Ch. 481..485: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 481-485

Chapter 481: Chapter 481: The Tomb King’s Daughter-in-law (2)_1

Indeed, the words Situ Gong spoke today expressed what had been troubling him for half a year. The Northern Land was a harsh and cold place, and looking around, there were few men who were worthy of his granddaughter.

A tall tree catches much wind, and even if he tried his best to shelter Lin Ziyin and the Lin Family, his old tree had the will but not the power. The scale of the Lin Family was all due to Lin Ziyin’s efforts, including the changes in Shili Village. In the future, Lin Ziyin would undoubtedly be a prominent figure in all of Daqin. But how could a person like him protect her from the storms of life? Even her older brother Changshu lacked the capability to protect her.

If anybody in Feng City could protect Ziyin, it would truly have to be the Prince.

"Old Sir can rest assured, even if the Lin Family lacks the influence needed to protect Miss Lin, it doesn’t matter. The Prince values Miss Lin, not because of her abilities, but because of who she is as a person." Situ Gong, a master of understanding human psychology, detected the hesitation on the old man’s face and immediately intensified his persuasion, "The Prince is willing to swear before all under Heaven at Ding’an Temple, this life he will only share with Miss Lin, the offsprings will only be from her."

The old man remained silent.

"Even if something were to happen to Miss Lin, he will not have any other woman, or any other offspring." The last sentence was particularly difficult for Situ Gong to say. As an advisor of the Prince, he naturally hoped that the Prince could produce more heirs.

All these years, the Prince had been alone in the Northern Land. Naturally, it would be more lively if the Wang Residence had more children.

But Chu Suifeng was too stubborn, and once he set his mind on something, not even nine oxen could drag him back. No matter how intimate he was with the Prince, in the end, he was merely an adviser, unable to persuade or prevent Chu Suifeng in his madness.

"Furthermore, selfishly as it may seem, I hope Miss Lin could put all her talents to use, to let the people of the Northern Land live a life without worries. This small Shili Village is not enough for her. She’s too confined here. She deserves better." In the end, Situ Gong made his regret apparent.

He rarely admired anyone, there were fewer than five in the world. Lin Ziyin was definitely among the few.

Lin Ziyin was currently feeling upset and unwilling to be the mistress of the Prince’s mansion. Chu Suifeng was bad at expressing himself, and being an advisor was exhausting. Besides being constantly aware of the situation at the border, he now even had to worry about his master’s marriage.

She deserves better? Situ Gong’s words profoundly shocked the old man.

"As far as Situ Yan is concern, I beg the old Sir to consider this thoroughly." Situ Gong didn’t wait for the old man to decide, he politely excused himself making his point.

At this moment, the old man’s mind was in chaos. He was not in the mood to entertain Situ Gong and instead nodded absentmindedly.

Situ Gong gracefully bid farewell to leave the small hut. If all goes well, he had met his wishes this time.

That evening, as expected, the old man asked Lin Ziyin to visit his room. The rest of the Lin Family were also present.

"Grandpa, didn’t you say Ziyin should choose her marriage herself?" Zige was very upset. In Zige’s opinion, with all the talents possessed by Lin Ziyin, there were not many men in the world worthy of her.

Although the Prince held noble rank, she knew that there were already other women in his mansion. To let Ziyin be in a place where she would have to share a husband with other women, Zige thought this was an insult to Ziyin.

"The Prince already has several consorts and last time when Ziyin was injured, it was his consort who deliberately provoked the fight. We Lin Family have no influence. If little sister enters the Wang Residence, we do not have the ability to back her. The women in that residence are all noble ladies, each a delicate beauty. If little sister were to be bullied by these women, what would we do?" Guo Huiniang, pregnant, also protested against Lin Ziyin joining the Wang Residence.

Chapter 482: Chapter 482: The Tomb King’s Wife(3)_1

"My sister won’t get married." Although Changting is young, he understood the conversation between his sister and sister-in-law. Thinking that Lin Ziyin might be bullied by a group of women, he immediately jumped out in objection.

"Not getting married." Yanzhi also shook his head expressing his stance.

"Changshu, Dayou, what do you think?" The old man was interested in what his two grandsons thought.

"Since Grandfather has advised it, there must be a reason. Although I don’t know why Grandfather changed his mind and agreed to this marriage. I believe that Grandfather always cherishes Ziyin and won’t harm her for personal gain," Lin Changshu hesitantly answered.

At this point, his feelings were mixed. On one hand, he did not agree with Lin Ziyin marrying into the Wang Residence, but on the other hand, he trusted the wisdom of the old man. He was at a loss when asked for his opinion.

The old man turned his gaze to Wu Dayou.

Dayou’s hands were so nervous that they were sweating. He moved his lips, but no sound came out for a while.

"Say something," Zige glared at him, hoping that he would support her views.

"The sister has accepted the Prince’s bracelet. Grandfather has also agreed; I think this marriage is quite good." Dayou was not going to side with Zige.

"That bracelet was obviously forcibly given to my sister by the Prince," Zige argued in frustration. "I think you’re up to no good."

The accusation was severe, Dayou looked at Zige with a wronged expression, only to receive a glare in return.

He immediately lowered his head out of fear and then honestly voiced his opinion, "My sister-in-law is very talented. If she were in a rich family, it would be okay. For a small family like ours, if anyone has ill intentions, it could harm her. Despite the tremendous changes in Shili Village, we wouldn’t be able to withstand a powerful figure."

"In the end, you’re just scared," Zige was clearly annoyed and began to speak unreservedly.

"No, that’s not true," Wu Dayou waved his hands to protest his innocence, "You’re already my wife, and Ziyin is like my own sister."

"Stop this nonsense," the old man interjected as he glanced at Zige, "Continue."

Encouraged by him, Dayou relaxed a bit. "Shili Village is quite small. Given my sister-in-law’s talents, she will surely outgrow it. If the Prince promises to protect her, then this marriage might be acceptable. We all live here in Shili Village and can’t leave the Northern Land. In the Northern Land, only the Prince has real power; in case anything goes wrong, he can protect her. However, if we are to agree to this marriage, we must set some conditions that are favorable to her."

Dayou’s speech lacked coherence and was verbose. Still, the old man nodded with satisfaction, "Good lad, how did you come up with all that?"

"In the mountains, survival goes to the fiercest," Dayou replied, taken aback by the old man’s praise.

Lin Ziyin gave a bitter smile and glanced at everyone. The old man had already privately told her the reasons.

She had also thought about it quietly. The potential dangers Situ Gong hypothesized could likely occur.

There are those in the imperial court who have been trying to suppress the Prince. They definitely wouldn’t want the Northern Land to become a granary. As soon as the corn and rice harvest comes in, they might find out about her, the "hero." How would she cope then? There are those who will stop at nothing and can’t be reasoned with in the emperor’s court. Moreover, if Daqin continues to decay and the court wants to dispatch some people to kidnap her, it would be as easy as pie.

Chapter 483: Chapter 483: The Tomb King’s Wife(4)_1

As for the Tatars from the North Country, they might also quickly learn about the existence of soy milk powder, milk powder, and the production of wool yarn. She estimated that by then, those people would also harbor ulterior motives towards her.

As Lin Ziyin pondered, she suddenly felt that she was indeed a potential calamity for men. However, these were not the fundamental reasons for shaking her resolve. What touched her was the condition proposed by Chu Suifeng.

In ancient times, the most valued thing was offspring. Wealthy families would wish to marry a hundred women to bear children for them. Chu Suifeng, a lonely prince, in dire need of an heir, was willing to make such a heavy vow. After calming down, Lin Ziyin believed Chu Suifeng’s previous words that those women in the back yard of the Wang Residence might merely be decorations.

Thinking this way, she saw many advantages in Chu Suifeng.

Maybe her rebirth was heaven’s way allowing her to change the poverty of the Northern Land. Chu Suifeng’s kindness to her was constantly circling in her mind.

To be honest, Chu Suifeng was not very good at pleasing girls, and he wasn’t adept at uttering sweet words. However, he was responsible and caring at times. Lin Ziyin remembered the ice blocks in summer, the fur in winter, the daily health supplements, and the conveniences he granted her on a regular basis.

Having lived two lives, her heart has been hammered thousands of times and she had long passed the age of romance and frivolity. If she was to marry, it had to be to a man capable of providing a stable household.

Chu Suifeng was absolutely not the type of man suitable for a domestic lifestyle. He was high-born, burdened with heavy responsibilities, and would undoubtedly prioritize his duties over his own family. His "family" was so extensive that the people of the entire Northern Land could be considered his "family".

Lin Ziyin was somewhat worried that she might not be able to be a good "mistress" of this large Northern family.

"One should only bite off as much as they can chew." The old man sighed softly, "Mr. Situ was right, both objectively and subjectively, your best option is to enter the Wang Residence. But I still stand by my words. Your own wishes should be the priority. Today, I only want to help you understand the current situation and then follow your heart."

The Lin siblings all stared at Lin Ziyin, their faces revealing indefinable expressions. At this moment, they also understood the old man’s intentions. All of them were waiting for Lin Ziyin’s decision.

"There are seven days left until my birthday, I will think this over carefully." Lin Ziyin sighed and spoke.

"Good." The old man did not press her to make a decision, he just sighed deeply, stood up, and walked towards the doorway with his hands clasped behind his back. "You are a decisive child, take your time to think it over before making a decision."

"Sister, don’t get married," Changting had tears in his eyes. He didn’t care how noble the prince’s position was, all he knew was that there were many wicked women in the Wang Residence. If his sister were to marry into the Wang Residence, those bad women would bully her.

How could he protect his sister without having grown up yet?

"Don’t get married." Changting’s sentimentality infected Yanzhi, who moved closer and clingingly hugged Lin Ziyin’s leg.

Lin Ziyin didn’t say a word. She reached out and touched Changting’s head, then patted Yanzhi’s head.

"If you don’t want to marry, even if the sky falls, your brother will hold it up for you. I know I’m incompetent, but I will be brave when faced with difficulties." Lin Changshu lifted his head, looking at her with determined eyes.

Wu Dayou also firmly looked at Lin Ziyin, "What Big Brother means is also what I mean."

"Alright." Without thanking them, Lin Ziyin knew that true affection between relatives was most valuable. Thanking them would profane such kinship.

Chapter 484: Chapter 484: The Tomb King’s Wife(5)_1

She guessed that when Lin Changshu and Wu Dayou had this conversation, they might have only thought about the consequences of her rejecting Chu Suifeng’s marriage proposal due to him being upset, or that the Imperial Court might oppress the Lin Family. However, they would not have considered the most severe consequences.

She wasn’t Lin Changshu or Wu Dayou. As a modern elite businesswoman, she had experienced countless schemes and was able to see through all sorts of serious plots that she might face in the future.

"Don’t worry, I will tell you when I’ve figured it all out." Lin Ziyin explained with a faint smile.

"Don’t keep everything inside. Talk to someone about it," Zige pleaded, tears streaming down her face as she looked at her.

"You pregnant ladies, you better take care of yourselves. I’m not heading to the gallows." Lin Ziyin tried to lighten the mood, but unfortunately, her cool nature wasn’t suited for making jokes. Hearing her words, Zige cried even harder.

Guo Huiniang also began to cry, blaming herself for not being able to take better care of Ziyin.

After finally calming down these two weeping pregnant women, Lin Ziyin returned to her room. After completing her ablutions, she collapsed directly onto the bed. Her eyes closed, but she did not feel the slightest bit of drowsiness.

The words of the old master that night kept circling in her head, and she also thought about all the moments she had shared with Chu Suifeng. She was also considering the risks and troubles that could come her way if her status changed in the future.

In a haze, she forced herself to sleep until late in the night. Even in her sleep, she did not really calm down. The Chu Suifeng in her dreams seemed so real, watching her all night long.

The next day, she was woken up by Hong Ying and Qioqiao. She seemed lethargic throughout the day.

"Miss, are you not feeling well?" Qioqiao asked, her voice laden with concern.

"No." Lin Ziyin had something on her mind, but she wouldn’t discuss it with her maiden. After finishing her meal, she simply retreated into the secluded courtyard, continuing to work on the crossbow.

The maids watching her were all concerned. The family of the Lin clan watched her with pain in their hearts. However, all of them tacitly agreed not to press her on the matter since Lin Ziyin wasn’t speaking about it.

On the third day, Lin Ziyin returned to her usual self. The Lin family, not knowing her internal struggle and decisions, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

During this time, Chu Suifeng acted as if nothing had happened, still having gifts and nourishing supplements sent to the Lin household. Lin Ziyin, having gotten used to his pressure, obediently ate the prepared nourishment on time.

On the fifth day, the Wang Residence sent many valuable pieces of jewelry and freshly made clothes.

"Please try these on, miss." Hong Ying and Lun Luo seemed to guess some things and were extra cautious in their actions. They also often subtly revealed some information about the major aristocrats in Feng City to Lin Ziyin.

"That yellow one." Lin Ziyin randomly pointed at one vibrant and yet not ostentatious dress.

"Miss has fair skin. This yellow dress will compliment your complexion the most." Lun Luo complimented with a smile.

Lin Ziyin nodded, seeming somewhat absent-minded. Since that day, Chu Suifeng had disappeared like the wind. Every day, someone came to the house, but the one she wanted to see never showed up.

She began to wonder what made Chu Suifeng so confident. Wasn’t the Duke of Ling afraid that she might embarrass him at the last moment? Shouldn’t he have sent someone to teach her some "rules"?

Chu Suifeng was indeed relaxed about her. He didn’t show up at the Lin residence until the day of the birthday celebration.

Before dawn, he arrived at Shili Village to escort Lin Ziyin into the city.

"Have you figured it out?" Seeing Lin Ziyin all dressed up, the old master’s eyes moistened slightly. When had his little girl who used to play by his side grown up so much, to an extent that she could now take responsibility for the Lin Family, the Wang Residence, and even for the entire Northern Lands?

Chapter 485: Chapter 485: The Tomb King’s Wife(6)_1

"I’ve made up my mind." Lin Ziyin nodded, her eyes slightly moist. She knew that once she stepped out of the Lin family’s door today, her life would surely undergo a drastic change.

"Go, with the prince there, he will protect you." The old man softly reminded.

"Yes, Grandpa, I have grown up. Moreover, I am just going to wish an old man a happy birthday, you don’t have to worry." Lin Ziyin lightly hugged the old man. If this action was seen by others, Lin Ziyin would definitely be scolded severely.

In this era, even among relatives, men and women would not have such intimate actions. But Lin Ziyin did it naturally. It had been two years since she arrived in the Northern Land. During these two years, although she earned the silver for the Lin Family, the real backbone of the family was the old man before her. She truly saw the old man as the closest family member from the bottom of her heart.

The old man’s face turned red. He didn’t expect to break the conventional propriety. At this moment, he could feel Lin Ziyin’s respect and attachment to him, as a dependence of the younger generation on the elder. Suddenly, a sour feeling filled his heart, and he almost shed tears.

"Can we leave now?" Chu Suifeng asked as soon as he walked in the door, seeing the affectionate interaction between them, feeling somewhat envious and touched.

This kind of affection is what he yearned for but couldn’t have. Perhaps he was initially willing to come to the Lin Family because he was attracted by the genuine harmony and affection within it.

"Okay." Lin Ziyin let go of the old man after just a hug. "Grandpa, I leave the fields in your hands. I’ll go ahead. After entering the city, I’ll bring back some delicious food for you."

"Your grandpa is not a child, you still need to bribe him with snacks?" The old man finally broke into laughter.

"In my eyes, grandpa and Changting Yanzhi are the same." Lin Ziyin answered with a smile, and the atmosphere finally lightened a bit.

"Please be assured, Sir, I will definitely take good care of the girl." Chu Suifeng took the chance to say on the side.

"Who is a girl?" Lin Ziyin glared at him.

Chu Suifeng’s eyes wrinkled into a line as he laughed. He was genuinely happy. Starting from today, Lin Ziyin had finally agreed to accept him.

"Go, and if you don’t understand anything, be sure to listen to the prince," the old man couldn’t help but remind her again.

Hearing this, Chu Suifeng replied with a slight smile, "She is the mistress of the Wang Residence. Whatever she does is right. Even if some things are not done appropriately, it doesn’t matter, no one dares to say anything."

The old man fell silent at once.

Lin Ziyin gave him a glance, this man always liked to show off. It was none of his business that her grandpa was instructing his granddaughter. His words had completely dispersed the warm atmosphere.

Seeing her angry expression, Chu Suifeng found it attractive. It was rare to see a beauty showing her temper to him, which made him feel quite comfortable.

"Your Highness, it’s getting late," Congyi, who couldn’t bear to watch any longer, finally reminded. If they did not leave for Feng City soon, they might be delayed.

"Let’s go." Chu Suifeng smiled and took Lin Ziyin out of the yard. The old man followed them out, watching Lin Ziyin get into the carriage and drive away before he turned around and went back into the yard.

Inside Feng City, the Marquis Residence was bustling with activity.

The inside and outside of the Marquis Residence were filled with people. Perhaps the Marquis and his brothers were not liked by people, but the old lady of the Marquis Residence was having her birthday, and all the prominent people of Feng City had come, and important figures from all the Residences were present.

Everyone knew that the prince did not favor his two uncles, but he had great respect for the old lady.

As the subjects of the prince, they naturally tried to please the person who the prince respected.

"Lord Wu, Lord Luo, please!" The Marquis of Li welcomed his guests with a face filled with delight. To celebrate his mother’s birthday, he and his wife had prepared for over a month.