Seeking recommendations to rush new book charts, I heard there's a simple way to vote, on the page directly right-click the mouse, and then a menu will appear, click "Recommend this book", haha, everyone try it out, see if it's true? If it is, remember to vote for me...
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"Fourth sister!" Lin Shenzhi shook off Lin Jirong's hand, pouting in dissatisfaction and complaining: "Gentle! You pinched my hand."
He lost his composure. Lin Jianrong suddenly woke up, quickly loosened the force in his hand, pulled up Lin Shenzhi's hand and put it to his lips to blow gently, smiling: "I'm blowing for Seventh Brother, you say how Fourth Sister has such great strength?"
Lin Shenzhi, although spoiled, was magnanimous towards his two elder sisters. Having suffered this pain, he just let Lin Jianrong blow on it for him and then forgot about it, continuing to walk with his head down, kicking at pebbles as he played.
Lin Jinrong's heart was in a state of turmoil, one moment hating and the next coldly laughing. Hating someone required effort, but this ruthless and treacherous person wasn't worth her hatred, not worth her wasting another thought on. Yet she couldn't help but hate, her emotions beyond her control. To cover up her unusual behavior, she followed along with Huang Niang's words: "Really? This cousin is that formidable? Who did you hear it from?" Good, her voice was steady, without a hint of abnormality.
The aunt, Huang, was called a fox by the Tao family, and there's a reason for that. She had been quietly observing Lin Jinyong's behavior without making a sound, and she had her own plans. This time's event gave her an opportunity she had been waiting for. Now that the third house has a legitimate son, Lin Jinyin is about to get married, and the husband's family is not bad. Lin Yizhi has also grown up, and there are too many places where he needs his wife's help. It's pointless to go against his wife, but his wife's difficult personality is also a headache for the third master. What they really need is someone who can speak up for them in front of their wife, slowly turning this relationship around. As long as her son is good, what does it matter if she gets stepped on by her wife? The wife loves these three legitimate children the most, but the third daughter is too old and not easy to fool, and she's getting married next year, so even if they try hard to win her over, it won't be worth it. Lin Jinyong, who is still young and unmarried, with a soft and gentle personality, is undoubtedly the most suitable candidate!
Huang Yiniang is a self-made woman who has risen from the bottom, and she wouldn't naively think like Lin Yizhi that just because Lin Jianrong helped him today, he can easily get her to continue helping him in the future. Everything has its reasons, and Lin Jianrong's occasional kindness must have its own reasons behind it - perhaps it's to save face, not wanting the Lu family to bully the Lin family, or perhaps she's afraid of causing more trouble and dragging down Third Madam... But no matter what the reason is, people all have their desires and emotions, and if they want Lin Jianrong to continue helping them in the future, they must cater to her tastes. And now, Huang Yiniang thinks that she has found out what Fourth Miss needs most.
Young ladies, don't you all want to marry a good husband? It's an ancestral tradition passed down that every generation of the Lin and Lu families must intermarry. There's a legendary story behind this: the ancestors of the Lin and Lu families went to Beijing to take the imperial examination together. The ancestor of the Lu family got severe dysentery on the way and almost died, but was saved by the ancestor of the Lin family. After learning they were from the same hometown, the two became close friends after both passing the exam, and made a promise that their children would be married to each other for generations to come, forming a lifelong bond between the two families.
In this generation, Lu Xie was the most outstanding among the eligible sons of the Lu family, and Lin Jianrong's appearance and temperament were also the first among the unmarried girls in the Lin family. However, marriage is not just about looks. More importantly, it depends on whether the parents are capable or not. Compared to Sanfang's scattered immortals Lin Sanye and explosive coal three madams, the eldest daughter of the main house who controlled the financial power, the twin sisters Liu Niang and Qiuniang of the second house who were favored by their parents, all had an advantage over her. If Lin Jianrong wanted to marry Lu Xie, she would have to think carefully.
Madam Huang coughed lightly and said, seemingly unintentionally: "I used to be good sisters with Fang's wife who was beside the old lady. Although she followed the old lady to the south these years, we still had contact when we moved around during festivals. Yesterday, the old lady just arrived in Pingzhou, and Fang's wife sent her goddaughter to deliver things to me. This is what I heard from her goddaughter, it can't be fake."
"Ah, I see. So Fang's mother is Huang's iron sister and also the aunt's confidante, someone who can speak freely in front of the aunt. Lin Jinrong understood Huang's intention - wasn't she trying to lure her with bait? But this time, Huang threw the wrong bait, she doesn't like eating that, what she wants is another outcome, but it's not time yet to reveal her cards to Huang. Lin Jinrong smiled foolishly, with a confused expression: "I see. I don't know who's talent is higher between him and Wu Ergou." Her voice wasn't low, and was heard by several passing servants nearby."
Madam Huang was embarrassed and tense, saying that Wu Xiang was not as good as Lu Duan, she would offend the Wu family and Madame Wu. If she said Lu Duan was not as good as Wu Xiang, she would offend the Lu family and Old Lady Lin Yuzhen. None of these people were ones she could afford to provoke. But after all, she was clever and immediately smiled loudly: "This is indeed unknown, but thinking about it, Young Master Biao grew up in the south, where there are many famous Confucian scholars, he is also diligent and intelligent, so he won't be inferior. The two young masters are probably the twin jewels of our Pingzhou."
Lin Jin smiled faintly and stopped speaking. This aunt of the Lu family, Lin Yu Zhen, was the youngest daughter of Old Lady Lin, who had been spoiled since childhood, married well, and had a somewhat arrogant attitude, looking down on others. What's so special about Ping Zhou's twin treasures? It's just Huang Niang trying to curry favor with Lin Yu Zhen, which is indirectly trying to please Old Lady Lin.
Wu Xiang was a young man with great talent and reputation, known as the "prodigy of Pingzhou". Whenever people in Pingzhou talked about him, everyone knew who he was. Lu Duan, on the other hand, was just an unknown child from the third branch of the Lu family when he was young. Only because the main branch of the Lu family had no son did they adopt him at the age of 7 or 8 and make him the son of Lin Yu Zhen, a wealthy lady. Lin Yu Zhen was afraid that Lu Duan would be too old to raise properly, so she hastily took him with her when her husband, Lu Jian Xin, went south for work, staying there for seven or eight years without daring to return home, fearing that he would meet his biological parents again.
It's said that now Lu Xuan is just a nobody in Pingzhou, and in terms of talent and reputation, how can he be compared to Wu Xiang? Even later on, when participating in the imperial examination, he still couldn't surpass Wu Xiang. As for looks? Lin Jianrong's mind suddenly flashed with a pair of cold, intimidating eyes, she laughed, Lu Xuan indeed looked as good as Huang Niang said, so good that when he first appeared at the Lin family, it caused her three older female cousins to become jealous and made all the girls who came to visit secretly glance over. But what's the use of looking good? Can you eat it? Can you wear it? Worthless! Lin Jianrong, who had never spoken a coarse word in her past life, didn't hesitate to say something crude, although it was just in her heart, she felt very satisfied.
Somehow, Huang Niang felt that she saw a hint of sadness and irony in Lin Jing's smile, but when she looked again, the sadness and irony were gone, and all she saw was the bright and innocent smile of a young girl. Huang Niang couldn't help but smile lightly to herself, thinking that she must be too tired from taking care of things these past few days, and her eyes were playing tricks on her. Although Fourth Young Miss had always been composed and gentle, she was still young after all, and earlier when she said those words, she was probably just not used to this so-called "older male cousin" who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and accidentally let slip some discontent.
Perhaps, Fourth Young Miss actually has her eyes on Wu Xiang? Madam Huang glanced at the back of Wu's figure in front of her, and it made sense for the two families to have such a relationship. But if that was the case, she would have to think of another plan. She had already turned several years older in an instant, and kindly reminded Lin Jinrong: "The young lady's temper is very strong, don't mention what you just said to outsiders, or else... You are the most outstanding among our young ladies, the first and second branches of the family... Hehe... Your fifth brother and I always hope for your well-being."
Lin Jinyong smiled, looking at Huang Niang one word at a time: "Niang said it's right, we are all from the third house, our dignity is united, we are a family. A single tree can't make a forest, my four siblings and I will be each other's support in the future. I also hope for the best for Fifth Brother." The power of an individual compared to the power of a clan is as insignificant as a feather compared to Mount Tai. Between families, they have always been united against outsiders, and only discuss their grievances behind closed doors.
Huang Yiniang was stunned. She had originally wanted to get Lin Jinkou's words, and also subtly express her good intentions. But unexpectedly, Lin Jinkou answered flawlessly, and even took it a step further. He directly told her that although she had Lin Yizhen, one tree cannot make a forest. As the illegitimate child of the Lin family, Lin Yizhen wanted to have a future, but it wasn't by stepping on his legitimate siblings that he could succeed. On the contrary, he needed them! Similarly, Lin Shenzhou was still young, and they didn't need Lin Yizhen as an enemy who would soon become an adult! These four sisters, how did she not notice such a wonderful place before? Was it really gentle and kind? Huang Yiniang looked at Lin Jinkou again, her eyes were different.
Lin Jinyong didn't intend to pretend to be silly in front of her this time, but instead looked at Huang Niang with bright eyes: "This principle, Madam has mentioned it several times behind our backs and to my siblings, that's why I helped Fifth Brother today. You also know that apart from Madam's bad temper, what kind of heart she has." If someone like Huang Niang were to be replaced by her eldest or second aunt, they would have died a few times already.
"Ten years or so, how could the servants not know about your character?" Madam Tao said to her with a raised eyebrow and a pointed nose. Although she had never done anything evil to Madam Tao and her children in all these years of open and secret struggles, when she thought about it, she had to admit that she hadn't done anything seriously wrong either. Otherwise, Old Master Lin, who was the most particular about social hierarchy and moral principles, would have been the first to punish her.
Lin Jin smiled contentedly and said, "Auntie knows what's good. If later on in front of the guests, Madam has any shortcomings, please ask Auntie to make some concessions. Don't let people laugh at us, afterwards, I will repay Auntie's kindness." He wanted to discuss terms with her, so he made it clear that if they were going to follow and serve others, they had to have this kind of sacrificial awareness, otherwise, it would be better for everyone to retreat early and avoid embarrassment.
Huang Niang's face was somewhat embarrassed, and Tao Shi had lost her temper in public several times. Although it was said that Tao Shi had a violent temper, it also had something to do with Huang Niang intentionally or unintentionally provoking her. Tao Shi naturally knew that she had suffered a loss at Huang Niang's hands, but Lin San Ye did not believe it, saying that Tao Shi was overbearing and cruel, and could not tolerate her. Who would have thought that the fourth young lady had seen everything? There is no gain without pain, Huang Niang gritted her teeth and said resolutely: "The mistress is the master, I am the slave, the slave follows the master's orders, this is my duty."
"But I hope Auntie remembers what she said today. Boundaries are something that must be kept."
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To make the tone of this article more consistent, Chapter 1 has been slightly modified. The heroine's past life's cause of death and thoughts are clearer now, please go take a look, hehe.
[bookid=1911369,bookname="National Color and Prosperity"][bookid=1736421,bookname="Joyful Gate"][bookid=1421817,bookname="Leftover Woman is Not Virtuous"][bookid=1296881,bookname="Heavy Flower Shadows"][bookid=1589709,bookname="Heavenly Clothes are Enchanting"]
