Chapter 61: Destroying Lin Wanqing Completely

The guests in the courtyard cast assessing glances at Madam Qin, already certain that those matters had been orchestrated by her.

After all, which servant would dare to handle their master’s belongings arbitrarily without the master's consent? Were they tired of living?

Refusing to back down, Madam Qin forced a stiff expression and said, "I truly know nothing about this. You are well aware that I was in poor health during the days surrounding your wedding. I honestly had no energy to oversee much back then, so I simply instructed Mammy Wang to look after the arrangements for you. I never expected that she would actually give you such items."

With that, her face darkened as she barked, "Mammy Wang! Get over here right now!"

Mammy Wang started, hurriedly stepping forward and dropping to her knees on the floor. "Mistress, this old slave knows her wrong. This old slave should not have acted on her own authority and given these items to the eldest miss."

Being Madam Qin's most trusted confidante, she understood Madam Qin's thoughts better than anyone. Likewise, she knew exactly what role she was expected to play. Taking the blame for her master was the most fundamental common sense for a qualified servant.

Therefore, the moment she spoke, she shouldered every bit of responsibility.

"Eldest Miss, it was this old slave's fault. This old slave should not have acted on her own whim to pass off inferior goods as quality items. Please punish this old slave, Eldest Miss."

Lin Wanqing had long anticipated this outcome. She offered a gentle, poised smile, leaned down, and helped Mammy Wang to her feet. "Get up, Mammy. I haven't taken it to heart. As I said, true sincerity cannot be measured by value. These items might look worthless to outsiders, but to me, they are priceless treasures."

She then turned to Madam Qin and said, "Madam, I lost my mother at a young age, and you raised me. My heart has its own scale to measure how Madam has treated me. I certainly won't harbor misunderstandings against Madam over a trivial matter like this."

Although Madam Qin knew Lin Wanqing was speaking insincerely, she eagerly seized the chance to step down. "It's good that you understand. Everyone knows how difficult it is to be a stepmother. I was genuinely afraid that I hadn't done something well enough and led you to believe I was treating you poorly."

Lin Wanqing smiled. "Madam worries too much. What is good can never become bad, and what is bad can never become good. The two of us just need to know the truth in our own hearts."

Madam Qin gnashed her teeth in secret. This little wretch had a remarkably sharp tongue. Her words sounded like praise on the surface, but upon closer inspection, not a single syllable expressed any genuine approval of her.

Yet, at the moment, she could not afford to bicker with her; otherwise, she would truly cement her reputation for mistreating her stepdaughter.

Squeezing out a smile, she patted the back of Lin Wanqing's hand. "You have been sensible since childhood. Very well, let us drop the matter. Go on and check on Xianyun; she has been longing for you."

Without further ado, Lin Wanqing smiled and walked toward Lin Xianyun's room.

Although Lin Xianyun had not stepped outside, she had been closely monitoring the commotion out in the courtyard. Seeing that Lin Wanqing remained entirely unaffected and had even turned the guests against Madam Qin, Lin Xianyun was so furious her face twisted in rage.

As Lin Wanqing stepped into the room, she chuckled softly, "Today is your grand, joyous day. If you wear such a ferocious expression, you might just frighten the guests."

Lin Xianyun's face darkened further. "Did you come here deliberately to infuriate me?"

Lin Wanqing smiled lightly. "How could that be? I am here to offer my sincere congratulations—wishing that you get everything you wish for and finally marry the man of your dreams."

Lin Xianyun narrowed her eyes with keen suspicion. "What do you mean by that?"

Why did she feel as though Lin Wanqing was hinting at something?

With an expression of utter sincerity, Lin Wanqing replied, "I'm blessing you. You insisted on marrying Su Jincheng and got your wish. Shouldn't I congratulate you accordingly?"

As she spoke, she picked up a red velvet flower from the table and meticulously pinned it into Lin Xianyun's hair. Resting her hands on Lin Xianyun's shoulders, she smiled as she looked at their reflections in the mirror. "You snatched this marriage through careful calculation and scheming. You must make sure to live a wonderful life ahead."

For some inexplicable reason, a chill ran down Lin Xianyun's spine, and goosebumps rose on her arms. She violently shrugged off Lin Wanqing's hands, snatched the velvet flower from her hair, and whirled around to stare directly into Lin Wanqing's eyes. "Of course I will live a wonderful life."

*Sister, in this lifetime, I will certainly make you kneel and look up to me.*

*Everything you had in your past life belongs to me! No, I will live far more dazzlingly than you ever did in your previous life!*

Triumph filled Lin Xianyun's eyes.

Stepping back two paces with a smile, Lin Wanqing said, "Then I wish you fulfillment of your desires soon. We shall wait and see whether Su Jincheng can accommodate your ambition."

Lin Xianyun's mood plummeted instantly to rock bottom. She snapped angrily, "Get out of my sight! I don't want to look at you! Someone, throw her out!"

Lianxin, Lin Xianyun's maid, immediately stepped forward. "Eldest Miss, please move elsewhere."

With no desire to linger here and stare daggers at Lin Xianyun, Lin Wanqing smiled faintly and turned to leave.

The moment she crossed the threshold, she heard the sound of items crashing to the floor behind her.

Staring at Lin Wanqing's retreating back, Lin Xianyun gnashed her teeth. "That bitch! Bitch!"

Lianxin hurried over to retrieve the ornaments scattered across the floor. "My lady, please calm your anger. Today is your joyous wedding day; you mustn't let such trifles ruin your mood."

Lin Xianyun was well aware of this truth, but she had always been short-tempered, and her deep-seated animosity toward Lin Wanqing ran too high. If Lin Xianyun were likened to a firecracker, Lin Wanqing was undoubtedly the match—a single spark from Lin Wanqing was all it took for her to explode instantly.

When Madam Qin entered the room, this was the exact scene that greeted her: Lin Xianyun's face was livid with rage.

She hurriedly closed the door behind her, turned, and advised, "That little wretch Lin Wanqing deliberately came to provoke you. If you truly let her anger you, you'll be playing right into her hands! If the guests all over the courtyard find out, heaven knows how they'll gossip."

Dismissing the servants from the room, Lin Xianyun rushed over to grasp Madam Qin's hands. "Mother, do you think that wretch is acting a bit strange? Why do I feel like she seems to know something?"

Madam Qin narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Lin Xianyun continued, "I keep feeling as though she is entirely aware of all my plans. Could it possibly be that she is just like me—reborn?"

Madam Qin chuckled. "Impossible. She doesn't have that kind of fortune."

"That little vixen has been scheming since she was a child. By the age of seven or eight, she already knew how to plot. Now that she's older, she's naturally even more shrewd. If she really were like you, would she have so obediently agreed to be married off to the General's Estate?"

Upon second thought, Lin Xianyun realized that made sense. The General's Estate was hardly a pleasant place. If that wretch had truly been reborn, how could she possibly have let go of the engagement with the Su family and willingly agreed to marry into the General's Estate? Lin Wanqing was well aware of everything that had happened at the General's Estate in her past life. Shrewd as Lin Wanqing was, how could she possibly choose to leap into a fire pit?

With that thought, she cast the suspicion out of her mind.

"Mother, I want to destroy Lin Wanqing!"

A jolt ran through Madam Qin's heart. "Don't you do anything reckless! Murder is a capital offense!"

A venomous glint flickered in Lin Xianyun's eyes. "Why would I kill her? I want to make her wish she were dead!"