Ch. 146..150: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 146-150

Chapter 146: Chapter 146: Thinking About (3)_1

The old Zige had not been particularly outstanding due to her poor living conditions and rough skin caused by her menial work. However, when Zhicai saw her again the other day, she had dramatically transformed. Her skin was now fair and flawless, her form had improved significantly, and she even had a maid with her. To the uninformed, she appeared no less than a young mistress from a wealthy family.

The more Zhicai thought about it, the more he regretted. If he had foreseen Lin family’s prosperity, he would never have broken off the engagement.

"Zhicai, you should go out more. My son is dashingly handsome and will be a scholar one day, maybe even a court official. I don’t believe that Zige has completely forgotten about my son." Obviously being a mother and son pair, Yan family too, harbored thoughts about Zige as Zhicai was in regret for breaking off the engagement with her.

"What nonsense is this?" Mr. Ma glared at Mrs. Yan.

Receiving his glaring eyes, Mrs. Yan simply smirked. After all, she wasn’t wrong - no matter how good-looking or capable Zige was, she was nothing more than a village girl at the end of the day. On the other hand, her son was a precious scholar. If they were to resume the engagement, it would be the Lins’ privilege, not theirs. Honestly, if not for the impressive dowry that Zige could bring, considering her previous engagement with Wu Dayou, Zhicai was far out of her league.

"Big brother, if we get married with Zige, could we move into the mansion, and have good food every day?" Youcai asked.

He’d been feeling stifled these days, especially after the Lin family’s fortunes had turned around. The other children in the village no longer listened to him, and he, the once king among children, found himself isolated.

Whenever Lin Changting and Lin Yanzhi came out, they always brought various snacks with them. They were generous as well, sharing their food with children who were close to them.

The world of children is simple - whoever has food, draws others in. Thus, all the village children were attracted to Lin Changting and the others.

Thinking about how Changting had left him all alone, Youcai wanted to beat them all up again. However, his mother had warned him not to lay a finger on Changting or Yanzhi for the time being. Anger building up with nowhere to vent, Youcai felt like he was being choked.

Just thinking about all the food made Youcai’s mouth water.

"All you care about is food. Can’t you aspire for something more?" Zhicai glared at him and walked towards his own room with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Son, don’t coop up in your room, go and move around the village," Mrs. Yan called out, frowning.

"You stop meddling, Zhicai knows what to do," Mr. Ma glared back at Mrs. Yan, "Also, make sure you don’t go spreading what we just talked about."

"I’m not an idiot to blab about family matters outside. But, father, once Zige marries my brother, I’d definitely teach Changting a good lesson. That kid needs to be put in his place," Youcai replied angrily.

Listening to his parents and brother’s words from the inner room, Zhicai sneered. He had always thought that his father, having worked in the city, would be wiser and more worldly than the other villagers. Now it seemed, he was no better.

His mother, Mrs. Yan, was even more helpless - panicking at the slightest hint of trouble and always getting in his way. His brother, Youcai, was utterly useless, having nothing but food on his mind.

His family was a group of ignorant people. If he were to marry Zige in the future, he would definitely move to the mansion and stop living with his parents. With their petty and gossipy dispositions, they were sure to cause trouble for him.

Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Thinking About (4)_1

I’m supposed to be a future official, why am I related to such a family?

The more Ma Zhicai thought about it, the more humiliated he felt, annoyed, he simply threw down the book in his hand, pushed the door open and went out to clear his mind.

"It’s getting late, where are you going?" Yan Family’s matriarch heard the door, leaned out and asked loudly.

"Just going to wander." Ma Zhicai answered with annoyance.

"That’s right." The matriarch of Yan’s family was pleased when she heard him, she knew her son was not an idiot.

"Brother, let me come with you." Ma Youcai’s eyes lit up, he twirled and tried to rush out of the house.

"You should stay at home." Yan Family’s matriarch angrily halted her younger son, "Don’t go anywhere."

Ma Zhicai also glanced back at Ma Youcai, his face full of irritation as he walked away.

When Ma Youcai was ordered to stay at home, he reluctantly sat on the stool, sulking alone.

The evening in the countryside was warm and beautiful, the soft sunlight bathed the fields and mountains, they were so soft and gentle. As the weather began to cool, those who cultivated the wasteland had not returned, making the village particularly quiet.

All of this fell into Ma Zhicai’s sight, but it did not arouse his interest in the slightest.

He was getting annoyed and impatient at this moment, his family was holding him back, the villagers were ignorant, he had never felt as repressed and lonely as he did now.

He felt like he couldn’t stand staying in the countryside, where he was incompatible with the villagers...

Unknowingly, he had arrived outside the large Lin family courtyard on the edge of the town.

Now that they had servants in their home, Lin Zige certainly didn’t have to do any heavy chores anymore. She and Guo Huiniang occasionally cooked, but the making of tofu was left to the servants.

"Sister-in-law, I am going to the oil mill to deliver food." As Lin Family’s new oil would come out at night, Lin Changshu and Wu Dayou couldn’t spare time to come back for dinner, so Lin Zige needed to go there to deliver food.

Moreover, in the afternoon, Lin Changshu and Wu Dayou both went to the market and then went straight to the oil mill for work. They must be starving by now.

If they had to work overtime, Lin Family would provide meals, thus there were quite a few dishes that Lin Zige brought with her.

Along with her, were Cui Da’s family, Li Family, a servant girl, and a few of them carrying a basket full of buns, pickled vegetables, and two small buckets of rice porridge.

Zige was given the lightest load of small dishes to carry.

"See if they need late-night snacks." Lin Ziyin reminded, "Don’t let them skip meals, physical work can’t be done well without enough food."

"Got it." Lin Zige agreed with a smile, picked up the basket, and left with the other women.

"Zige." Just as she stepped outside, she ran into someone she did not want to see.

"Ma Tongsheng, open your eyes wide and look, I am not your good sister." Lin Zige was naturally feisty and did not have any fondness for Ma Zhicai, her ex-fiancé.

Especially now, with Ma Zhicai looking at her with affectionate eyes. If others saw them, they were sure to spread rumors.

Lin Zige did not hesitate to return Ma Zhicai’s affections with hostility.

"I know that it was our Ma Family who didn’t do the engagement dissolution well. Actually, I was not prepared at all for it, it was all my mother’s idea... but, don’t blame her, she’s just a simple woman..." In Ma Zhicai’s view, he was willing to accept Lin Zige, his former faincée, and Zige should have been overjoyed.

On his view, Lin Zige’s current anger and impatience were nothing more than a performance for him to see.

He firmly believed that as long as he could comfort Lin Zige by saying a few nice things, she would definitely be more than willing to reconcile and return to his side.

Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Thinking About (5)_1

"What does your mother have to do with me? I have chores to do, Scholar Tongsheng. I need to bring food to my family. Could you please step aside?" When Lin Zige saw his self-righteous face, anger welled up in her heart.

How could she have not realized how thick-skinned this scoundrel was before?

Actually dared to obscurely remark about his mother? Ma Zhicai was immediately outraged, "Lin Zige, you are a young lady. Avoid using offensive language indiscriminately. It reflects poorly on your upbringing."

"Who do you think you are to admonish me?" This made Lin Zige even more furious. She had just gone out to deliver food and was inexplicably stopped by this bastard. She had no idea what he was trying to achieve. "If you want to talk about lack of manners, I think you wouldn’t have learned any better growing up with your parents. I even doubt if anything you learned in school has become beneficial or simply been fed to dogs."

"Lin Zige, don’t be so impertinent." Ma Zhicai hated it when people looked down upon his status as a scholar. Lin Zige had hit his sore spot.

"Why? Want to fight?" Lin Zige sneered at him.

"Miss, shall I go find someone to teach him a lesson?" A servant from the Li Family asked. Although they were unclear about the man’s purpose, they had grown impatient with the scenes he’d been creating. If it had not been for their status constraints that prevented them from speaking freely, they would have taught this youngster a lesson already.

"Forget it, we shouldn’t stoop so low as to bite a dog that’s bitten us," Lin Zige sneered and held them back. "Let’s go."

"Feisty Lin Zige." Hearing her comparing him to a dog, Ma Zhicai was so angry that he nearly passed out.

"Yes, Miss." A few women deliberately bumped into Ma Zhicai with the baskets in their hands as they passed him, forcing him to retreat, nearly tripping and falling in the process.

"Avoid this kind of mongrel if we encounter him in the future." Not far away, Lin Zige casually gave instructions to her servants, words successfully drifting into Ma Zhicai’s ears.

Lin Zige, wait until you become mine, I’ll make you pay. Ma Zhicai stared at their receding figures and thought angrily.

After today’s incident though, he concluded that Lin Zige had indeed moved on. There wasn’t the slightest affection left for him anymore.

Such a fickle woman! Ma Zhicai cursed under his breath.

No matter what, he needed to establish a connection with the Lin Family. Once aligned with the Lin family, not only would he secure funding for his education, but he could also escalate his relationship with the Prince further. To put it simply, there were enormous advantages to having an alliance with the Lin Family.

Since there was a chance to benefit, Ma Zhicai was naturally unwilling to let go of such an opportunity.

"How do we pack these medicines?" Not only was the Ma family intent on winning over the Lin Family, but Si Jinhan in Feng City also had the same intentions. "Why not summon the girl to the Tianji Building?"

"Forced unions are never a pleasure," Chu Suifeng quietly responded.

"Prince, while these small parts may appear simple, assembling them is quite tricky. If these rubber bands are not attached properly, the shooting range will be significantly affected. And how exactly are these small buttons supposed to function?" Within the Tianji Building, a man dressed in black anxiously said, "How about we invite the expert who designed the blueprints to explain in detail?"

"Prince, I offer the same opinion." Another middle-aged man stepped forward to corroborate, bowing ceremoniously.

The Tianji Building was no stranger to master craftsmen; they were all Chu Suifeng’s trusted subordinates. Some of them came from the rivers and lakes, some from the civilian population, each with their own unique skills and superior martial arts abilities.

The blueprints that the Prince had brought back this time had sparked an uproar among the people of the Tianji Building. This was because the design depicted was of great significance. The device built according to the blueprint could undoubtedly offer extra security to Feng City.

Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Thinking About (6)_1

"The rest of you may leave now. Put what you’re working on aside for now." Si Jinhan saw a serious expression on Chu Suifeng’s face, and with a faint smile, he said this to the few people who had arrived.

The men looked at Chu Suifeng, but sensed that the Prince had no intention of explaining, so they hurriedly resumed examining the components they were holding.

"Your Highness, what would you say to inviting Miss Lin to join Dowager Grandmother for a meal in the city tomorrow?" Si Jinhan asked with a smile.

"That would be agreeable," Chu Suifeng responded casually. "Make sure it is arranged carefully."

"Miss Lin saved my sister-in-law and me last time, and we have yet to repay her. This mere thank-you banquet won’t attract attention." Si Jinhan replied with a smile.

The next day, Lin Ziyin was inexplicably hustled onto a carriage by the smiling Si Jinhan, accompanied by Lin Changshu, the head of the Lin family.

"Master Si, I believe that ever since the day I accepted the Si Family’s silver note, our outstanding debts have been mutually cleared. Moreover, the dowager and the young mistress have already gifted me presents. What exactly are we celebrating today?" Lin Ziyin, sitting in the carriage, was quite irate.

The Lin Changshu who had sat beside her was exceedingly anxious.

Last time, he had witnessed how Si Jinhan had nearly taken Ziyin’s life.

Would there be any problems at this banquet?

"Actually, this banquet isn’t exactly about gratitude for saving us," Si Jinhan replied with a smirk. His face was beaming, a stark contrast from his demeanor in the woods. "Ever since I dined at the Lin Family, I’ve been boasting to the dowager about it. She grew curious after hearing me praise you so much, and considering her reduced appetite in the summer heat, I thought it would be a good idea to invite Miss Lin to help."

Half-truths and half-lies, he was forcefully bringing them along without displaying any hint of guilt.

Lin Ziyin was so angry she wanted to slap him.

"Young Master Si, you truly honor us. I’m just a country girl, how could I compare to the chefs at your residence?" Lin Ziyin tried to reason with him, suppressing her anger.

"The chefs at the residence are indeed some of the best, but the dowager has grown tired of their dishes. You are kind-hearted, so will you help her, for the elder’s sake?" Si Jinhan explained, surprisingly patient.

"Young Master Si, are you putting me in a difficult position?" Lin Ziyin glared at him unhappily.

"One thousand taels of silver as compensation for your trip. It’s just one meal, and we won’t make it hard for you. How about it?" Si Jinhan chuckled inwardly at seeing Lin Ziyin struggling to contain her fury.

There was something comical about this girl trying to suppress her anger.

It was clear this young master was a sadist, deriving pleasure from others’ discomfort.

One thousand taels of silver? Lin Changshu was dumbfounded. Although the Lin Family had seen large amounts of money, they had seldom seen anyone offer one thousand taels just for preparing a meal like Si Jinhan did.

Even so, when compared to Lin Ziyin’s safety, Lin Changshu was not willing to let his sister take the risk.

"Young Master, are you trying to get us into more trouble?" Lin Ziyin asked with a bitter smile. "I thought I made it clear last time."

Si Jinhan knew she wanted a quiet life, but he pretended to misunderstand, "Last time, I was at fault. Money doesn’t suffice to repay a life-saving favor. While it’s true Miss Lin will have to make an effort for the banquet, the Dowager still wants to express her sincere gratitude. Of course, Miss Lin, there’s no need to hold what happened last time against me."

Chapter 150: Chapter 150: Thinking About (7)_1

The implication was to caution Lin Ziyin not to hold grudges or be overly petty.

Lin Ziyin realized that she can’t argue, and considered that she was not the only one in the carriage, so she had to step back, hoping to reach the Si Family quickly in order to prepare the banquet properly and then return home early.

Si Jinhan knew she was a smart woman. Seeing that Lin Ziyin was no longer causing a fuss, he secretly thought: this lass hopes for peaceful days, but who asked her to have so many whims and ideas?

If someone were to find out about the catapult in the future, she might find it increasingly difficult to lead the quiet life she wishes for.

The carriage quietly entered the city. The Si Family’s carriage had a distinct mark. The city guards saw the carriage and respectfully let them enter without charging any tolls.

"Third Young Master, the Old Lady has been waiting for you and Miss Lin for a long time." As soon as they entered the courtyard, before Lin Ziyin had a chance to observe the scenery of the courtyard, she saw a well-dressed maid waiting there.

The maid was very pretty. She first bowed respectfully to Si Jinhan, then looked at Lin Ziyin and Lin Changshu.

"Get up, we are going soon." Si Jinhan replied with a faint smile.

"This must be Miss Lin." The maid smiled at Lin Ziyin with a friendly manner, "The Old Lady has been talking about you since morning. The Young Mistress and the other ladies are also waiting over there. They want to see who saved the Young Master."

From the moment Lin Changshu entered, his legs were trembling slightly, his muscles tense, fearful that something might go wrong. Watching the maid’s respect did nothing to ease his anxiety.

Compared to his nervousness, Lin Ziyin was rather calm. She had realized earlier that whether it was a blessing or a calamity, she could not avoid it. Since she was here, she had to accept it with peace of mind.

"Could you please show us the way?" She responded with a smile.

"There is no need for her to guide us. I have to go as well. The Old Lady and the ladies want to see not only you, this brave lady, but also the young hero Lin." Si Jinhan joked lightly.

"I am unworthy," Lin Changshu blushed, he didn’t want to be a hero when he saved the people. If it weren’t for Ziyin, he would have surely hidden. He felt unworthy of the title ’young hero.’

"Miss, Young Master, please." The maid spoke with a smile, still leading the way.

It seemed Si Jinhan did not mind this at all. He was laughing as he walked beside Lin Changshu, while Lin Ziyin walked behind them casually.

To anyone watching, it seemed as if Si Jinhan was interested in Lin Changshu, the man.

Lin Ziyin walked behind them, seizing this opportunity to observe the Si Family’s courtyard.

Truly a wealthy family, the Si Family’s courtyard was vast, one could hardly tell how much land it covered. It was filled with numerous walkways, precious flowers, and the pavilions and rockeries must have cost a considerable amount of silver.

"These lotus flowers were transplanted from Jiangnan by me. They are blooming very well now." Si Jinhan turned around and boasted slightly, noticing that Lin Ziyin was daydreaming.

"It is beautiful." Lin Ziyin responded. She was not the country bumpkin Si Jinhan imagined her to be. In her past life, she had seen all varieties of lotus flowers.

The lotus flowers of the Si Family were well-cared for and thriving. To her, they were just acceptable.

The maid saw her reaction, and was slightly surprised. This Miss Lin appeared young, but displayed composure and quality.

The Si Family’s pond was full of splendid lotus flowers. Many noble ladies who had come here admired them. Although Lin Ziyin was appreciative, she didn’t seem surprised, which showed her discerning eye.

The group crossed a small bridge and took a detour around a corridor before finally reaching a courtyard.

"Oh, my sweet boy, always flattering your grandmother." Before they could enter, they heard an elderly voice filled with delight coming from inside the house. The joy in the voice made people guess the good mood of the host.

"Miss and Master, please wait for a moment, let me go inform the Old Lady first." The maid said with a smile.

Lin Ziyin nodded.

"Please wait a moment." Si Jinhan was the first to enter the house.

"Ziyin?" Outside the house, Lin Changshu looked at Lin Ziyin with worry.

"Brother, don’t worry, we will answer their questions and it will be fine." Lin Ziyin comforted him, "After all, they aren’t going to eat us."

Whether the Si Family would eat people or not, Lin Changshu did not know, but he did know that Si Jinhan could kill out of anger for no reason or that the Si Family could beat anyone without any hesitation.

"Master Lin, Miss Lin, the Old Lady invites you in." In just a short while, the maid came out to summon them.

Lin Ziyin and Lin Changshu exchanged glances, then followed her in.

The temperature outside was high, but the room was incredibly cool. Lin Ziyin guessed there were chunks of ice in the room, but she couldn’t look around at will.

As soon as Lin Changshu entered, he saw a spirited old lady sitting at the head of the room. Despite her age, her eyes were particularly vital, looking at him and Ziyin.

Si Jinhan, the annoying person, was sitting next to her, smiling and watching them. Several middle-aged women were sitting below the old lady, they must be the women of the Si Family.

"Pretty sister." A child saw Lin Ziyin and her brother coming in. His eyes lit up, he rushed to Lin Ziyin and said, "For you, Sister."

He held out his hand, revealing a slice of rare watermelon in front of Lin Ziyin.