Tingzheng brought the item ho and didn’t have the chance to explain to Lin Qinghan that it belonged to Yueyao before he was summoned back to the military camp. As it happened, Lin Qinghan returned to the capital the next day, and Tingzheng was too busy with battles to recall the matter. As for Wu Daquan, he had sent letters to the capital, but with the wars happening in the coastal region, it’s common for regular mail to get lost. All these coincidences led to the current misunderstanding.
Xiang Wei, after reading the letter, surprisingly didn’t reproach Lin Qinghan: "It really is quite a coincidence."
Yueyao had a different perspective from Xiang Wei: "Do you really think it’s a coincidence? I think Madam Lin doesn’t care about Tingzheng at all; she doesn’t even know what kind of person her husband is." Even he knew that Tingzheng wasn’t soone extravagant; how could soone like that spend thousands of silver pieces for a decorative item for his mother-in-law’s birthday?
Xiang Wei defended Tingzheng: "Tingzheng said in the letter that Lin Qinghan ntioned before returning to the capital that Lady Lin’s fiftieth birthday was approaching and asked him to look for a birthday gift. That’s why Lin Qinghan mistakenly thought the item was prepared by Tingzheng. To be fair, it’s hard to avoid misunderstanding when things align so perfectly."
Yueyao sneered: "Haikou was already at war before Lin Qinghan returned to the capital. Do you think Tingzheng would have the heart to prepare a birthday gift for his mother-in-law in such circumstances?" Anyone with common sense knows that with war looming, there’s no ti or mood to prepare gifts even for their own mother’s fiftieth birthday.
Xiang Wei contemplated and found Yueyao’s words quite rational: "Perhaps Lin Qinghan was overly presumptuous. You know, all the information I found indicated that Lin Qinghan excelled in various aspects, so why did she seem like a different person after marriage?"
Yueyao thought Xiang Wei was being naïve: "You trust the hearsay too much. Consider this: Lin Family has only one daughter, and at ho, everything went according to her wishes. Naturally, she perford very well, and all the reports you gathered would be favorable. However, after getting married, she faced many different situations, revealing her true temperant."
Lin Qinghan was the only daughter of the Lin Family, and she was pampered and had her way in all things. This wasn’t unusual, as many only daughters are raised this way—not just Lin Qinghan. However, other girls from similar backgrounds generally fare well in their husbands’ families. Lin Qinghan’s situation was mostly due to Tingzheng’s initial affection for her, showing he wanted no other. This filled Lin Qinghan with a sense of superiority. Knowing Yueyao disapproved of her and even prohibited Tingzheng from marrying her, resentnt towards Yueyao naturally grew. This resentnt didn’t lessen with Yueyao’s concession; instead, it increased as Tingzheng continued to show respect to Yueyao, making Lin Qinghan hate Yueyao more. Until Lin Qinghan realized she might never have children, she blad all her misfortune on Yueyao, believing all her troubles were caused by Yueyao.
Xiang Wei asked: "Then what should we do now?"
Yueyao was indifferent. As long as Tingzheng hadn’t broken any laws, she didn’t care about dealing with Lin Qinghan and the Lin Family: "What do you an, what to do? This matter has nothing to do with ." It was out of the question to have her clean up their ss.
Xiang Wei wouldn’t dream of being so kind as to ask Yueyao to deal with their ss: "I an, what future could Tingzheng have marrying soone like this? Haven’t you thought about any alternatives?" Xiang Wei spoke subtly, yet she believed Yueyao understood her aning.
Yueyao’s eyes flashed, and she said calmly: "This is Tingzheng’s private matter, so it’s not appropriate for to intervene."
Xiang Wei understood Yueyao well and saw that her deanor indicated she already had a plan but wasn’t ready to share it. Xiang Wei feared Yueyao might continue to put up with everything, but now seeing Yueyao’s attitude brought her so satisfaction, so she left the topic alone.
Though Yueyao didn’t broadcast the incident, it didn’t an outsiders were unaware. The story quickly spread, propelled by those who revel in gossip.
Lady Lin received the news and initially refused to believe it: "How is it possible? How could the red coral tree belong to An Family’s Miss?"
Lord Lin was furious: "The son-in-law explained it clearly in his morial to the emperor that the red coral tree was acquired through Lord An’s friends for his daughter, intended as An Family’s Miss’s dowry." Today, he endured a fair share of ridicule.
Lady Lin was utterly bewildered: "How could this happen?" If the claim in the morial to the emperor was true, then it must be, or else it would be a cri of deceiving the ruler. But if it is true, the Lin Family’s reputation is severely damaged.
Lord Lin snorted coldly: "Fortunately, the son-in-law stated in the morial that the misunderstanding arose because he hadn’t clarified the situation. You should promptly go to An Family to offer apologies!"
Lady Lin dared not delay: "I’ll go right away." Naturally, Lady Lin wouldn’t go directly to the An Mansion but first sought out Lin Qinghan, insisting she accompany her to apologize to Yueyao.
Lin Qinghan found it hard to believe Lady Lin’s words: "Mother, could you have made a mistake? How could the red coral tree be An Family’s?"
Lady Lin rembered her husband saying it was a misunderstanding and sighed before speaking: "Your father told personally; there’s no mistake. Go with to apologize to Lady An. It’s just a misunderstanding; I don’t think Lady An would hold a grudge against us."
Lin Qinghan didn’t want to go, but she had no choice under these circumstances. This matter wasn’t hers alone—it concerned her own family too.
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