In a residence near the Medicine King Temple, Wu Biao muttered under his breath, "Lin Changmin is nothing but a useless drunkard. Entrusting this matter to him—tsk—"
Hua Mei sat by the candlelight, holding a hand mirror to admire her reflection. Hearing this, she set the mirror down and walked behind Wu Biao, massaging his shoulders as she spoke. "Don’t underestimate him. Lin Changmin is cunning too. If this succeeds, he’ll hold his head high for the rest of his life—how could he not take it seriously? Besides, Lin Jinlou is deeply concerned about Chen Xianglan. Once he hears any news, won’t he rush over eagerly? And now, with the arrow already on the bowstring, overthinking is pointless—is everything arranged?"
Hua Mei considered herself a first-rate talent, yet like a precious jade fallen into the mud, she had been trampled upon. Among her sisters, she was the most beautiful and clever, but her birth mother was a timid concubine, leaving Hua Mei at the mercy of others. Her father had traded her like a gift for his own advancement. Refusing to accept such a fate, she had navigated the Lin Family—where everyone judged by wealth and status—with flattery and careful scheming, finally securing a golden future for herself. Yet, just as one star rises, another shines brighter: Chen Xianglan had arrived, squeezing Hua Mei out until she had no place to stand. Lin Jinlou had long forgotten her, casting her aside like a fan after autumn. She resented his blindness and envied Chen Xianglan for stealing her grandeur. Now was the time for revenge—a decade in the making—the day she would finally release the pent-up anger in her chest! The thought brought her a vengeful satisfaction, and she gritted her silver teeth, eyes wide, as tears unexpectedly rolled down.
Wu Biao said, "It’s all arranged. The moment Lin Jinlou steps into the trap, four archers will shoot simultaneously, turning him into a pincushion. Not even a deity could save him then. We can rest easy afterward—we’ll just wait here for news."
Hua Mei fell silent for a long moment before replying, "We must prepare for the worst. If anything goes wrong, our best option is to flee—"
Before she could finish, a muffled groan came from outside the wall. Startled, they exchanged glances. Hua Mei immediately blew out the lamp and hurried to a corner of the room.
Wu Biao, gripping his blade, had barely reached the door when it was suddenly smashed open. Five or six men surged in, weapons raised to strike. Wu Biao cried out in alarm, "Madam, we’ve fallen into a trap!" But there was no response from Hua Mei. He shouted, "Reinforcements!" yet heard no reply from his subordinates. Already overwhelmed, he could only swing his blade to defend himself.
The elite troops under Lin Jinlou were all highly skilled. Within a few exchanges, Wu Biao was overpowered and forced out of the house. Lin Jinlou sat on his horse, reins in hand, his expression cold and detached as he watched. Several members of the Lin Family Army moved in unison—with a series of thuds, a blade plunged deep into Wu Biao’s body. Crying out in agony, Wu Biao shouted, "Madam, your scheme has doomed me!" With that, he gripped his broadsword and collapsed to the ground.
Lin Jinlou ordered his men, "Search the place." He then urged his horse forward and commanded that Lin Changmin be brought over. Shoving him in front of Wu Biao’s body, Lin Jinlou sneered, "Take a good look, Second Uncle. You recognize this man, don’t you? We owe this successful capture entirely to your cooperation—you held nothing back, confessing every detail."
Lin Changmin’s face was ashen. Along the way, he had endured countless blows from Lin Jinlou until he could bear no more and finally confessed. Stammering, he said, "Y-yes, my wise nephew—" But before he could finish, Wu Biao’s eyes snapped open. With a furious cry—"So it was you, the traitor, who betrayed us!"—he hurled his broadsword straight at Lin Changmin.Lin Changmin was greatly alarmed, but there was no time to dodge. He tilted his head, and the blade struck his neck with a sharp "thwack." A gurgling sound escaped his throat before he collapsed to the ground.
Lin Jinlou froze in shock. At that moment, Wen Rushi emerged dragging a woman and said, "Master, we found a woman hiding inside." By the flickering torchlight, Lin Jinlou saw her clearly—a delicate oval face heavily painted with powder, slender arched eyebrows, and crimson lips. Though disheveled and panic-stricken, her features retained a seductive charm.
Their eyes met, and silence fell between them. Lin Jinlou recalled Wu Biao’s earlier shout of "Madam," realizing this must be Hua Mei.
So she had intended to harm him.
Hua Mei lifted her gaze to Lin Jinlou, who stood tall and imposing like a deity. Memories of their past intimacy flooded her, stirring a tumult of softness, pain, hatred, and resentment, soon replaced by cold dread and rigidity. Before she could speak, Lin Jinlou demanded, "Where is Xianglan? Is she in your hands? Hand her over, and I’ll spare your life. I’ll release you at once."
Her lips trembling, Hua Mei entertained a venomous thought: she could claim she had killed Xianglan or knew her whereabouts but refuse to reveal them, then bite her tongue and end it all. Her eyes darted uncertainly until, after a long pause, she exhaled deeply. Ultimately, she clung to life—every moment of survival precious. Her spirit deflated, and she murmured, "Xianglan truly isn’t here. She was never delivered. None of us know what happened—she was lost along the way."
Lin Jinlou closed his eyes, drawing a deep breath. Moments later, he reopened them, lifted his chin, and ignored Hua Mei as if she were a stranger. Coolly, he instructed his subordinates, "Take her to the authorities."
Hua Mei went limp, her mind in chaos. Her legs nearly buckled, and she had to be dragged away. After a few steps, she glanced back, catching only a glimpse of Lin Jinlou’s profile. As she was led farther, she turned once more, but this time saw only his retreating figure under the bleak, cold crescent moon.
Lin Jinlou proceeded to the magistrate’s office, ordering his guards to carry Lin Changmin back to the Lin Family estate. The moment they entered Enyou Studio, where the second branch resided, the courtyard erupted into chaos. Lin Jinting threw on his robes and rushed out, only to see the guards lay Lin Changmin inside. They briefly explained, "Battalion Commander Lin was assisting our general in capturing bandits when the leader struck his neck." With that, they placed him on the heated brick bed within the green gauze cabinet and departed.
Lin Jinting mustered his courage to look: Lin Changmin’s neck was twisted to one side, the wound bandaged, half his body drenched in blood, his face as pale as gold leaf—seemingly lifeless. A check for breath revealed the faintest whisper of air; he still clung to life. Horrified, Lin Jinting repeatedly shouted for a physician.
Inside, Wang Shi heard the commotion and sent Hupo to inquire. Knowing his mother was unwell, Lin Jinting dared not disturb her and evasively replied, "Father was injured on official business with Elder Brother. I’ll handle things here—please rest, Mother."
Silence fell from Wang Shi’s quarters. Shortly after, Li Miaozhi hurried in, her hair hastily tied and dressed in casual home wear. At the sight of Lin Changmin’s ghastly state, she gasped, covering her mouth in terror. "What—what happened? He was fine this morning! How did he become drenched in blood?"
Lin Jinting, his mind in disarray, snapped impatiently, "How should I know? There’s nothing for you here. Go attend to Mother and keep the servants in order." With that, he strode out to await the physician.When the physician arrived, he examined the patient briefly, shook his head, and came out saying, "Now we can only do our best and leave the rest to fate. Use some restorative medicines. If he wakes, only give him thin rice soup, feeding it slowly. We'll see after he survives these few days."
Lin Jinting hurriedly asked, "Thank you, sir. May I ask you to speak frankly—is this injury life-threatening?"
The physician replied, "The wound isn't deep, but it struck a vital spot. I'm afraid it may have damaged the bone. At this stage, recovery won't happen overnight with just a day or two of care. Let him rest for now. I'll return this afternoon to check on him."
Hearing this, Lin Jinting thought to himself, "This sounds extremely dangerous. He's spoken quite clearly—no need to press further." The physician then wrote a prescription, and Lin Jinting personally fetched the consultation fee to see him out. Returning, he unfolded the prescription and saw it contained only nourishing ingredients, so he sent someone to prepare the medicine before going inside to report to Wang Shi.
Entering, he found Wang Shi awake, leaning against the headboard. Lin Jinting explained the situation from beginning to end and relayed the physician's words.
After listening, Wang Shi actually threw off the covers, draped her clothes over herself, and got up. Lin Jinting quickly reached out to support her, saying, "Mother, why are you getting out of bed? Rest quickly, or you'll have a headache later."
Her eyes unusually bright, Wang Shi strode quickly to the Green Gauze Cabinet and ordered Lin Jinting to hold up a candle for a closer look at Lin Changmin. Seeing him truly unconscious, she suddenly let out a sharp laugh.
Lin Jinting was bewildered, thinking Wang Shi had fallen ill from distress. Supporting her, he said repeatedly, "Mother, what's wrong with you? What's wrong?"
But Wang Shi pushed his hand away, pointed at Lin Changmin, her expression triumphant, and said through gritted teeth, "So you've come to this day! Even a vicious tiger doesn't eat its own cubs! When you drove Ling Jie'er out that day, did you know such retribution awaited you? Heaven has finally opened its eyes! Hahaha, heaven has opened its eyes!" As she laughed, she thought of the years of suffering and countless humiliations she had endured, and remembered Lin Dongling, tears beginning to fall as she sobbed. But then, looking at Lin Changmin in such a state, she laughed again. Caught between sorrow and joy, her eyes rolled back and she fainted once more. Panicked, Lin Jinting caught her, shouting loudly for maids and servants, causing a great commotion.
The second household's courtyard remained brightly lit throughout the night. Su Meiru, however, sensed something amiss that very evening when two guards unexpectedly appeared outside her room. She felt uneasy but still clung to a sliver of hope.
She sat waiting listlessly until dusk when someone announced, "Second Mistress is here." The door curtain was lifted, and Li Miaozhi helped Wang Shi inside. Dressed in a crab-shell green BeiZi, her face thin and pale, she no longer appeared as timid and submissive as before, her eyes now holding a newfound spark.
Wang Shi walked into the room and sat on a stool. Glancing around, she saw that although it was just a small room in a humble temple, everything was brand new: brocade quilts, colorful glazed landscape tea sets, a tea bowl filled with premium Longjing tea. On the bedside table lay a jade ring—Lin Changmin's possession. Tsk, after all, she was the one in Lin Changmin's heart. He must have sneaked over frequently—how could he bear to let his little darling suffer even a bit? Naturally, he would bring the finest comforts from the mansion to pamper her.
Wang Shi couldn't help but recall how Lin Changmin had treated her in the past, and how he had treated Lin Dongling. She had thought her heart was long dead, but seeing this now, a surge of bitter resentment choked her throat. Tears welled up, her teeth clenched, her throat too tight to speak.Li Miaozhi, with keen perception, took in Wang Shi's demeanor and understood she could not speak, so she stepped forward and said, "Concubine Su, last night the master and the elder master went together to suppress bandits and were severely injured. They were carried back."
Su Meiru felt as if a thunderbolt had struck her head, instantly breaking into a cold sweat. She cried out in shock, "What! How could this be?"
The room was dim, with a few rays of the setting sun piercing through the carved window and falling directly on Su Meiru's panicked face. Wang Shi had never seen her in such a state before and felt an intense satisfaction. She coughed lightly twice and said, "This time, the master's injuries are critical. The physician came by this afternoon and said that even if he recovers, he may be left with lasting ailments and will never fully heal."
Su Meiru, distraught and disoriented, could only murmur repeatedly, "How could this be, how could this be—"
Li Miaozhi continued, "Taitai is a compassionate person. She thought that since you are still young, it would be better for you to remarry in the future. She plans to send you away—"
Su Meiru shuddered violently and abruptly turned her gaze to Wang Shi. Wang Shi, who loathed her to the bone, merely sneered coldly and interjected, "But you are, after all, someone the master deeply cherishes. The bond between you is as deep as the sea. Now that he is bedridden, how could I tear away what is dearest to him?" She paused, looking at Su Meiru, and added, "It’s also not fitting for you to stay here forever. I’ve already reported to the old madam, and tomorrow we will arrange a separate courtyard for you. You will stay with the master every day. As long as he lives, you will have your place." With that, she stood up to leave.
"No!" Su Meiru screamed, throwing off the covers and scrambling frantically out of bed. She clutched at Wang Shi’s sleeve, pleading, "No, I beg Taitai to show mercy and send me away. I have a manor under my name, and I would gladly offer it to Taitai—"
Wang Shi stared at her coldly, gritting her teeth and saying, "I never thought you would beg me one day." With that, she slapped Su Meiru hard across the face, the impact making her own palm ache and her body tremble. Pointing at Su Meiru, she cursed, "You—you wretched woman! You caused my daughter to vanish, her fate unknown, and now you dare ask for my mercy!"
Li Miaozhi hurried forward to support Wang Shi, whispering, "Taitai, take care of yourself. We are here to settle scores, but you must preserve your health." Turning to Su Meiru, she said, "Concubine Su, the Lin Family has already shown you great leniency. You should be content."
Su Meiru said nothing, dazed and bewildered, collapsing to the floor in a heap.Su Meiru had originally thought Lin Jinlou would surely settle scores with her, never expecting she wouldn't even get to see his face. Wang Shi truly arranged a side courtyard for her and Lin Changmin to live in, posting guards to strictly monitor them without permitting half a step outside, as if they were imprisoned. Lin Changmin's life proved tenacious—he actually revived, able to sit and stand, though his head grew tilted as if peering sideways at something, his speech slurred and intermittently lucid or confused, with no control over his bodily functions. Yet his temper only worsened; he scolded and beat people daily, keeping only Su Meiru and two old women to attend him. Su Meiru could neither escape nor avoid him, and the slightest lapse in care drew curses from Lin Changmin and the old women, plunging her into utter misery. Being a woman accustomed to pleasure and luxury, how could she endure such grinding hardship and hidden grievances? Compounded by an incomplete recovery from her miscarriage, she fell gravely ill, and within a year became emaciated and gaunt. Kneeling at the courtyard entrance, she kowtowed, begging Wang Shi to let her leave. Wang Shi, who loathed her to the bone, would never release her. After enduring a second year, Su Meiru finally reached her limit. One day, after Lin Changmin again beat and berated her, she lay on the heated brick bed at night thinking: "Wang Shi despises me utterly. As long as Lin Dongling remains missing, she'll torment me daily. Even if I outlive Lin Changmin, there'll be no relief for me. Besides, with no one to rely on now, whom can I hope for?" Reflecting on her past days of striving to excel and living in superiority—like a splendid, wealthy dream—she had been so attached and immersed in it, yet couldn't grasp it firmly. Tears fell silently as she thought, "I fear I'll be trapped here for life with no chance to rise again. Why cling to this wretched existence and endure such abuse?" Having resolved, she rose quietly, stealthily mixed rat poison arsenic into Lin Changmin's tea bowl, and carried it to him to drink. Then, she adorned herself with rouge, styled her hair, and dressed neatly, placed the remaining arsenic in a bowl and drank it, lying down on the heated brick bed. No one knew at the time. The next day, when an old woman brought meals, she discovered Lin Changmin dead in bed and was greatly shocked. Peering into the other room, she found Su Meiru also dead on the heated brick bed, terrifying her out of her wits. She hurried to report it. In the end, the Lin Family provided a plain coffin and hastily buried Su Meiru.
OpenNovel