The Lin Family was the largest grain merchant in Yanbei.
The current head of the Lin Family was the Eldest Master of the main branch, who was also the father of Fifth Madam Lin.
Decades ago, when Fifth Madam Lin’s great-grandfather passed away, the Lin Family had undergone a division of assets. The family’s grain shops were equally divided between the two brothers—Fifth Madam Lin’s grandfather and his younger brother. Under the diligent management of these two brothers, the Lin Family’s grain shops expanded twofold.
Unfortunately, Fifth Madam Lin’s granduncle and his son encountered bandits during a long journey and were robbed and killed, leaving only the pregnant wife of the younger cousin in the second branch.
This cousin-in-law was eight months pregnant at the time. Unable to bear the shock of the tragic news of her husband and father-in-law, she went into premature labor. She managed to give birth to her husband’s posthumous child but died on the birthing bed.
Afterward, the main branch of the Lin Family naturally took over the business of the second branch and brought the prematurely born grandnephew into their household to care for him, naming him Lin Kun.
Lin Kun, born prematurely at eight months, weighed only slightly over two catties at birth (Note: one catty equals 16 taels). Everyone assumed he would not survive, but the child proved remarkably resilient and grew up safe and sound.
Lin Kun was raised from a young age by Old Madam Qiu of the main branch, and their bond was as close as that of biological grandmother and grandson. At the age of seventeen, Lin Kun pleaded with Old Madam Lin to arrange a marriage for him with Ren Shijia, a daughter of the Ren Family.
Ren Shijia was the daughter of Old Madam Lin’s niece from her maternal family, so Old Madam Lin was naturally delighted to facilitate the match. At the time, the Ren Family, for certain considerations, did not refuse the Lin Family’s marriage proposal and married Ren Shijia to Lin Kun of the second branch.
Back then, the main branch’s takeover of the second branch’s business was only a temporary measure. In principle, the business should have been returned to the second branch once Lin Kun came of age. However, over the years, the main branch showed no intention of returning the business, treating Lin Kun merely as a grandson of the main branch.
Yet, the main branch had many descendants, and whether Lin Kun belonged to the second branch or the main branch would make a significant difference when it came to inheriting family property in the future.
At this moment, First Madam Wang Shi entered, and Ren Shijia greeted her with a smile, calling her "sister-in-law."
First Madam said gently, "I have already sent people to tidy up your Warm Fragrance Pavilion. Would you like to go and see it now?"
Old Madam Ren opened her eyes at this point and said to Madam Lin, "You and Shijia have always been close, and you know her preferences. Why don’t you go with your sister-in-law to the Warm Fragrance Pavilion and help her take a look? If you find it satisfactory, Shijia will likely be pleased as well. She has just returned, and her condition is delicate. It would be better for her to rest here a while longer."
Madam Lin promptly rose with a smile and said to Ren Shijia, "Then I’ll go and take a look for you. If anything needs replacing, I’ll arrange it for you. Don’t tell me later that you don’t like it."
Ren Shijia chided playfully, "If Fifth Sister-in-law likes it, I’m sure to like it too. Thank you, Sister-in-law and Fifth Sister-in-law, for your trouble."
"What kind of talk is that? We’re all delighted to have you back."
Madam Lin patted Ren Shijia’s hand and, together with First Madam, bowed and withdrew. As they walked away, she recounted in detail the furnishings Ren Shijia had favored in her maiden days.
Madam Li glanced at Old Madam Ren and Ren Shijia. Old Madam Ren had closed her eyes again, leaning against the Arhat Bed without speaking, while Ren Shijia lowered her head, her gaze fixed on the patterns on her skirt as if lost in thought. Feeling somewhat restless, Madam Li also stood up and said, "Since the young mistress needs to rest, I’ll take the children and leave first."She could tell that Ren Shijia's return at this moment must have been for some reason, but since there had been no opportunity to speak with Old Madam Ren alone earlier, she tactfully prepared to leave.
Old Madam Ren finally opened her eyes and nodded. "You may go now."
Ren Shijia also smiled warmly and said, "Third sister-in-law, if you find time in the coming days, remember to bring Yaohua and Yaoqi to my courtyard to play. The Warm Fragrance Pavilion is rarely occupied throughout the year, and it feels rather lonely."
Madam Li returned her smile and nodded.
Ren Shijia's attitude toward Madam Li was relatively friendly, especially since she had been unable to bear children after marrying into the Lin Family. As a result, she could particularly empathize with Madam Li's sorrow of having no sons.
Madam Li withdrew with her two daughters, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua.
Only then did Old Madam Ren dismiss the attendants around her and sat up. "Why have you returned at this time? Has something happened?"
Upon hearing this, Ren Shijia's eyes suddenly reddened, and she lowered her head, beginning to sob softly.
Old Madam Ren frowned but sighed. "What are you crying for? Be careful not to harm your health—it's not good for the child."
Ren Shijia immediately stopped crying, hurriedly took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, and sniffled. "Mother, I'm so scared. I... I don't dare stay in the Lin Family any longer."
Old Madam Ren had initially thought Ren Shijia had returned due to some marital discord, but now, hearing these unexpected words, she was startled. "What exactly has happened?"
Ren Shijia suddenly threw herself into Old Madam Ren's embrace, her face pale. "After I became pregnant, the Lin Family arranged a small kitchen for me. I previously wrote to my aunt, asking her to help me find a chef from Jiangnan. A few days ago, my aunt sent me two chefs—one skilled in Jianghuai cuisine and the other in medicinal cuisine."
The aunt Ren Shijia referred to was Old Madam Ren's elder sister, the matriarch of the Jiangning Fang family and also Concubine Fang's birth mother.
Old Madam Ren gently patted Ren Shijia's back. "I heard about this in your aunt's letter. Did something go wrong with those two chefs?"
Ren Shijia shook her head. "It's not the chefs who are the problem. It's... it's the Lin Family. The chef skilled in medicinal cuisine also knows how to treat some stubborn women's ailments. Once, I asked her to check if the fetus in my womb was healthy, and she actually discovered that my previous miscarriages were... were the result of someone tampering with me!"
"What!" Old Madam Ren was so shocked she nearly jumped up. She grabbed Ren Shijia's shoulders and said sternly, "Jia'er, do you know what you're saying?"
Ren Shijia nodded, still trembling with fear. "I know, Mother. When I first heard this, I was also terrified and couldn't believe it. All these years in the Lin Family, Old Madam and First Madam have treated me well. Old Madam even allowed me to assist First Madam in managing the household. None of the sisters-in-law from the eldest branch have enjoyed such favor. I've never been able to bear a child for my husband, yet Old Madam never allowed him to take a concubine. She even asked First Madam and the others to comfort me. At the time, I thought I was a fortunate daughter-in-law. But... but this time, I told my husband what the chef had said. He secretly found a highly skilled physician for me, and the physician said both my husband and I are healthy. Logically, I shouldn't have had frequent miscarriages or struggled to conceive."Old Madam Ren frowned skeptically. "Didn't the doctors you saw before notice anything wrong? I even sent you several experienced midwives—didn't they notice either?"
Ren Shijia replied, "I later summoned those two midwives to question them. They said they only thought I was physically weak and deficient in blood and energy, so they made sure to help me nourish my blood and strengthen my vitality in daily life. However, they couldn't tell whether my poor health was innate or caused by someone harming me. As for the doctors who usually checked my pulse, they were all people you've long trusted. I... Mother, what should I do? I'm afraid this child will also be harmed and lost. In another year, I'll be thirty. The midwives say that by then, conceiving and giving birth will become even more difficult. Mother, please save me, save me..."
Old Madam Ren was alarmed and quickly patted her daughter's back to comfort her. "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. With me here, no one can harm you. I'll have someone invite a doctor to the mansion right away to check your pulse. We'll definitely help you protect the baby in your womb. Just stay here at home peacefully and don't go back to the Lin Family for now."
"I came back this time using the excuse of a quarrel with my husband. On the way, Old Madam Ren and First Madam already sent people twice to persuade me to return. They'll surely send someone again," Ren Shijia worried.
Old Madam Ren frowned and thought for a moment. "I'll fend them off for you. Don't worry about anything—just focus on resting and nurturing the pregnancy."
Ren Shijia sat up straight from her mother's embrace. "Mother, if this is true, what should I do? If it is true, they... they are too cruel. Old Madam Ren is my own paternal aunt!"
Old Madam Ren frowned, lost in thought, and didn't answer Ren Shijia's question. Instead, she said, "When your father returns, I'll discuss it with him. For now, pretend you know nothing." With that, Old Madam Ren called a maid in and instructed her to invite a trusted doctor to the mansion to check Ren Shijia's pulse.
After the maid left, Old Madam Ren added, "Remember, don't mention what you just said to your fifth brother or fifth sister-in-law, and don't let them notice anything unusual. To others, you must insist that you returned because you were dissatisfied with your husband. Understand?"
"Yes, Mother, I understand," Ren Shijia quickly assured.
Not long after, Madam Lin came over and said she had already visited Ren Shijia's Warm Fragrance Pavilion and had added and replaced a few small items.
Old Madam Ren then asked Ren Shijia to return to her own courtyard to rest.
When the doctor arrived at the mansion, Old Madam Ren first took him to her own courtyard to give instructions before sending him to the Warm Fragrance Pavilion to examine Ren Shijia.
At noon, when Old Master Ren returned, Old Madam Ren dismissed the others and spoke to him about Ren Shijia's suspicions.
"...Come to think of it, I've long felt something was off. That's why, when Jia'er became pregnant this time, I was extra cautious and specifically sent her two trustworthy midwives. A few years ago, the Lin Family even suggested that Jia'er adopt a boy from the eldest branch's grandsons. But the child's own parents are still alive—when he grows up, won't he still be closer to his biological parents? The eldest branch's calculations are quite clever."
"What does Lisheng say?" Old Master Ren, who had been pacing slowly, stopped and asked calmly.
The Lisheng he referred to was the courtesy name of Ren Shijia's husband, Lin Kun.Old Madam Ren said, "Don't you know your brother-in-law's temperament? He's the easiest to handle! That's precisely why I agreed to marry our daughter to him back then, never expecting such an outcome. When the Lin Family came to propose marriage for Jia'er, they made all sorts of promises, and my aunt also said it was for her nephew from the second branch. But now that second branch has become the main branch. If anything truly happens to Jia'er, the Lin Family won't get away with it either! How outrageous! I treat the Lin Family's daughter as my own, yet they treat my daughter like this."
Old Madam Ren grew angrier as she spoke, her voice trembling with barely controlled rage.
Thank you, mengqianni, for the pink ticket～
Thanks to okeeffe for the reward～^^.
(To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian () to cast recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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