Chapter 131 FCADW? IRTBTMOTMM

 FlamingoBees 

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 Favoring Concubines and Destroying Wives? I Refuse to be the Mistress of this Marquis' Mansion

 Chapter 131: 

Seeking the Prince 

"Several daughters from the Donglin family are quite impressive, while the ones from the Xilin family are a bit lacking. However, I've heard that the matriarch of the Xilin family is an upright person; she personally raised her eldest granddaughter, but unfortunately, she didn't take care of the later ones."

"There's also the youngest daughter of the magistrate's family. Despite her age, she's more gentle and composed than most elder daughters."

"The Gu family has several legitimate daughters who are also outstanding, and even the illegitimate daughters are remarkable! It seems the mistress of the house is a sensible person."

"Your Highness, what do you think about these descriptions?"

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Wang Mama and Zhao Jingyi, a couple, took the opportunity in front of Qi Lingheng to praise the well-mannered and suitable-to-marry young ladies from Jiang Qian. 

Qi Lingheng listened silently, neither expressing approval nor disapproval. 

He closed his eyes for a moment. 

"Your Highness?" Wang Mama called out. 

Qi Lingheng raised his eyes and said calmly, "They're all good." 

He seemed less reluctant than before.

But Wang Mamma still felt uncertain. She asked with concern and respect, "Your Highness, when you say 'all good,' do you mean each one is to your liking?"

Qu Lengheng didn't deny Wang Mamma's assumption. He simply remarked, "Of course, the ones you selected are good, but it seems to lack a certain... charm."

Wang Mamma was anxious, "Lacks what?"

Qi Lingheng smiled faintly, "Something like mutual attraction."

With that, he walked away, leaving Wang Mamma and Zhao Jingyi bewildered in the hall.

"Mutual attraction? But he hasn't even seen them! How can he decide it's lacking without meeting them? What should I write to the Empress?" Zhao Jingyi asked in confusion.

Zhao Jingyi's Empress sister specifically instructed that any progress should be reported back to the capital through letters.

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Wang Mama could only nod and say, "Just write the truth."

Zhao Jingyi sighed and said, "Well, that's all we can do."

Heading back, he scratched his head, unsure how to write back to his sister, feeling lost as he looked around with a pen in hand.

Wang Mama also had to send secret letters to the Empress and the Emperor. After some thought, she spoke the truth.

The prince seemed to have relaxed his guard, but who knows what ideas were brewing in his mind!

As a nursemaid, she truly couldn't understand it.

~

At the Lin residence.

Having gathered quite a bit of information, Xiruo and Lin Yunwan talked by candlelight.

"The Lin family is divided into two branches, east and west. In fact, there are more than just these two branches. However, the other Lin family members didn't fare well, and with the decline, they relied solely on the east and west branches."

"These two branches, one resides to the east of Jiang Qian, and the other to the west, known as Donglin and Xilin."

"We belong to Xilin." 

"The Old Master passed away many years ago, and ten years ago, the Old Madam made the decision to divide the family. However, it was just a separation, and the members of the three branches still lived together. The Old Madam and the eldest master of the main branch lived together."

"The eldest master held the position of a third-ranking official in the Ministry of Personnel in Jinling. He had several very promising sons, with two of them reportedly passing the imperial examinations. Additionally, his students also achieved success. The eldest master personally promoted several Jinshi and one Juren."

Lin Yunwan listened once and remembered everything.

She asked, "What's the relationship between the Dong family and the Lin family?"

Referring to Dong Shuangshuang's maternal family.

Xiruo explained, "They used to be neighbors of the Lin Mansion, but they've moved away now. I heard they sold their mansion and bought a smaller one. The Lin family later purchased the Dong family's mansion, connecting it to the Lin family's property and dividing it into two courtyards, east and west. After the separation, it became the current residence for the Eldest Master and the Third Master."

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Now, half the street is occupied by Lin Mansion.

Lin Yunwan sighed, "Indeed, a prominent family. Although the West Lin is not as grand as East Lin, it still looks quite decent now."

Lin Huabin's mansion may not be considered wealthy, but the way the master manages the maids and servants is far from shabby. As for the grandeur of the Lin family's main residence, it remains a mystery.

"Dong Shuangshuang told me today that the Old Madam is a very straightforward and reasonable person," Xiruo remarked.

Xiruo nodded, "That's not an exaggeration! I heard that when the Eldest Master was young, he was fond of playing and even had a servant read books for him. When the Old Madam found out, she didn't punish the servant but instead publicly chastised the Eldest Master."

"Miss, can you guess how the Old Madam punished the Eldest Master?"

Lin Yunwan thought for a moment and said, "Physical punishment is the lowest form of punishment. If it's not physical punishment, there are various other methods. It depends on the Old Madam's perspective and personality."

Xiruo chuckled, "This Old Madam is truly an interesting person. She prohibited the Eldest Master from reading books and had the servant read on his behalf. She also allowed the Eldest Master to play to his heart's content."

"The servant was originally a promising scholar. After reading for a month, he became quite proficient. However, just after a month, the Eldest Master couldn't bear it anymore. He took the initiative to tell the old lady that he would no longer indulge in play and was committed to studying."

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This Old Madam's methods are truly ingenious! The Eldest Master of the Lin family is the legitimate eldest son, and if he couldn't surpass a servant in his studies, the Lin family members wouldn't know how to mock him! It's not just about losing face; it would also tarnish his reputation.

Curiously, Lin Yunwan asked, "What happened to the servant later?"

Xiruo chuckled, "This is where the Old Madam's reasonableness comes in. She pitied the talented servant who lacked a good background. She supported him to study alongside the Eldest Master. I heard he achieved success in the imperial examinations, gained freedom from servitude, and is now the right-hand man of the Eldest Master in Jiang Qian."

"This story has long become a beautiful tale in Jiang Qian."

Lin Yunwan admired the conduct and character of the Lin family's Old Madam. There was one crucial thing she hadn't inquired about yet.

"Before Miss Lin left the Lin residence, where did her nursemaid go? How did she end up bumping into her stepmother's belly? What were the people serving by the Madam's side doing at that time?"

Regardless of how Madam Zheng and her daughter accused Miss Lin of making a mistake at the age of four, the loopholes in the story were too glaring! Would a four-year-old deliberately bump into her stepmother's belly and even injure the back of her head?

Lin Yunwan firmly believed otherwise. She said, "I've heard of naturally mischievous children, but after all, they're still children. Engaging in such convoluted actions, a child wouldn't be capable of that."

Xiruo paused for a moment before speaking, "Miss, your inquiries are all about suspicious matters. Miss Lin Yunwan's nursemaid and the person serving the lady have both left the residence."

"As for Miss Lin's nursemaid leaving, there's nothing unusual. It's normal for them to depart when they are no longer needed to nurse a child. If the maid serving the miss made a mistake and was expelled, it seems reasonable as well."

Xiruo continued in a hushed tone, "But the maid serving the Madam was, I heard, a maid brought along as part of the Madam's dowry! She was exceptionally beautiful. At that time, within the entire West Lin Mansion, there was no maid who could compare. Her personality was also very good. When I inquired, not a single person spoke ill of her. Surprisingly, the lady sent her away to a distant marriage..."

Lin Yunwan frowned.

Would this kind of maid really make such fatal mistakes? Another beautiful and useful maid, how could the lady of the house not value her? Why would Madam Zheng be willing to send her away in marriage? It seems this maid is even more critical than the nursemaid serving Miss Lin!

She asked Xiruo, "Do you think we can find out where that maid went?"

Xiruo hesitated for a moment and said, "Miss, the quickest way would be to ask the prince for help. He is thorough and more capable than us. If you truly want to find out, I think there's no need to go to great lengths on your own."

Lin Yunwan was indeed a bit tempted.

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

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