GD (QT) Chapter 31

The four members of the Eldest Lin’s family were severely punished, and everyone felt it was well-deserved. Anyone who dared to commit arson and murder in the middle of the night was too dangerous to be kept in the village; no one would have slept soundly otherwise.

Lin Yu watched calmly as the four were dragged away. This would be the last time they ever met.

Liu Dazhu, seeing his stoic expression, thought he was grieving and offered comfort: “It was Lin Da’s own wicked heart that brought this. He’s reaping what he sowed. Don’t waste your sorrow on such a man; he isn’t worth it.”

Lin Yu nodded slightly. “I know. I’m just feeling a bit contemplative.”

“Who wouldn’t be? The Eldest’s family lived well enough before. Who knew he’d throw a good life away just to cause trouble?”

Lin Yu sneered internally. Lin Da lived well because his life was built on the suffering of the original host’s family—on the host acting as a beast of burden and the three nieces being sold for dowries. Once Lin Yu stopped being “foolishly filial,” the cracks in Lin Da’s life were bound to show. This ending was exactly what they deserved.

Returning home, the house was gone. Because of the tung oil, the old building had burned to the ground, leaving only the foundation stones. Lin Zhao and her sisters were sifting through the charcoal, hoping to find anything usable, but everything except stone was ash.

“Father, our home is gone.” Seeing Lin Yu return, Lin Zhao’s eyes turned red.

The villagers also felt a pang of sorrow. “As long as the people are safe,” they whispered. “What a pity. Such a good house and all those belongings, gone in a night. Those four were heartless; they truly wanted to take the lives of the Second’s whole family.”

Though the Magistrate had ordered Lin Da’s property to be seized to compensate Lin Yu, everyone knew they had nothing left. The villagers felt a collective ache for the family whose hard-earned progress had vanished overnight.

Lin Yu, however, felt no pity. He had disliked that dilapidated house for a long time; the fire simply made it easier to start over. “It’s gone, so we’ll build a new one. We’ll build it larger, so everyone has their own room.”

Lin Pan worried, “But everything is gone. Replacing the household goods alone will cost a fortune. I’m afraid we don’t have enough.”

“We searched for a long time,” Lin Lai added gloomily. “We only found a few scraps of silver; the copper coins were all melted.”

Lin Yu laughed, borrowed a hoe from the neighbor, and walked into the ruins. He found a specific spot, swung the hoe, and soon unearthed a ceramic jar. The three sisters gasped as he opened it to reveal piles of shimmering silver.

“This was the reward from the Prefect. I thought we wouldn’t need it for a while, so I buried it. This is more than enough for a new house and new furniture.”

Seeing the silver, the sisters breathed a collective sigh of relief. Before Lin Yu had returned, they had already been planning how to work themselves to death to earn back the losses.

“I’ll go to the Village Chief to mark out a new, larger foundation,” Lin Yu declared. “We’ll build with green bricks this time. Even if there’s another fire, it won’t burn down.”

…

Ten Years Later

Qingshan Village was still nestled at the foot of the mountains, but it was far livelier than it had been a decade ago. A large house of green bricks and tiles sat in the center of the village. Unlike the other rural homes, this mansion was divided into four distinct courtyards, independent yet interconnected.

Early in the morning, the courtyards were bustling. Mother Liu, a hired servant, was up early to cook breakfast. She only made the porridge, however; the rest had to wait for the Second Young Mistress to wake up. At the thought of the Second Mistress’s cooking, Mother Liu’s mouth watered. There was no better cook in the world; no wonder the wealthy families from the Prefectural City sent carriages across a thousand miles just to taste her food.

Once the porridge was ready, Mother Liu added sugar and a handful of minced meat before carrying it to the eastern room.

Inside, Old Mother Lin was already awake. Seeing the servant, she glared and snorted, her face twisted in a familiar pout. Mother Liu sat by the bed, helped the old woman sit up, and began feeding her.

Old Mother Lin shook her head, refusing to eat.

“Sister, why are you still acting up?” Mother Liu said, undeterred. “Your eldest son’s family has been gone for years. Their bones are likely dust by now, yet you still throw fits. You’ve been paralyzed all these years and relied entirely on the Second Master. He’s so good to you! Look at the silk you’re wearing—that’s tribute satin that even queens wear. If the Master and the Young Mistresses weren’t so successful, a country old woman like you would never touch such things. You should cherish your blessings.”

As she spoke, Mother Liu skillfully poured half a bowl into the old woman’s mouth. Old Mother Lin struggled, but she was no match for the servant’s strength.

“Back when you first got paralyzed, the Eldest’s family only cared for you for a year before you were covered in bedsores,” Mother Liu continued. “It was the Second Master who spent the money to heal you. This room is the best in the whole house, and the Master gave it to you. If that isn’t filial, no one is. Most paralyzed elders in ordinary families last three to five months. You’ve lived eleven years! That was bought from the King of Hell with the Master’s silver. You should have been down there with your ‘precious grandsons’ long ago.”

“Don’t forget: the moment you got a little better years ago, you tried to sue the Master for being unfilial just to force him to bring back the Eldest’s family. And what happened? They didn’t come back, and you paralyzed yourself again from the stress. You brought this on yourself.”

Mother Liu finished her lecture, wiped the old woman’s mouth, and left with the bowl.

Behind her, Old Mother Lin’s eyes were too clouded to shed tears. She felt a deep, gnawing regret. Why did she have to cause trouble the moment she felt better? If she hadn’t, she might be walking now, instead of waiting for a servant to clean up after her. She didn’t think she was wrong for favoring the Eldest or abusing her granddaughters; she only regretted that she couldn’t enjoy the Second Son’s immense wealth as the “Grand Matriarch.”

In the kitchen, Lin Pan was already busy. Her two young daughters, aged seven and five, were helping her.

“Mother, I love this! Teach me more!” the eldest daughter said with a bright smile.

Lin Pan stroked her head. “Watch first, then try. If you love cooking, you can be a chef like me. If you don’t, there are other paths for you.”

Lin Pan had become a chef of national renown. Her “Gourmet Workshop” in Changhe County attracted diners from all over the country. She smiled at Mother Liu as the servant returned. “Did Grandma eat? How is her temper today?”

“Healthy as an ox and loud as a drum,” Mother Liu laughed. “Just a bit grumpy.”

“She’s always been that way,” Lin Pan said indifferently. “It’s almost the Mid-Autumn Festival; I’ll pack some extra holiday treats for you to take home.” Mother Liu thanked her profusely.

Lin Pan continued teaching her daughters, but she didn’t mention going in to see her grandmother. Since the incident years ago where Old Mother Lin tried to sue their father, the three sisters had never stepped foot in her room again.

…

In the main hall, the table was laden with delicacies. A young girl, Lin Xuan, ran to Lin Yu and hugged his leg. “Grandpa, come quick! I made these millet cakes myself. Taste them!”

Lin Yu took a bite and praised her. “Delicious! It seems our Xuan has inherited her mother’s talent.”

Lin Zhao, Lin Le, and Lin Lai soon joined them. Lin Le had grown into a bright, spirited young woman, surpassing her mother in height. She reached for a cake, but Lin Zhao swatted her hand. “Use chopsticks!”

Lin Le laughed and winked at Lin Lai. The two of them were as thick as thieves.

“Third Sister, I have things to do at the Yamen today. I might be late,” Lin Lai said, finishing her meal.

“Third Aunt, I’m coming with you! I’ll be your assistant!” Lin Le shouted, jumping up.

Lin Zhao sighed as they rushed out. “Father, look at them! Lai really thinks she’s a constable now. She’s more dedicated than the men.”

Lin Yu didn’t mind. “It’s good. She has an imperial salary; she can support herself. Besides, she is the first female constable of the Great Zhou dynasty. That is a glory for our family.”

“But she won’t marry or have children! What about when she’s old?” Lin Zhao worried.

“I’ll take care of Third Aunt when she’s old!” little Lin Xuan chirped. The table erupted in laughter.

…

In the city, Lin Zhao entered her “Embroidery Workshop.” It was a sanctuary that only hired women, providing a livelihood for those from poor backgrounds. Lin Zhao was a master now, but she wasn’t a miser with her skills; she taught her apprentices everything.

“Teacher,” the embroiderers greeted her with deep respect. Lin Zhao nodded and began her day. As her needle flew like a dancing butterfly, she wasn’t just making a living; she was creating art that was worth a thousand pieces of gold.

Meanwhile, at the “Gourmet Workshop,” the line stretched down the street.

“Is the food really that good?” a traveler asked.

“This is Lin Pan’s workshop!” a local replied proudly. “Even the high officials from the capital come to eat here. She only takes ten personal orders a day—if you don’t have a ticket, you’re eating the apprentices’ work, which is still better than anything else in the county!”

Across town, a commotion broke out. A group of constables led by a woman were chasing a criminal.

“Is that… a woman leading the men?” a traveler gasped.

“That’s Constable Lin! The first female constable in the land. She once kicked a bandit ten feet through the air. Don’t let her looks fool you; she’s fiercer than a tiger.”

Lin Lai cornered the criminal with Lin Le at her side. With a swift, powerful kick, she leveled the man before he could even draw his blade. It was clean, sharp, and decisive.

Lin Yu’s daughters had found their own paths. They were no longer the “money-losers” of a “dead end” family. They were the masters of their own lives, protected by the strength their father had encouraged them to find.

 

TL Notes: Hi, Lovelies. I’m putting this book on hiatus. I’m not enjoying it. But if you want me to pick it up again, if I get 5 people wanting me to pick it up, I’ll pick it up. But if anyone else wants to pick it up, that’s okay as well.