It is said that in a residential house near the Medicine King Temple, Wu Biao was muttering to himself, "Lin Changmin is nothing but a wine sack and a rice bag. Entrusting this matter to him... tsk..."
Huamei sat under the candlelight, holding a Target Mirror to look at herself. Hearing this, she put down the mirror, walked behind Wu Biao, and began massaging his shoulders while saying, "Don’t underestimate him. Lin Changmin is also a sly one. If this succeeds, he’ll be able to hold his head high for the rest of his life—how could he not take it seriously? Lin Jinlou is deeply concerned about Chen Xianglan; once he hears any news, won’t he rush over eagerly? Besides, the arrow is already on the bowstring—overthinking is useless now... Is everything arranged properly?"
Huamei considered herself a first-rate figure, but alas, a beautiful jade had fallen into the mud. Among her sisters, she was the most beautiful and clever, but her birth mother was a timid concubine, leaving her at the mercy of others. Her father had used her as a gift to secure his own future, but she absolutely refused to accept her fate. In the Lin family, where everyone judged by wealth and status, she flattered and schemed at every step, finally securing a golden future for herself. Yet, just as Zhou Yu lamented, "Since there is Yu, why is there Liang?" Along came Chen Xianglan, squeezing her out until she had no place to stand. Lin Jinlou had long forgotten about her, treating her like a fan after autumn. She resented him for being blind and envied Chen Xianglan for stealing her spotlight. Now, it was truly a case of "a gentleman’s revenge is ten years not too late"—this was the day she would finally vent the pent-up anger in her chest! As she thought this, she felt a cathartic pleasure, gritting her silver teeth so hard that her eyes widened, and tears rolled down from them.
Wu Biao said, "It’s all arranged. Once Lin Jinlou walks over, four archers will shoot simultaneously, turning him into a hedgehog. Not even a great immortal could save him. Then we can rest easy. We’ll just wait here for news."
Huamei remained silent for a long while before finally saying, "We must still prepare for the worst. If this fails, the best strategy is to flee…"
Before she could finish her sentence, a muffled groan was heard from outside the wall. Startled, the two exchanged glances. Huamei immediately blew out the lamp in the room and hurried to the corner.
Wu Biao, gripping his blade, had just reached the door when it was suddenly smashed open. Five or six people rushed in, brandishing weapons and slashing at him. Wu Biao exclaimed in shock, "Madam, we’ve fallen into a trap!" But he heard no response from Huamei. He shouted again, "Someone, help!" Yet there was no reply from his subordinates. By then, he was too busy defending himself to worry about anything else, hastily swinging his blade to counter the attacks.
The elite troops under Lin Jinlou were all highly skilled. After just a few exchanges, Wu Biao was overpowered and forced out of the house. Lin Jinlou sat on his horse, holding the reins, his face expressionless as he coldly watched the scene. With a coordinated effort from the Lin Family Army, several blades plunged into Wu Biao’s body with dull thuds. Wu Biao cried out in pain, "Madam, your plan has doomed me!" With these words, he gripped his large blade and collapsed to the ground.
Lin Jinlou ordered his subordinates, "Search inside." He then urged his horse forward and commanded someone to bring Lin Changmin over. Lin Changmin was shoved in front of Wu Biao’s body. Lin Jinlou sneered, "Take a good look, Second Uncle. You recognize this man, don’t you? We managed to capture these traitors entirely thanks to your contributions—you held nothing back and told us everything."
Lin Changmin’s face was ashen. Along the way, he had endured countless blows from Lin Jinlou and could no longer hold out, which was why he had confessed. Stammering, he said, "Yes... yes, my wise nephew..." Before he could finish, Wu Biao suddenly opened his eyes, raised his hand, and hurled his large blade at Lin Changmin, shouting, "So it was you, the traitor, who leaked the secret and doomed me!"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 reported, "Eldest Master, we found a woman hiding inside." By the torchlight, Lin Jinlou saw her clearly: an oval face heavily adorned with makeup, delicate arched eyebrows, and crimson lips—a bewitching beauty, now disheveled and panic-stricken.
Their eyes met, and silence fell between them. Lin Jinlou recalled Wu Biao’s earlier shout of "Madam," realizing this must be Huamei.
So she had intended to harm him.
Huamei lifted her face, seeing Lin Jinlou towering above her like a formidable deity, majestic and imposing. He was, after all, someone who had once shared intimacy with her. Her heart swelled with a mix of tenderness, pain, resentment, and fury, then shifted to fear, dread, coldness, and hardness. Before she could utter a word, Lin Jinlou demanded, "Where is Xianglan? Is she in your hands? Hand her over, and I’ll spare your life. I’ll release you immediately."
Huamei’s lips trembled. A malicious thought crossed her mind: she could tell Lin Jinlou that Xianglan was already dead or claim she knew her whereabouts but refuse to reveal them, then bite her tongue and end her life. Her eyes flickered with indecision. After a long pause, she let out a sigh. Ultimately, she was too attached to life to throw it away; even a fleeting moment of survival was precious. Her expression wilted as she said, "Xianglan truly isn’t here. She was never delivered to us. We know nothing—she was lost along the way."
Lin Jinlou closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and after a moment, reopened them. He lifted his head, refusing to look at Huamei again as if she were a stranger, and calmly ordered his subordinates, "Take her to the authorities."
Huamei went limp, her mind in turmoil. Her legs nearly gave way, and she had to be dragged along. After a few steps, she glanced back and caught only a glimpse of Lin Jinlou’s profile. As she was led away, she turned once more, but this time saw only his retreating figure under the bleak, cold glow of a crescent moon.
Lin Jinlou proceeded to the authorities and instructed his personal soldiers to carry Lin Changmin back to the Lin residence. The moment they entered Enyou Studio, where the second branch lived, the courtyard erupted into chaos. Lin Jinting hurried out, hastily throwing on his clothes, and saw the soldiers carrying Lin Changmin inside. They briefly explained, "Battalion Commander Lin was assisting our general in capturing bandits when the bandit leader struck his neck." They then laid him on the kang in the outer Green Gauze Bed and departed.
Summoning his courage, Lin Jinting looked closer: 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 on the verge of death. Checking his breath, Lin Jinting found it faint as a thread, but he was still alive. Horrified, Lin Jinting urgently called for a physician.
Inside, Wang Shi heard the commotion and sent Hu Po to inquire. Not wishing to disturb his ailing mother, Lin Jinting glossed over the details: "Father was injured while on official business with Eldest Brother. I’ll handle things here—please rest, Mother."
Wang Shi fell silent. Shortly after, Li Miaozhi rushed in, her hair hastily tied and dressed in casual home clothes. 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? This isn’t your concern. Go check on Mother and keep the servants in line." With that, he went out to greet the physician.When the physician arrived, he examined the patient for a while, shook his head, and came out saying, "Now we can only do our best and leave the rest to fate. Use some restorative medicine. If he wakes, only give him thin rice porridge or similar, feeding him slowly. If he survives these next few days, we'll reassess then."
Lin Jinting hurriedly asked, "Thank you for your trouble, doctor. May I ask you to speak plainly—is this injury life-threatening?"
The physician replied, "The wound isn't deep, but it struck a critical spot. I fear it may have damaged the bone. Given the current condition, recovery will certainly not happen overnight. For now, focus on recuperation. I'll return this afternoon to check on him."
Hearing this, Lin Jinting thought to himself, "His words suggest the situation is extremely dangerous. Since he's spoken so clearly, there's no need to press further." The physician then wrote a prescription, and Lin Jinting personally fetched the consultation fee and saw him out. Returning, he unfolded the prescription and saw it contained only nourishing ingredients, so he dispatched someone to fetch the medicine. He then went inside to report to Wang Shi. Entering, he found Wang Shi awake, leaning against the headboard. Lin Jinting recounted the entire incident and relayed the physician's words.
After listening, Wang Shi actually threw off the covers, draped her clothes over her shoulders, and got out of bed. Lin Jinting quickly reached out to support her, saying, "Mother, why are you getting up? Rest quickly, or you'll have a headache later."
Wang Shi's eyes were unusually bright as she strode quickly to the Green Gauze Bed, ordering Lin Jinting to hold up a candle for a closer look at Lin Changmin. Seeing him truly unconscious, she suddenly let out a gleeful chuckle.
Lin Jinting was bewildered, thinking she had fallen ill from distress. Supporting her, he said, "Mother, what's wrong? What's wrong?"
But Wang Shi brushed off his hand, pointed at Lin Changmin, her expression triumphant, and said through gritted teeth, "So you've come to this! Even a vicious tiger doesn't eat its own cubs! When you drove Lingjie out that day, did you ever imagine such retribution? Heaven has finally opened its eyes! Haha, heaven has opened its eyes!" As she laughed, she thought of the years of humiliation 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 started laughing 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 an uproar.
The second household's courtyard remained brightly lit all 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 listlessly until dusk when someone announced, "Second Madam is here." The door curtain was lifted, and Li Miaozhi helped Wang Shi inside. Dressed in a crab-shell green jacket, Wang Shi looked thin and pale, but unlike her usual timid self, her eyes held a new spark of vitality.
Wang Shi entered the room and sat on a stool. Glancing around, she noted that although it was a small room in a humble temple, it was furnished with brand-new brocade quilts, colorful glazed landscape tea sets, and fine Dragon Well tea in the cups. 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, unwilling to let his little darling suffer even a bit, naturally bringing the finest comforts from the mansion to pamper her.
Wang Shi couldn't help but think of how Lin Changmin had treated her in the past, and how he had treated Lin Dongling. She had thought her heart long dead, but seeing this now, a surge of bitter resentment choked her throat. Tears welled up, her teeth clenched, and her throat tightened, leaving her unable to speak.Li Miaozhi, sharp-eyed and perceptive, saw Wang Shi's demeanor and knew she could not speak, so she stepped forward and said, "Concubine Su, last night, the master and Eldest Master went to suppress bandits together and suffered severe injuries. 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 disbelief, "What! How could this be?"
The room was dim, with a few rays of the setting sun piercing through the carved window and illuminating Su Meiru's panicked face. Wang Shi, seeing her in such a state for the first time, felt a deep sense of satisfaction. She coughed lightly twice and said, "This time, the master's injuries are critical. The physician who came this afternoon said that even if he recovers, he may be left with lasting ailments and will never fully recover."
Su Meiru, distraught and disoriented, could only murmur repeatedly, "How could this be, how could this be..."
Li Miaozhi said, "Madam is kind-hearted. Thinking of your youth and the possibility of remarrying in the future, she plans to send you away..."
Su Meiru shuddered violently and turned sharply to look at Wang Shi. Wang Shi, who loathed her to the core, gave a faint, cold smile and continued, "But you are, after all, the one the master cherishes deeply. Your bond is as profound as the sea. Now that he lies bedridden, how could I tear out the flesh of his heart?" She paused, staring at Su Meiru, and added, "Nor can I let you stay here indefinitely. I have already reported to Old Madam, and tomorrow we will set up a separate courtyard for you, where you can be with the master every day. As long as he lives, you will live." With that, she stood up to leave.
"No!" Su Meiru screamed, throwing off the covers and scrambling out of bed. She clutched at Wang Shi's sleeve, pleading, "No, I beg Madam to show mercy and send me away. I have a manor under my name, which I can offer to Madam as a token of respect..."
Wang Shi stared coldly at her, gritting her teeth as she said, "I never thought you would beg me one day." She then slapped Su Meiru hard across the face, her palm stinging and her entire body trembling with rage. Pointing at Su Meiru, she cursed, "You... you vile woman! You harmed my daughter, leaving her fate unknown, and you still dare to ask for my mercy!"
Li Miaozhi hurried forward to support Wang Shi, whispering, "Madam, 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 initially thought Lin Jinlou would surely settle scores with her, never expecting she wouldn't even get to see his face. Wang Shi duly arranged a side courtyard for her and Lin Changmin to live in, posting strict guards to prevent any escape, as if they were imprisoned. Lin Changmin, resilient against death, indeed revived—able to sit and stand, but with his head permanently tilted as if peering at something askew. His speech was slurred, alternating between lucidity and confusion, and he had lost all control over his bodily functions. Yet his temper only worsened; he would curse and beat others daily, keeping only Su Meiru and two elderly maids to attend to him. Su Meiru could neither flee nor evade him. The slightest lapse in care would draw scoldings from Lin Changmin and the maids, plunging her into utter misery. Being a woman accustomed to pleasure and luxury, she had never endured such grinding hardship and silent resentment. Compounded by her incomplete postpartum recovery, she fell gravely ill. Within a year, she was emaciated to the bone, kneeling at the courtyard entrance to kowtow and beg Wang Shi for permission to leave. Wang Shi, who loathed her to the core, would never let her go. After enduring a second year, Su Meiru finally reached her limit. One day, after Lin Changmin had beaten and cursed her again, she lay in bed at night thinking: "Wang Shi despises me utterly. As long as Lin Dongling remains missing, she will torment me daily. Even if I outlive Lin Changmin, there will be no relief for me. Besides, I have no one to rely on now—who can I possibly hope for?" Reflecting on her past days of striving to excel and living in luxury, it all seemed like a splendid, rich dream. She had been so attached and immersed in it, yet could not hold onto it, and tears fell silently. She murmured to herself, "I fear I'll be trapped here for life with no chance of escape. Why cling to this wretched existence and endure such suffering?" With that thought, she rose, quietly mixed rat poison containing arsenic into Lin Changmin's tea, and brought it for him to drink. Then she adorned herself with rouge, styled her hair, dressed neatly, and drank the remaining arsenic from the bowl before lying down on the kang. No one knew what had happened that night. The next day, when the maids brought meals, they discovered Lin Changmin dead in bed and were shocked. Checking the other room, they found Su Meiru also dead on the kang, terrifying them out of their wits. They hurried to report it. In the end, the Lin family provided a plain coffin and hastily buried Su Meiru.
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