Xie Ruozhen felt that her flash of inspiration was absolutely brilliant.

Her son was her legitimate-born child, while that Luo Yu was her cousin’s concubine-born daughter.

Originally, she wouldn’t have considered taking a concubine-born daughter as her daughter-in-law due to insufficient upbringing, but her cousin’s family situation was different.

Her cousin had only one legitimate daughter, currently just four or five years old.

From her cousin’s manner, he didn’t plan to take another wife. In that case, her cousin’s heir would undoubtedly be Chen Yu.

He and Luo Yu were twins with a close relationship. With her cousin’s strong support, it could be foreseen that Chen Yu’s future prospects would certainly not be low.

In that case, when her son entered officialdom in the future, with such a brother-in-law, he wouldn’t need to worry about having no one to support him.

After all, her aunt was getting on in years. When she passed away in the future, her relationship with the Lin family would certainly not be as close as it was now.

But if she became in-laws with the Lin family, that would be different.

Although her son had set his sights on Ying Yu, she would absolutely never consider Ying Yu. If he married her, her son would definitely forget about her as his mother.

So Luo Yu was the best choice.

She looked at her aunt with full confidence, “Aunt, rest assured, I will absolutely treat her as my own daughter!”

The Old Madam almost blurted out telling her to get lost.

She was so angry that she actually calmed down instead.

They hadn’t seen each other for many years, and after such a long time, she didn’t know what kind of temperament this niece had developed.

It was just that she hadn’t seemed like such a shortsighted person before, yet she had raised her child this way without thinking there was a problem.

Treating her as if she were still the person from before.

She had taken things for granted.

Having thought it through, the Old Madam couldn’t help feeling somewhat disheartened. She didn’t want to continue talking with her and refused bluntly, “Don’t mention this matter again. I won’t agree to it. You must be tired from the journey. Go back and rest early.”

She hadn’t directly said that her son wasn’t worthy of her granddaughter, which she felt was already quite polite.

But Xie Ruozhen also sensed the implication in the Old Madam’s words, and her face clearly showed some indignation.

Her Wenyi was so good, and he was her legitimate-born son—how was he not worthy of a concubine-born daughter?

The two were just one year apart in age, similar ages…

She wanted to say more, but seeing that indifferent expression on her aunt’s face, she subconsciously closed her mouth, “…Then I’ll go back and rest first.”

On the other side, Lin Ruhai also felt somewhat exhausted.

He knew this cousin-in-law of his had some aloofness in his bones. He had reportedly been forced to study in his youth, and after passing the examination, he stopped caring. As an official, he relied on advisors and secretaries found by his family to help him manage things diligently, which had allowed him to comfortably live these years without worrying.

But this was not a long-term strategy.

In the northwest, there weren’t many aristocratic families or deeply rooted clans. But in the cultured south, in a seemingly ordinary county town, there might be many court ministers and numerous officials and gentry with various connections.

A small move could affect the whole situation.

Once he arrived there, his secretaries and advisors would also need to start from scratch, requiring a considerable period of exploration.

Yet after he had given a few pointers, Dong Gaocheng’s posture showed he was still listening, but his eyes told him that Dong Gaocheng’s mind had already wandered off somewhere.

Lin Ruhai felt his head aching. He rubbed his temples and glanced at his son standing obediently at the side, which improved his mood somewhat.

At this moment, Dong Wenyi, who had gone to pay respects to the Old Madam, arrived.

This was the legitimate son born to his cousin, and the only legitimate son at that.

Lin Ruhai looked at this youth with a smile on his face, unconsciously beginning to compare.

Chen Yu was twelve years old, while he was thirteen—a year older. But Chen Yu was half a head taller than him, with an upright posture.

Whether in appearance or bearing, he was much more outstanding. As a parent, Lin Ruhai couldn’t help feeling somewhat proud.

However, no matter how proud he felt inside, he didn’t show it on his face, only displaying affection for this junior.

After giving him a pair of jade pendants as a meeting gift, he asked, “Have you gone to see the Old Madam?”

Dong Wenyi replied, “Yes, I’ve seen Great-Aunt. Great-Aunt is very kind and gentle. I only regret that I cannot often be at Great-Aunt’s side to attend to her.”

Dong Wenyi was still somewhat distracted, his mind replaying his cousin’s celestial beauty all along the way. However, in front of his father, he obediently restrained himself, answering every question and displaying his usual honeyed tongue.

In situations like this, it was common for both sides to test each other’s children and grandchildren with a few questions.

After just a few questions, Lin Ruhai understood—Dong Wenyi’s studies weren’t very solid, at least not comparable to Chen Yu’s.

Still, he offered a few words of praise.

In comparison, Dong Gaocheng’s praise was much more sincere. Then when looking at his own son, his face took on an authoritative expression.

Dong Wenyi was practically fidgeting with anxiety.

Later, Lin Ruhai heard from his mother about Dong Wenyi’s behavior in the inner courtyard, and his face immediately darkened.

The Old Madam waved her hand, “I’ve already refused. This matter is impossible.”

Although the Old Madam was also considering requesting exemption from imperial selection for her two granddaughters, she had never thought of marrying them to someone like this.

What difference was there between this Dong Wenyi and that Jia Baoyu?

She detested such people most!

Not to mention that her niece was also muddleheaded, only knowing how to spoil her son. Such people often made things difficult for their daughters-in-law after they entered the household.

When selecting a suitable husband for her granddaughters, not only must she look at that gentleman’s personal conditions and his family, especially the character of the mother-in-law with whom they would spend the most time—this was also a very important point of observation.

The Old Madam didn’t spread the news that her niece had proposed marriage for her granddaughter. The only one she told was Lin Ruhai. Even without knowing about it, Ying Yu and Luo Yu’s impression of the Dong family rapidly declined.

After following their grandmother’s instructions and walking through the garden with their maternal cousins for a while, they all dispersed. Neither side had much interest in chatting.

Even Daiyu didn’t like that maternal cousin brother and was listless when she came out to the garden.

After they left, Luo Yu consoled her, “Elder Sister, don’t take it to heart. There won’t be many opportunities to meet in the future.”

Men and women should maintain distance. They were not young anymore and should naturally avoid suspicion.

Ying Yu understood this principle. They were in the inner courtyard while that maternal cousin was in the outer courtyard. As long as they were careful at their grandmother’s place, they wouldn’t run into him again. But thinking of that person’s impolite gaze just now, Ying Yu still felt uncomfortable.

When she went out, she encountered female relatives more often, and occasionally men as well.

Most were polite and orderly, not directly scrutinizing her. Some who stared in a daze would quickly come back to their senses, and knowing their behavior was improper, would shift their gaze away. Some would even apologetically blush, and she wouldn’t feel they were being presumptuous.

But like today’s maternal cousin, showing no restraint at all, and even actively approaching after being reminded—if their grandmother and the others hadn’t been there, she didn’t dare imagine what would have happened. If there hadn’t been so many people, would he have done something even more excessive?

Luo Yu became even more determined to teach Dong Wenyi a lesson and told her brother about it when she got back.

Chen Yu nodded without a second word, “I understand. Wait for it.”

They were staying here for a while, so they just needed to wait for the right opportunity.

After learning of Chen Yu’s plan, Lin Ruhai not only didn’t stop him but even created opportunities for him.

So when Dong Wenyi went out for a leisurely stroll and walked into a small alley, he was suddenly pulled into the alley and had a sack thrown over his head. The young servant following him was also sacked, and the two of them were beaten in a daze. Their money pouches, ornaments, and fans were all stolen.

When Dong Wenyi returned with a bruised and swollen face, crying for his parents and limping, Xie Ruozhen nearly fainted. She screamed, “My son! What happened to you? Who has such audacity! Doctor, doctor! Quickly come examine my son. He’s been seriously injured!”

Dong Wenyi kept crying out in pain. A maidservant quickly invited Doctor Zhou over. After examining him and prescribing some medicine, he said, “These are superficial wounds, not serious. With medicine and some rest, he’ll be fine.”

He had been urgently summoned and thought there was some emergency.

Xie Ruozhen didn’t believe it, “My son has been beaten like this, and you still say it’s not serious? He’s never suffered such injuries in his entire life. You quack!”

Quack?!

This was the first time Doctor Zhou had been called this to his face. Doctor Zhou thought of the Lin family’s annually increasing retainer fee. Did the Lin family spend so much money just to hire a quack?

Doctor Zhou felt both annoyed and amused.

He never expected that the first time he’d be called a quack would be because he told the truth. Did she want him to say it was very serious?

Seeing him laugh, Xie Ruozhen grew even angrier and threw away his medicine, “Go, go get another doctor! This matter must also be reported to your master. In broad daylight, my son was beaten like this—such wicked criminals absolutely cannot be let go!”

Doctor Zhou didn’t care. He shook his head and left.

Next time the Dong family needed anything, they should seek another expert. This quack wouldn’t mislead their children anymore.

The matter ultimately came to nothing. Xie Ruozhen clamored to report to the authorities and have the perpetrators arrested and brought to justice, but neither Dong Wenyi nor his young servant had seen who did it. They didn’t even know if it was men or women, or how many people there were. It became an unsolvable case.

—

After having deeper contact, Luo Yu discovered that both her maternal cousins—elder and younger—were easy to get along with, though their characters were somewhat weak with little assertiveness, even the legitimate-born younger cousin.

She was nothing like Daiyu. Though Daiyu’s body was somewhat weak, she had grown up pampered. When encountering anything unsatisfactory, she had no shortage of temper, and servants found it difficult to control her.

But this younger cousin, despite being so young, when she had any unhappy but reasonable request, her first reaction was still to endure it herself.

Rather than confiding in her mother.

Because her mother’s attention was mostly on her brother. She had grown up with old nannies and maidservants.

Though the younger cousin had her birth mother by her side, her life wasn’t much different from a neglected concubine-born daughter.

Seeing this, Luo Yu couldn’t help but sigh. The Old Madam’s face grew even colder.

This niece not only spoiled her son but hadn’t even paid attention to her daughter, letting her be controlled by servants without caring. What had she been doing all these years?!

—

When the Lin family welcomed the Dong family relatives, Jing Huan received a report from the scabby-headed monk and the lame-footed Taoist. She panicked.

The situation with the Jia family was still good—everything was according to the previous plan. But what was happening with the Lin family? Old Madam Lin, who should have passed away long ago, was still going strong and looked like she could live many more years.

Jia Min had already passed away, but because the Old Madam was there, Daiyu had no reason to go to the Jia family. Moreover, she now had an older brother and sister!

For them to grow up together as childhood sweethearts, Old Madam Lin couldn’t remain alive. She was the biggest obstacle preventing Daiyu from going to the Jia mansion.

As long as she was gone, and then with Daiyu still young and without anyone to raise her, going to the Jia family would be natural.

How could she make Old Madam Lin pass away?

Jing Huan calculated with her fingers. These three extra people who appeared contrary to the divination results didn’t seem to have short-lived fates either. And now they were all twelve years old, no longer ignorant children. She couldn’t help but curse the scabby-headed monk and lame-footed Taoist for being useless. If they had told her earlier that something unexpected had happened, she could have made better arrangements. Now that these people were so grown… Did she have to personally take action?

If she were discovered, she would be finished.

Moreover, she worried about another problem—if she made any arrangements, would that Master Zhiliao happen to appear and catch her in the act?

What she was doing now could not be discovered. If discovered, her cultivation would be destroyed overnight.

She searched through everyone with the name Zhiliao but couldn’t find him.

Those who walked the world using this name all lacked real ability and didn’t match the situation of the expert Old Madam Lin had encountered.

To this day, many people still remembered him and were searching for him. Unfortunately, despite so many people, including powerful and influential families, no one had found out who that person was or where he had gone.

Could this Zhiliao be guarding against her?

Did he already know of her plans?

But after so long, everything on her end had been normal. Perhaps it was just a coincidence?

After much deliberation, she decided to test the waters first.

Although each time she did this, she expended quite a bit of valuable resources, now was not the time to be stingy.

She wanted to enter dreams unknowingly, but she failed.

The Lin family’s fortune was now flourishing, protected by the dynasty’s fortune. She couldn’t enter.

Annoyed, she noticed the Dong family staying as guests at the Lin residence. Looking more closely, Jing Huan let out a soft laugh. Since she had come all this way, she couldn’t return empty-handed.

Dong Wenyi pestered his mother, saying he wanted to marry his cousin as his wife. His mother looked troubled and refused to agree. Frustrated and angry, Dong Wenyi ran out of the Lin residence.

This time he learned his lesson and brought plenty of attendants.

While wandering around, he saw a theater and walked in. Watching the performance on stage, he gradually fell asleep and had a dream.

A dream that made him utterly infatuated.

In the dream, he and Cousin Ying Yu did everything that only husband and wife could do.

When he woke up, he was startled by the stickiness in his pants. Then he recalled what he had seen and heard in the dream—vivid and lifelike, as if it were real. The more he reminisced, the brighter his eyes became.

The cousin in his dream was so pitiable and adorable.

Yet his mother refused to agree.

If, like in the dream, the rice were cooked, how could his mother refuse?

Dong Wenyi’s heart immediately began to stir with improper intentions.