Chapter 3: Adding Fuel to the Fire

When did you start asking around about the Su family? Why was I not told? Why were you looking into them? Are you also after Su Lang?

Lin Wanqing looked at the face before her and wished she could kill her all over again.

In her previous life, when the poison had already seeped into her bones, Lin Xianyun had deliberately come to her bedside and told her the truth, all in order to anger her to death.

And Lin Xianyun had indeed succeeded.

But fortunately, with her last breath, she had driven a hairpin into Lin Xianyun and killed her.

That hairpin had been given to her by that bastard Su Jincheng after he came second in the imperial examinations.

She had never imagined that even such a beast as Lin Xianyun would be granted a second life. Heaven truly was unfair.

Still, it did not matter. She would make Lin Xianyun regret being reborn into this life.

Lin Wanqing did not answer directly, but asked instead, “You are worried I might take an interest in the Su family? Why? Compared with the Marquis's estate, the Su family is hardly worth mentioning. Anyone would choose the general's residence. I did not choose the general's residence because I knew Madam would never let such a good thing fall to me. It is you, rushing so eagerly toward the Su family, who seem strange. Could there be some hidden matter there that I have not learned of?”

As she spoke, she scrutinized Lin Xianyun with a suspicious look.

Lin Xianyun's eyes flew wide. “None of your business! Lin Wanqing, let me make this clear: the Su family is not something you may covet. You had better obediently follow the family's arrangements. If you dare to dream of competing with me, I will make you regret it!”

Lin Wanqing gave a faint, unreadable smile. “How amusing. What use is your warning to me? If the Su family insists on marrying me, I doubt Grandfather would refuse.”

After all, in the old man's eyes, girls like them were nothing more than tools for climbing into the good graces of the powerful. So long as they could be used for that purpose, why would he care which tool was employed?

Lin Xianyun choked, clearly knowing this as well.

Lin Wanqing smiled lightly. “If I were you, I would never waste time on someone who cannot make any decisions at all. If you want something, you must fight for it yourself. I do not understand why you value the Su family so highly, but you have certainly aroused my curiosity.”

Lin Xianyun's expression changed. “Do not concern yourself with how I act. Just remember what I said: do not even think of the Su family, or you and I are not through!”

With that, she hurried off with her maid.

Lin Wanqing watched her retreating figure and let a mocking smile curl at her lips.

Although Qin Shi would certainly do everything in her power to bring about the marriage between Lin Xianyun and Su Jincheng, how could she possibly let them proceed so smoothly?

She would make Lin Xianyun spare no effort in clinging to Su Jincheng, so that when regret came in the future, it would cut all the deeper.

Lin Xianyun was the sort who cared little for shame. If she wanted something, she had plenty of ways to get it. Besides, Su Jincheng was no decent man either. If those two ever met in private, there would surely be many interesting things to watch.

Halfway through the second month after New Year, the weather was still rather chilly.

The master and servant returned to Moon View Pavilion. As soon as they entered, they saw Purple Perilla leading two little maids in tidying up her books.

Before she married in her previous life, she had been very fond of reading. Her mother's dowry had included many books, and later she had sent people everywhere to collect more. Little by little, she had amassed an entire room full of all kinds of volumes.

Qin Shi had always disapproved of this hobby, because Lin Xianyun, lacking literary talent by comparison, was made to look dull and unlearned beside her, and thus Qin Shi had repeatedly tried to destroy her books.

But the old master, head of the household, supported her interest.

After all, only a tool with talent could be put to better use. Thus, even though she had been born into a merchant family in her previous life, she still possessed the refined bearing of a scholar.

As for Su's mother, who despised her for her humble origins at every turn, she was in fact the truly uncouth one, barely able to read a few words.

Now that she had been granted a second life, Lin Wanqing still felt delighted at the sight of these books.

So she casually pulled one out and, while flipping through it, made her way behind the writing desk. She had Half-Moon spread paper and grind ink for her, then quickly wrote a letter with a brush.

Soon after, she set the brush down. When the ink on the paper had dried, she folded it herself and placed it into an envelope.

Then she called Purple Perilla over. “Later, take fifty-five taels of silver to Changqing Street. Find Head Escort Liu of the Mighty Guard Escort Agency and ask him to go to Xiangyang City to help me find someone. His fee will be five taels. The remaining fifty taels, have him give to the person he finds.”

Purple Perilla asked curiously, “Who does miss want found?”

Lin Wanqing smiled faintly. “My maternal uncle. Since my niece is about to be married, how could I not let my mother's family know?”

Purple Perilla was a little stunned. The young lady's maternal relatives had not had any news for years; many people even thought there might no longer be anyone left on that side of the family.

She had not expected the young lady to suddenly send people searching for her kin. Was that really reliable?

Lin Wanqing handed her the letter, already sealed with wax. “Give this letter to Head Escort Liu as well, and tell him to deliver it to my uncle together with the rest. Be careful not to let anyone from the main courtyard see it.”

Purple Perilla took it with both hands and went out to carry out the task.

Though she did not know how her young lady had learned the whereabouts of her uncle's family, anything the young lady entrusted to her, she would certainly do well.

Lin Wanqing took up a book, went to the low couch, and sat down to read casually, though her mind was elsewhere.

Her mother, Jiang Shi, had died in childbirth, so she had been motherless from birth.

Her maternal grandfather was an educated man and a licentiate. Old Master Lin had once helped him while he was seeking official distinction, and that was how the marriage between her parents came to be.

Regrettably, her maternal grandfather had reached no higher than licentiate. Her uncle, Jiang Huaiqian, had little talent for scholarship, and eventually gave up reading altogether and went into business instead.

Her uncle had some real ability in commerce. Without relying on anyone's support, he had forced the family business to thrive.

But heaven is unpredictable. When she was five, her uncle was framed by others. Not only was the family fortune completely ruined, but the whole household was imprisoned and eventually exiled to Lingnan, after which all contact with the Lin family was severed.

In her previous life, it was only after she married into the Su family that her uncle's family came to the door in search of kin, and she was able to reunite with them.

She had taken out her own dowry to help her uncle's family rise again, and later, when she was able to make a success of the Su family's business, her uncle's family had played a part in that as well.

At present, her uncle's family had only recently returned from Lingnan to their ancestral home, and her aunt was seriously ill. If not for the fact that her aunt lacked the money for treatment, her uncle would probably not have swallowed his pride and come knocking at the door in her previous life.

As for Head Escort Liu of the Mighty Guard Escort Agency, he had some old ties with her uncle. Having him go to search for them was as safe as could be.

Sure enough, an hour later Purple Perilla returned with a report. “That Head Escort Liu heard that miss wished to find Uncle Master, and he was so excited he nearly jumped up. He said he would definitely find him, and he even returned the five taels of silver, refusing to accept it no matter what.”

Lin Wanqing smiled faintly. “For the next few days, keep a close eye on the movements over at Moon-Gathering Courtyard.”

That was where Lin Xianyun lived.

Purple Perilla was slightly taken aback. Her young lady had never paid much attention to that side of the residence before. Why would she give such an order now? But no matter. If the young lady was willing to concern herself with these matters, that was always a good thing.

On the other side, Lin Xianyun was already planning how to meet Su Jincheng.

She was certain that as long as she could get Su Jincheng to see her once, he would never be able to forget her.

In her previous life, even after taking leave of her marriage, she had still been able to bend the third-rank Su Jincheng to her will. In this life, Su Jincheng was still nothing more than an inexperienced boy. Could he possibly escape from her grasp?