Chapter 194 FCADW? IRTBTMOTMM

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

 Chapter 194: 

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"Mother, what is this?" Lin Huabin still couldn't figure it out.

Old Madam Lin replied impatiently, "Take a closer look. You've been studying for over ten years, you should recognize this."

Lin Huabin examined it again. "Isn't this Huang Tingjian's 'Various Calligraphy Models'? Who wrote it, and why is it burnt like this?"

This was an exquisite piece of cursive calligraphy. Even when he was young, he had tried copying it, but his attempt couldn't compare to the brilliance of the burnt paper.

"Don't you know? This was written by your daughter, Yunwan," Old Madam Lin said coldly, looking at her second son with disdain.

Lin Huabin was stunned, unable to speak for a while.

Old Madam Lin understood everything perfectly.

"Speak up, what have you been hiding from me? Yunwan can write such remarkable cursive script, and she still needs Fan Mama's tutoring?" Old Madam Lin interrogated sternly.

"She's even tutoring Fan Mama now!"

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"Don't tell me you know nothing about it."

Lin Huabin stared blankly at the paper, then looked up at Old Madam Lin. "Mother, is this... is this really written by Yunwan?"

Fan Mama confirmed, "Yes, it is."

Lin Huabin was dumbfounded.

He had underestimated Zhao Jingyi's illegitimate daughter too much!

What kind of teacher did they hire for her education? How could they produce such a student!

"I... this..." Lin Huabin stammered.

He had promised Zhao Jingyi that he wouldn't tell anyone.

Lowering his head, Lin Huabin said, "Mother, I... I didn't mean to keep it from you. I just didn't want Yunwan to attract too much attention when she returned to the mansion, so I advised her to keep a low profile..."

"You're still lying to me!" Old Madam Lin retorted. "I'm not asking why Yunwan pretended to be incompetent. I'm asking you, what exactly have you been hiding from me?"

Lin Huabin remained silent.

Old Madam Lin continued slowly, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But it's impossible for our Lin Mansion to let such a girl marry into the royal household."

Who knows what Yunwan has experienced? One misstep could jeopardize the entire Lin Mansion.

Lin Huabin grew fearful. He frowned and said, "Mother, Wang Mama has already visited today. You didn't say anything, but I can tell that you must think highly of Yunwan since Wang Mama seemed satisfied with her."

"Now, if you say Yunwan can't marry..." 

"I don't have the final say," Old Madam Lin interjected.

"Is that so? Would the Wang Mansion accept a dead person?" 

Lin Huabin turned pale with fear.

He lowered his head and said, "Mother, Yunwan... is Zhao Jingyi's daughter. He couldn't bring her back to the mansion, so he asked me to take her in."

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"What?" Old Madam Lin's eyes widened. She had considered many possibilities, such as her granddaughter learning skills from a hermit or her second son doing something to her granddaughter secretly, fearing Madam Zheng's finding out, and therefore keeping it hidden.

Fan Mama was also startled. She asked with a forced smile, "Second Master, are you confused? How could the girl be Master Zhao's daughter?"

"The girl was born to Second Madam, everyone knows that!" 

Old Madam Lin's heart turned cold.

After a pause, she asked softly, "And Yunwan? Where is Yunwan?"

Where had her granddaughter Lin Yunwan gone?

"She's already dead," Lin Huabin whispered.

Both Old Madam Lin and Fan Mama fell into silence for a long time.

"So you let 'Yunwan' come back to life?" Old Madam Lin exhaled deeply. "Where is the child buried?"

"It's still on that mountain," Lin Huabin replied softly.

Old Madam Lin gritted her teeth. "You really dare!"

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She raised her hand and slapped Lin Huabin. After all, he was already a master, so Old Madam Lin didn't really hit his face; the slap landed on his neck, grazing his chin.

Lin Huabin dared not look at his mother.

"Were you indeed meeting Zhao Jingyi last night? What did he say about Yunwan's marriage?" 

"He was pleased. He didn't say much," Lin Huabin replied hesitantly.

Old Madam Lin snorted.

Two fools!

"Since her father has made the decision, and you've handled it to this extent, just see it through to the end," Old Madam Lin said. "You may leave."

Lin Huabin was eager to leave, bowing and bidding farewell.

Lin Yunwan lifted the curtain and knelt on the cushion. "Grandmother, I... have disappointed you."

Old Madam Lin looked at her differently now. She was gentler and kinder, helping Yunwan up and saying softly, "Good child, it's not your fault. It's my son's fault for being unfaithful and heartless."

Yunwan kept her head low, feeling a mixture of emotions.

Old Madam Lin patted her hand and smiled, "Wang Mama must be very pleased with you. Rest assured in your upcoming marriage."

She added, "It's our fortune to have you at the Lin Manor. Good child, the Lin family will treat you well."

Yunwan nodded.

Old Madam Lin continued, "Good child, a girl must maintain a good reputation. Since you're going to be a Princess, you should continue to come here every day to learn from Fan Mama. Learn as much as you can before your marriage."

In the future, it wouldn't be about Yunwan actually learning anything, but rather putting on a show for others to see. This way, when she went to the Prince Manor, she would have a say in everything.

"Understood. Thank you, Old Madam," Yunwan replied before taking her leave.

Old Madam Lin was feeling a bit weary. She said, "You must be tired too. Go rest."

"Alright."

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Yunwan departed, leaving Old Madam Lin to close her eyes and massage her temples.

Fan Mama, concerned, asked, "Madam, what's wrong?"

"It's Miss Lin... She's had a hard life. Don't dwell on it," Old Madam Lin replied.

"I wasn't thinking about that," Fan Mama responded.

Old Madam Lin lowered her hand, her gaze sharp. "Think carefully. Does Zhao Jingyi seem like the kind of person who would have a secret daughter? Would the Zhao family's reputation allow such a thing?"

Fan Mama pondered for a moment. "Master Zhao has always been fond of gambling and indulgence. But the Zhao family wouldn't allow such a scandal! Even if there were, Madam Zhao wouldn't tolerate an unmarried girl. Why send her to our manor?"

Old Madam Lin chuckled softly. "I said it from the beginning, didn't I? How could the Prince suddenly save a girl from our Lin family? It's clear that Second Young Master has offended someone, isn't it?"

"From start to finish, this matter has nothing to do with Zhao Jingyi," she continued.

Fan Mama exclaimed, "It's the Prince!"

Old Madam Lin calmly said, "Let's pretend we don't know."

"The Prince is essentially gifting us a Princess," she remarked. 

"After marrying off Yunwan, our Lin Manor will be the maternal home of Princess Huan. What's not to like about that?" She smiled and took a sip of tea.

Fan Mama inquired, "Does Second Young Master know about this?"

Old Madam Lin snorted, her attitude clear. There was no need to tell her foolish son too much.

Old Madam Lin said to Fan Mama, "I need to personally talk to the Eldest Master and his wife, keep an eye on Second Young Master's side, and make sure he doesn't entertain any crooked ideas."

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Fan Mama chuckled, "With the Eldest Master and the Eldest Mistress taking action, you don't need to worry."

Old Madam Lin hmmed thoughtfully, feeling a bit regretful for her own granddaughter.

"Let's hold a ceremony for that child too. In the future, we'll find a way to move her to the Lin family ancestral grave. The children of our Lin Manor cannot become wandering spirits."

"Amitabha," she murmured, closing her eyes and fingering her prayer beads.

~

In the Prince Huan Manor,

After Wang Mama returned, both Qi Lingheng and Zhao Jingyi's wife were present.

"Mama, how is the girl from the Lin Manor?" Zhao's wife asked curiously.

Wang Mama smiled and replied, "She's doing very well."

Just as Fan Mama had anticipated.

Wang Mama remarked, "I was initially concerned that Miss Lin might lack maternal upbringing since childhood, but she's surprisingly well-educated and refined in both knowledge and music."

As the eldest daughter of the Lin family's second household, she has already exceeded Wang Mama's expectations.

Zhao Jingyi was delighted, "Does this mean we can request an imperial decree from Her Majesty and His Majesty?"

Wang Mama nodded, agreeing with the suggestion of the Imperial Uncle.

Qi Lingheng gave a faint smile, stood up, and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Mama."

Then he returned to his study and wrote a letter to the Empress, instructing A'Fu, "Send it urgently to the palace, eight hundred miles away."

A'Fu asked, "Shouldn't Mama and the Imperial Uncle's letters be sent together?"

Qi Lingheng shook his head, smiling faintly, "Let Father and Mother read my letter first. When they see Mama's and the Uncle and Aunt's letters afterward, they will be even more satisfied with Yunwan and this marriage."

© 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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