Ren Mansion, Study
Ren Guiwang was sitting in his study when he heard footsteps outside the door, followed by the voice of Steward Ren: "Master, Lin Daoqing has left. I gave him a few strings of copper coins to send him away."
Upon hearing this, Ren Guiwang snorted coldly, a hint of disdain and indifference on his face: "Hmph, he still dares to ask for those several thousand taels of silver! His arranged marriage caused our family to lose all its property. If it weren't for the fact that he is still somewhat useful, I wouldn't even give him these few strings of copper coins!"
Ren Guiwang dared to do this because he had already made a decision: after Lin Jinghui's death, regarding the compensation, he only made verbal promises to Lin Daoqing, without any written agreement. Even if Lin Daoqing was dissatisfied, what could he do to him?
As long as the Ren family can successfully deceive the Lin family and transport Lin Jinghui's body out for burial, the Ren family will naturally no longer acknowledge the compensation.
Thinking of this, Ren Guiwang felt a little better.
He glanced at a calendar on the table and realized that tomorrow was the eighth day of the ninth lunar month, an auspicious day.
He immediately made a decision: he could no longer delay the marriage of his eldest son, since the marriage of his illegitimate son had already been arranged, and the wedding was to take place on the 18th of October.
The thought of being beaten black and blue by that masked man made Ren Guiwang's body tremble involuntarily.
He touched his face and secretly vowed to get his eldest son's marriage back as soon as possible, otherwise his master would not let him off the hook.
So Ren Guiwang summoned his eldest son again and instructed him, "Tomorrow is the eighth day of the ninth month. Achuan, take the official matchmaker to the Lin residence to set the wedding date. Double the previous dowry. Make sure this marriage is settled and bring the eldest daughter of the Lin family back to us!"
Ren Guiwang was in a bad mood after losing his family's wealth. He knew that his eldest son's marriage could not be delayed, so after careful consideration, Ren Guiwang decided to sell a farm and a shop to raise money for his eldest son's betrothal gifts.
Although he felt somewhat reluctant, he felt it was a necessary sacrifice for his son's happiness.
When he told his wife about his decision, she seemed somewhat displeased. She complained, "Sir, these estates and shops are all things we worked hard to buy; how can we just sell them like that?"
Ren Guiwang quickly explained, "Madam, you know we're under the public eye right now, so I can't reach into the military for the time being. This is just a show for others; we'll figure something out once things calm down."
After hearing her husband's explanation, Mrs. Ren's dissatisfaction lessened somewhat. She thought about it and realized that this was the only way. Finally, she reluctantly agreed to her husband's decision.
However, Madam Ren also made a request: "My lord, you must make up for my dowry in the future."
Ren Guiwang agreed without hesitation: "No problem, Madam. After this period is over, I will find a way to sell more horses and earn more salary without working, and I will definitely make up for your dowry."
Thus, although Ren Guiwang felt somewhat helpless, for the sake of his official position and his eldest son's marriage, he instructed his steward to sell a farm and a shop. Although Madam Ren was somewhat unwilling, she could only accept this reality.
On the morning of the eighth day of the ninth lunar month, Ren Daoyan was to guard the city gate for half a day.
Before leaving, he pointed to a long string of firecrackers hanging on the pomegranate tree in the yard and instructed his wife and servants: "If anyone comes to assassinate me, you must immediately light the firecrackers to send a signal, and I will rush back."
He instructed his daughter and son, "You two must never let this important person out of your sight. If there is any danger, you must protect him with your full strength."
Knowing his daughter was skilled, he whispered a warning: "You must protect this important person and not let anyone get close to him. You must not be careless."
Lin Yajun nodded obediently and said solemnly, "Your daughter knows the importance, Father."
Having received his daughter's assurance, Lin Daoyan left the Lin residence to guard the city gate. He knew very well that someone had transferred him to guard the city gate simply to provide an opportunity to assassinate Zhao Canchen.
Even knowing the truth, he couldn't change it. Whether Zhao Canchen and his family could survive was entirely up to fate.
After their father left, Lin Yajun and Lin Songhao stayed by Zhao Canchen's side without leaving him for a moment, until Ren Daoyan returned.
Lin Yajun knew Zhao Canchen's importance; only if he was safe could her family be safe.
If anything happens to Zhao Canchen, the entire Lin family will die.
So she sat on the balustrade in the front yard, reading a book, with a deadly weapon tucked in her arms—a shotgun-like tranquilizer dart. This way, she wouldn't kill the assassin in the Lin residence, and she could also ensure Zhao Canchen's safety.
Lin Yajun thought: the people who came to assassinate Zhao Canchen were most likely secret guards sent by the emperor. If they killed him in the Lin residence, they would definitely not survive.
She believed that if she could injure the other party and prevent him from making a move, the master of the secret guard would surely not let him go after the assassination failed!
Zhao Canchen sat on the east side of the balcony, while Lin Yajun sat on the west side.
Although Lin Songhao was only thirteen years old, he had received the true teachings of Lin Daoyan and was very good at swordsmanship. Neither Lin Daoqing nor Lin Daowei were his match.
Children from military families like them learn martial arts from a young age so that they won't become cannon fodder when they join the army. The higher their skills, the easier it is for them to get promoted.
Therefore, Lin Songhao began practicing swordsmanship with his father when he was five years old.
"I want to become a general of the Imperial Guard to protect the Emperor." Lin Songhao had lofty ambitions.
An hour later, Lin Yajun told her younger brother to protect Zhao Canchen.
She went to the kitchen in the corner, steamed a basket of chicken cake pastries, and then cooked a pot of fruit and peanut sweet soup. She asked Li Ma to send a portion to her mother first.
Under Xu's direction, the main courtyard and the west courtyard were cleared out and renovated.
An old woman brought snacks and sweet soup to Madam Xu, saying, "Madam, these were made by Miss herself."
After washing her hands and eating, Madam Xu thought to herself, "Jun'er can actually make so many delicious things. She must have learned it from books."
Lin Yajun, with a smile on her face, gracefully carried a tray out of the kitchen. The tray held three delicate dishes of pastries and three small bowls of sweet soup, emitting an enticing aroma. She placed the tray on a small table in the hallway and then handed it to Zhao Canchen and Lin Songhao respectively.
Lin Songhao couldn't wait to pick up a pastry and put it in his mouth, chewing it slowly. The pastry was sweet and soft, making him exclaim repeatedly, "Delicious, so delicious!"
Zhao Canchen also took a bite and nodded in praise, "This pastry is absolutely fantastic! It's sweet, delicious, and has a soft, chewy texture. Miss Lin's culinary skills are truly exceptional!"
Lin Yajun smiled slightly and said modestly, "This is just an ordinary sponge cake, nothing special." As she spoke, she picked up a pastry herself, took a small bite, and then lowered her head to drink the fruit and peanut sweet soup.
Although this fruit and peanut sweet soup is called a sweet soup, it is not actually overly sweet. It has a refreshing and pleasant taste, and it feels very refreshing when you first put it in your mouth. However, you can taste a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste, which makes it unforgettable.
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