After Chen Shaoyun searched Princess Xilan's residence, he approached Yang Cui and her husband and asked them what they wanted to keep. After they made their selections, they were about to return to the palace to report back.
Yang Cui and Cen Xiao now have everything they need, except for the house where Lin Shikang once lived.
The house was in a very nice environment. Even in Beijing, money can't always buy a good house. They left the house behind so that if people from their hometown came to take the imperial examinations, they could be arranged to stay there.
Yang Cui doesn't need the rest; her children don't lack dowries.
Chen Shaoyun then went to the palace to report back.
"Lin Shikang and the others are going back to their hometown," Cen Xiao said to Yang Cui.
“Going back to his hometown is good,” Yang Cui laughed. “He thought that giving Lin Gouya and Lin Youliang money would solve everything, haha, but when he gets back to his hometown… sigh, it’s a pity we won’t see him suffer.”
...
Time flies, and it's already the end of December.
Lin Shikang and Fan Shi finally returned to Lin'an Village.
They should have been home long ago, but along the way, either the weather was bad or they got sick, making it more than half a month later than expected.
Lin Gouya, Lin Youliang, and Lin Mingfu returned about a month earlier than them.
In the past month, the Lin family's private school has been almost completed and will be open for business after the New Year. Boys will study and girls will learn embroidery.
Because of the private school incident, Lin Shih-kang and his mother received a warm welcome upon their return.
Because of her vanity, Fan brought all her jewelry with her when she entered the village.
"Is this Shikang's new wife? She's really beautiful."
"That little face, that skin, wow..."
Hearing the envious voices of her clansmen, Fan's vanity was greatly satisfied.
Of course, she wouldn't say that she came back because she couldn't stay in Kyoto anymore.
She had met the princess, who had affectionately called her "Auntie," lived in a grand mansion, worn fine clothes, and eaten delicacies—all of which she could boast about for the rest of her life in this village.
"Didn't you say you weren't coming back for the time being?" Lin Gouya asked, puzzled when he saw Lin Shikang and his mother return. "Where's Huihui? Could she have gotten married?"
"I heard that Huihui married into a wealthy family in the capital and became their principal wife. She'll enjoy endless riches and honors from now on. Aunt Fan, why did you come back to this poor, remote place?"
Upon hearing the mention of Lin Huihui, both Lin Shikang and Madam Fan's expressions changed.
But this matter cannot be kept secret for long.
Madam Fan knew she couldn't keep it a secret for long, so she didn't intend to hide it, but she also wouldn't tell the truth.
"My poor Huihui, she was harmed by those two wretched girls, Er Ya and San Ya. They were jealous that Huihui became the princess's goddaughter, so they listened to the instigation of some people and framed my Huihui. Some people are already eating and drinking well, but they just can't stand to see our family living a good life." Fan Shi said with snot and tears streaming down her face.
Aren't some people just making a veiled attack on Yang Cui?
However, the Lin clan members have become wiser now and won't point it out.
"What exactly happened to Daya?"
"They framed Huihui, saying that Huihui wanted to harm them, but it was actually Lin Chunmei who harmed them! That damned girl Lin Chunmei didn't die at all, and she even ran away to the capital. She harbored resentment towards Yang Shi and wanted to take revenge on Er Ya and San Ya. In the end, she also harmed Huihui. Huihui was sentenced to exile, and Lin Chunmei and Lin Mingcai were both executed."
Everyone was surprised to hear this news.
"Chunmei is incredibly audacious."
"It's amazing that a young girl could actually go all the way to Kyoto."
"This scourge of a man, he brought this upon himself and even dragged Daya down with him."
"Wait, you just said Lin Mingcai was executed?"
Madam Fan nodded: "Yes, Lin Mingcai wasn't dead before, he was beheaded this time."
The Lin clan members looked at each other, speechless for a long time.
After a long while, someone finally said, "If you ask me, there's no good in their whole family. Lin Rongguang, Lin Mingcai, and now Lin Chunmei, from top to bottom, they're all rotten. If it weren't for them, would we have gotten to where we are with Yang... today?"
The Lin clan members do not reflect on their own problems; they only push the blame onto others.
"It's too late to talk about this now." Lin Shikang didn't want to discuss it, because it bothered him too.
The Lin family's house was originally given to Yang Cui. Later, the clansmen jointly funded the construction of three houses for them, and Lin Shikang and his family of three moved into this house.
The house had been uninhabited for a long time, and there was a thick layer of dust inside. Madam Fan had been used to living a life of luxury for the past two years, and she could get whatever she wanted just by asking. Now, she was not going to clean the house.
Lin Shih-kang has never done any work since birth, let alone could.
So the cleaning job fell to Meng Ruyan. She originally had a maid, but the maid stole the indenture and ran away halfway there.
Meng Ruyan had never done such rough work before, but she endured it for Lin Shikang's sake.
"What can you even do properly?" Fan Shi couldn't help but scold Meng Ruyan for dawdling at her work. "At this rate, how are we going to sleep tonight?"
"mother……"
"What did you call me?"
"Madam, I will get it done as soon as possible."
Madam Fan still prefers to be called "Old Madam." When Meng Ruyan had some money, Madam Fan treated her politely. However, after arriving in the capital, Madam Fan learned that Princess Xilan liked Lin Shikang and, fearing that Princess Xilan would be unhappy, her attitude towards her changed drastically. Now that Meng Ruyan is penniless, her attitude has become even worse.
“Mother, Ruyan has never done this before, as you know.” Lin Shikang stepped forward and said.
He should have kept quiet, because once he did, Madam Fan became even angrier.
"Is she made of gold? I, as an elder, can't even say anything? You've been bewitched by a vixen, and now you're even disobeying your mother, sob sob... My life is so miserable..." Madam Fan began to wail.
Lin Shih-kang is really having a headache.
Given his current predicament, he has no idea what to do next, and to make matters worse, he likes to cause trouble.
Lin Shikang said impatiently, "Although Ruyan followed me as a concubine, she did not sell herself to me. She has been very kind to me. Even now, she is still willing to follow me back to my hometown to suffer. Mother, can't you be more tolerant?"
Fan looked at Lin Shikang in shock.
Meng Ruyan was so moved by Lin Shikang's words that she burst into tears.
It should be noted that when Yang Cui, or even his first wife Yang Liu, had conflicts with Fan Shi, he never stood up and said a word. In fact, Lin Shikang would even lecture his wife, saying that his mother was a widow who raised him with great difficulty, and that they should be more filial and accommodating.
Meng Ruyan and Lin Shikang had known each other for many years. Although she had never been here before, she had secretly inquired about Lin Shikang and heard a lot about his family from him.
At this moment, Lin Shikang's attitude towards her was completely different from that of his previous two wives, and Meng Ruyan was moved to tears.
"Madam, please don't be angry. It's all my fault. I will try my best to improve. Please teach me more in the future, and I will do a good job."
Lin Shikang: "Mother, look how sensible Ruyan is. If you teach her more, she will do well."
Fan was furious with the two of them and became increasingly dissatisfied with Meng Ruyan.
I think Meng Ruyan did it on purpose, it's all an act.
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