," they certainly couldn't stand idly by. Moreover, Lin Huihui was the daughter of the county magistrate, so of course they had to listen to her!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
