Ch. 291..295: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 291-295

Chapter 291: Chapter 291: Implementing Another Plan(1)_1

Waiting anxiously until morning, but still there was no news of the assassin’s death. Li Yanran had already made a vague guess in her heart. The people who had been sent out might never return. But did they end up dead? Would she be implicated? Li Yanran had no idea. This was her first time dealing with such serious matters like murder and arson. In such a short period of time, she lived in fear and trepidation.

The next day, Chu Suifeng and Si Jinhan arrived at the training ground, they had already come to know about the incident at the Lin family’s house last night.

After understanding what had happened, Chu Suifeng’s somber gaze never left Lin Ziyin. His constant stare perplexed Lin Ziyin, who couldn’t help but wonder. The prince’s mood was too unpredictable. Just because she had indirectly insulted him yesterday, he remained upset for half of the day, and even after a night’s rest, he was still angry. His pettiness was outrageous!

"The little girl has such good luck, she encountered an assassin and wasn’t even injured." Si Jinhan guessed the identity of the assassin after hearing the details from Jue Hui.

Employing an assassin? Not every family can afford one.

Who on earth has Lin Ziyin offended in secret? The incident began to become increasingly puzzling.

"Well, Prince and Third Young Master, since you both hold official positions, we will leave the body of the assassin to you." Lin Ziyin said slowly, looking at Si Jinhan.

"Both the prince and myself do not typically involve ourselves in investigation matters." Si Jinhan said with a smile.

"We law-abiding citizens pay our taxes on time. When ordinary people’s lives are in danger, you officials should be doing everything in your power to protect us. You, the officials, represent justice. If the Third Young Master continues to shirk responsibility, it will affect our trust in officialdom." Lin Ziyin responded seriously, opening her eyes wide.

Upon hearing this, Lin Changshu was nearly frightened out of his wits.

Losing trust in the government? This implied serious discontent. Would the prince misinterpret this? Would he think that the Lin family was dissatisfied with the imperial court and the prince? This girl was growing bolder, daring to say whatever she wanted. No, he had to talk to Ziyin in private upon returning home. If she kept shooting off her mouth like this, it would invite trouble.

"Are you dissatisfied with me?" Chu Suifeng’s words made Lin Changshu’s heart skip a beat, he almost fell over in fright.

"How could your highness interpret it that way?" Lin Ziyin retorted with a glance. "Isn’t the duty of the royal household and government officials to protect us humble commoners, allowing us to live in peace and security? In exchange, we commoners dutifully pay our taxes. Both parties equally benefit from this arrangement. Last night, I was attacked for no apparent reason, therefore I asked his highness and the Third Young Master, as government authorities, to investigate this matter. Can his highness please advise me where I have gone wrong?"

"Your mistake lies in misplacing responsibility." Si Jinhan replied coldly, schooling her, "Investigating cases is the duty of government offices. Any grievances will be naturally taken care of by the county magistrate and his officials. If all citizens were like you, pestering the prince over every trivial matter, how would that look?"

"I see," Lin Ziyin quickly agreed, but in her heart, she was indignant. This was considered trivial? Almost losing her life was merely a ’trivial matter’ in the eyes of these aristocrats. "It seems that I have misunderstood. I ask for the prince and Third Young Master’s forgiveness."

"The prince and myself of course, will not hold grudges over such trivial matters." Si Jinhan waved his hand, presenting the image of being magnanimous.

"Jue Ming, you take the body of the assassin to the government office." Lin Ziyin ordered.

"Yes, Miss." Jue Ming responded and left with Jue Hui.

The villagers who came to train that day were more determined in their practice. The incident involving the Lin family had made everyone perceive the imminent crisis.

This year, because of the Lin family’s assistance, everyone was having a far easier time. In the past, after the autumn harvest, women, children and the elderly, all had to stay at home for winter, while the men braved the cold to go to the marketplace or the city in hopes of getting work like carrying goods for passing merchants. They would trade grueling labor for a bit of silver to take home.

Chapter 292: Chapter 292: Implementing Another Plan(2)_1

Without mentioning anything else, the hardship endured in the heavy snow was beyond description. Women, the elderly, and children talked about the harsh winter, although life was also very tough for them. They were all ordinary people, who could afford to spend so much silver just to keep a brazier burning for warmth all day long?

Now everything is so wonderful. The workplaces are as warm as the sunny March months. And at home, every family who works here now has a kang, a heated bed, keeping them warm when they get home. Every day they are paid in silver, so they no longer have to worry about a lack of money at home. Besides, they can afford to eat meat every now and then. They can also take care of their children, who don’t wander around after coming back but stay on the kang to practice writing and study.

Such a relaxing life was something everyone had hardly dared to think about in the past.

But now it’s right in front of them. As a result, every family that has got a job in the Lin family value their work greatly. The near assassination of Lin Ziyin, the family’s breadwinner, last night deeply concerned the villagers.

Through their period of work, everyone has come to realize that Lin Ziyin has been the backbone of the Lin family. If anything happens to Lin Ziyin, their good days might come to an end.

Because of this, everyone is striving to master martial arts. They think maybe in the future, if anyone again covets the Lin Family’s business and attacks, they might be able to lend a hand instead of sleeping deeply like last night.

"Qiaoqiao, let’s go home," Lin Ziyin whispered.

"Yes, Miss," Qiaoqiao responded, although she didn’t understand why she was leaving the training ground so early.

The master and her servant quietly left the training ground.

As Chu Suifeng, who was practicing combat with Yu Shaohui, saw the departing figures, he called over Congyi, whispering some instructions to him.

Upon receiving his command, Congyi also quietly departed.

After training in the heavy snow for a while, everyone was sweating profusely. However, they all enjoyed every bit of it. After the training, using the body heat from exercising, they formed two long lines, women and men, and jogged home.

Si Jinhan turned to Chu Suifeng, "Prince, our master has left. Are we going over there today?"

"If you want to return, go back by yourself," Chu Suifeng coldly glanced at him and then walked off silently with his guards towards Shili Village.

After one night, a thick layer of snow had piled up on the ground. The crunching sound echoed when people stepped on it, yet the footprints left by Chu Suifeng, Si Jinhan and others were shallow.

Upon reaching the Lin Family, they found that most of them were waiting for their arrival for a meal.

"Where’s the little girl?" Si Jinhan scanned around but didn’t see Lin Ziyin, which pretty puzzled him.

"Miss had a scare last night and wasn’t feeling well. She went to rest after finishing her meal," Lin Zige answered.

Chu Suifeng wasn’t pleased to hear this. He speculated that Lin Ziyin was trying to show her displeasure by ignoring them, probably because of some dissatisfaction about this morning’s training, the girl was becoming gutsy.

After eating, Si Jinhan, Chu Suifeng, and Situ Gong, as usual, came to the study to wait for Lin Ziyin’s lesson.

Unfortunately, they had been waiting for a long time but still didn’t see Lin Ziyin.

"Where is Lin Ziyin?" After waiting for nearly half the day, the Prince finally lost his temper. "Hasn’t her health improved yet, or should I send someone to check on her?"

Duoduo entered, slightly paralyzed by his fury. "Miss went to the market after having her meal," she answered.

"Why would she go to a market in such heavy snow?" Si Jinhan didn’t buy it.

"Young Miss is getting married next month, Miss went to the market to buy some things for her," Duoduo replied meticulously.

Chapter 293: Chapter 293: Implementing Another Plan(3)_1

"Dismissed," Chu Suifeng said with restrained irritation, not intending to vent his anger on a handmaid.

Having heard his words, Duoduo swiftly and gratefully retreated from the study room.

"The little maid is avoiding us," Si Jinhan couldn’t help but chuckle, "She really does hold grudges."

"Prince, should we intercede in the matter of the puppet-master behind the assassins?" Situ Gong asked.

"No need, bring Hong Ying and Lun Luo here," Chu Suifeng responded indifferently.

Grudgingly, Lin Ziyin set off with Jue Xin and a few others to the market, riding on mules.

Even though the marketplace didn’t host as many shops as Feng City, it wasn’t lacking. Top quality cloth shops and places selling furniture and lumber were plentiful. Lin Ziyin headed to a cloth shop first.

"Welcome, please come in," the Shopkeeper warmly greeted them when he saw customers approaching.

"How much does this fabric cost?" Lin Ziyin asked, pointing at the bright red silk. Although she personally preferred cotton material for its comfort, everyone seemed to think silk was the superior choice.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, she too opted for silk, but she also wanted to buy some more cotton.

"In this shop, our silk and cotton both come in the latest patterns. One bolt of cotton costs four taels of silver, regular silk fifteen taels, and the finest silk twenty taels," the shopkeeper replied.

The Northern Land has no mulberry trees for silkworms, nor does it grow cotton. All of it has to be transported from other regions, making it quite expensive. Ordinary folks couldn’t afford it and were mostly clothed in hemp.

But for half of the year, the Northern Land is in winter, where temperatures are low. Even the poorest homes need some cotton for blankets. Of course, many also use animal hides on their heated brick-bed for warmth. This drives up the price of cotton during the winters.

"I’ll take ten bolts of your finest silk, and all the cotton you have, regardless of its quality. And the cotton, I’ll take that too." With a large family to clothe, Lin Ziyin planned to buy extra winter clothes for everyone. She couldn’t stand coverless quilts, so she decided to buy everything she needed while she was there.

"All...all of it?" The shopkeeper was taken aback. Despite his shop not being large, buying most of the fabric displayed would still cost an appreciable amount of silver.

Actually, Lin Ziyin was in a sour mood at that moment and had no patience for chit-chat. She simply pulled out several silver notes. The family’s soybean oil and soy sauce business was thriving, so Lin Ziyin wasn’t short on cash.

Seeing the silver notes, the shopkeeper acknowledged BIG spender, "Miss, rest assured, I will definitely offer you the lowest price." After saying so, he instructed his shop assistant to bring out the fabrics Lin Ziyin requested, along with the cotton to be weighed.

"I’m buying in bulk, so I would like to request delivery to my home," Lin Ziyin stipulated.

"Of course." The shopkeeper was eager to please, given the opportunity to profit.

Finally, Lin Ziyin spent a total of five hundred taels of silver, practically clearing the shop of its cotton and fabrics.

At the furniture store, she didn’t aim to buy any finished products but rather raw lumber. Despite the abundant trees on the Beidi Mountain, Lin Ziyin couldn’t use their timber due to its moistness, which would lead to cracking. Luckily, the lumber in the furniture stores was all dried, and the red pine was quite valuable.

After agreeing on the price and paying for it, Lin Ziyin also requested home delivery.

Lastly, she went to the jewelry store, the Silver Building, and only felt a load off her chest after ordering a few sets of jewelry.

Although the assassin was dead, she was still upset. She genuinely had no idea who was so ruthless to want her dead. It’s not like she had deep enmities with anyone, or had she?

Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Implementing Another Plan(4)_1

The lure of wealth touches human hearts. But Lin Ziyin was reassured with Si Jinhan and Chu Suifeng protecting her. Should she face ruin, it seemed others wouldn’t profit either. Moreover, many businessmen could profit from her, and anyone capable of doing business in the Northern Land was definitely smart and wouldn’t do anything that harmed others without benefitting themselves.

"Let’s go and check out the Vegetarian Feast." Lin Ziyin suggested.

Upon hearing about returning to the Vegetarian Feast, Jue Xin was immediately overjoyed. Although he was now following Lin Ziyin, he had grown up in Ding’an Temple and had an extraordinary bond with it.

When they arrived at the Vegetarian Feast, there were quite a few people around. It wasn’t mealtime, but thanks to the heating in the room, it was particularly warm, making it the preferred choice for many visiting businessmen.

There was tea and a variety of snacks provided at the temple, and many people sat down in small groups to chat and nibble, making it a nice place to hang out.

As soon as Lin Ziyin walked in, the little monk in charge of receiving guests saw her and was so delighted that his eyes narrowed into slits, "Benefactor Lin."

"Are they all in the back?" Lin Ziyin asked.

"They are all there." The little monk replied with a smile, "Benefactor, have you brought new dishes?"

"Looks like all you care about is the food." Lin Ziyin joked with him.

The little monk’s face immediately turned red.

The businessmen present couldn’t help but shift their gaze towards Lin Ziyin as she seemed very familiar with the little monks. Of course, there were those who recognized Lin Ziyin from Shili Village, and they promptly stood up to greet her.

Lin Ziyin responded to them all with a smile.

When the other businessmen heard that she was the head of the Lin Family, they all scratched their heads, wanting to befriend her. The Lin Family produced a wide range of unique products. A lot of people wanted to have ties with the Lin Family, but their business was peculiar, with the rule that only one merchant could represent them in each state.

How could traders traveling from the south not be intrigued?

After greeting everyone, Lin Ziyin proceeded to the back hall.

The monk on duty was equally pleased to see her, "Even though Mid-Autumn Festival has passed, several businessmen have ordered moon cakes, and biscuits and puff pastries also sell well."

"Today, I want you to try this seasoning." Lin Ziyin asked Yu Shaohui to take out some jars from the basket.

"New vegetarian oil?" A monk opened a jar and asked after inspecting its content.

"Not oil, it’s a type of seasoning. This seasoning is unique, as it should be added just before hot dishes are served, or a few drops directly to cold dishes." Lin Ziyin said. "It’s called vegetarian oyster sauce."

"Indeed, it’s fragrant." Everyone nodded in approval after a whiff.

"Can it be used with sesame oil?"

"Yes, but only one or two drops each time are enough." Lin Ziyin answered. The so-called vegetarian oyster sauce was actually made by stewing fresh mushrooms with a formula.

As the temple did not kill any living beings, all items used were vegetarian, so Lin Ziyin thought of using vegetarian oyster sauce as a substitute for the real oyster sauce.

Lin Ziyin looked at the duck eggs sold on behalf of the Vegetarian Feast and found they sold in high quantities, which slightly eased her mind. This way, her sister-in-law would also worry less about the Guo family’s circumstances.

After wandering around for a good while, once the pent-up emotions in her heart completely dissipated, Lin Ziyin bid goodbye to Jue Xin and others to return home.

Jue Xin had earlier run to the temple and relayed the incident of Lin Ziyin being ambushed at night.

"Brother Host, how could we be at peace if anything happened to Benefactor Lin?" Master Hui Lian, in a way, was a wasted talent as a monk; although he was rather cheap and a bit pesky, he was genuinely kind-hearted.

Despite arguing over trivial matters every time he met Lin Ziyin, the truth was he, just like Master Hui Zhen, had a special soft spot for Lin Ziyin.

Chapter 295: Chapter 295: Implementing Another Plan(5)_1

The host listened and responded with eyes half-closed, "Amitabha, Hui Zhen has already sent Jue Ming and three others over there, all of whom are quite skilled."

"As the Lin family’s business soars, with even winter agriculture in the greenhouse as suggested by Miss Lin feasible. Should the Northern Land yield rice in the spring as she also mentioned, the Lin family might be thrown into a turmoiled state." Master Hui Lian responded solemnly, "The imperial court has always been envious of the prince, not to mention other territorial princes. And the troubles from the Tatars."

"Let Hui Zhen dispatch another four visiting students there." The host contemplated for a moment before giving his approval.

"Yes, I will notify brother Hui Zhen immediately." Hui Lian exited the room joyfully.

"Little girl, I’m sending four more people your way to spare you from those watchful eyes." Hui Zhen had gotten wind of the incident at the Lin family since early morning. Having returned to the temple, he had already picked out people to send over to Lin Ziyin. But first, he needed to inform the host. After all, a good number of the martial monks were orphans that the temple had taken in years ago. These kids were not real monks, but visiting students of the temple who could revert to secular life anytime.

He didn’t mind sending a few away.

"Benefactor Lin, I can follow you from now on." A bald little monk showed his head from behind Hui Zhen.

"Jue Yuan." Lin Ziyin watched the little monk excitedly. Jue Yuan would often follow Hui Zhen to the Lin’s, and he and Lin Ziyin had been well acquainted for a long time. The relationship between the little monks and Lin Ziyin was pretty good. After all, it was because of Lin Ziyin that their food and accommodation were also improved, and all the monks remembered her kindness.

"You can eat meat freely from now on." Remembering how distressed the little monk looked the first time he held a roast chicken behind Hui Zhen, Lin Ziyin couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

"Amitabha." The little monk clasped his hands together and spoke, "The Buddha keeps in mind the one who passes meat and wine through his bowels."

His serious look made Lin Ziyin laugh so hard that she couldn’t straighten her waist, "Follow your big sister well, when you grow up, sister will find you a wife."

This time all the monks present chorused, "Amitabha."

Lin Ziyin laughed harder, looking like she had lost her mind.

With the additional company from Ding’an Temple, and gaining a few more people, the depression in Lin Ziyin’s heart gradually subsided.

Within Feng City, some sharp-eyed passerby noticed two bodies hanging on the killing pillar, attracting an ever-increasing crowd of onlookers who began to speculate about their identity.

The so-called killing pillar was the spot where the prince’s residence typically displayed the bodies of extremely evil criminals or enemies. As a rule, those brought to this place were never good people.

Although the crowd had no idea who they were, the bodies still drew lots of rotten vegetables and rocks thrown by the city’s residents. The Northern Land originally was a sensitive area, where Tatar spies or bandits causing trouble were common, meaning the residents were perpetually on edge, having suffered from their harm quite often.

"Master, they have failed. They are currently hanging on the killing pillar." At night, two more men dressed in black appeared in Li Yanran’s room.

"What? How did they end up on the killing pillar?" Li Yanran looked horrified.

The killing pillar was the place where the prince dealt with people who committed heinous crimes. Lin Ziyin was but an ordinary peasant girl. How could she have people hanged there? Li Yanran thought and thought, speculating that Chu Suifeng must have been involved in this matter.

Did this mean that the prince knew it was she who orchestrated everything and was going to send people to the Li Residence to arrest her? "What should I do? Those two damned fools couldn’t even kill a little peasant girl. What use is there in feeding them for so many years?"