Old Madam Lin was too proud to personally demand valuables from her, so she sent her “little minions” to seize and swindle them instead.
Utterly despicable!
Was it simply because she was weak, easy to bully, an orphan with no one to rely on?
There would be no more chances from now on.
Probably because Old Madam Lin had never been close to Lin Pianran and would rarely summon her to her chamber under normal circumstances, she dared to act so brazenly, openly displaying and using these items.
She wasn’t afraid of being mocked or criticized either.
Those who knew these secrets were all her close children and grandchildren, who naturally wouldn’t spread the word.
That’s why she could be so audacious and shameless!
But now, all these treasures would benefit her instead.
Lin Pianran kept murmuring to herself, “This White Jade Buddha Statue, with its smooth texture, is worth a fortune—it’s mine now!”
“This Dowry Box, exquisitely crafted and filled with so many accessories—all mine!”
“Such a thick stack of Silver Notes, haha, also mine!”
“Hahaha… Mine, mine, all mine…”
“Ah… This Ruby Head Ornament is truly beautiful! Also mine!”
“And this pair of premium Jade Bracelets, such fine pieces! Also mine!”
…
The items in Old Madam Lin’s room were dazzling, each a masterpiece that overwhelmed the senses!
Unlike at home, where things could be stored in a warehouse, here everything had to be displayed in the room.
In the end, Lin Pianran didn’t bother inspecting them carefully and directly swept everything into her Space.
She could sort them out later!
To vent her rage, Lin Pianran even took the tables, chairs, and stools.
Except for the bed Old Madam Lin slept on, the room was stripped bare.
Still unsatisfied, she also took the quilt covering the old woman and the jade pillow under her head.
Even if she wouldn’t use them, she wouldn’t leave them for that wretched old hag.
Anyway, the old woman wouldn’t wake up now, so it didn’t matter how much she tampered.
Then, Lin Pianran took a sharp Golden hairpin from her Space and swiftly slit Old Madam Lin’s carotid artery.
Fueled by intense hatred, she used great force, cutting deep and long.
Blood gushed out like a spring, staining the entire bed.
The air thickened with the heavy scent of blood.
Nearly nauseating.
Caught off guard in her sleep, Old Madam Lin suddenly felt a sharp pain spreading from her throat throughout her body. She opened her cloudy eyes, filled with terror and confusion.
Short, guttural sounds escaped her throat.
Soon, her head tilted to the side, and she silently went to report to King Yama.
Battling the urge to vomit, Lin Pianran removed all the jewelry from Old Madam Lin’s arms and head and stored it in her Space.
Even tainted with her enemy’s filthy blood, Lin Pianran felt no disgust.
They could still be exchanged for silver.
The items Old Madam Lin frequently wore were all valuable treasures.
Some were even gifts from Consort De to honor her.
These were things money couldn’t buy, possibly even imperial bestowments.
Lin Pianran gleefully accepted them all.
Looking at the empty room, only a bed remained with Old Madam Lin’s still-warm corpse—nothing else was left.
Lin Pianran felt extremely satisfied!
Before leaving, she tossed the golden hairpin that had slit the throat into an inconspicuous corner of the room.
That golden hairpin was actually the one Lin Pianran had just retrieved from Lin Chuyao’s room.
She remembered it was the butterfly golden hairpin that Lin Chuyao often wore and loved the most.
Its design was lifelike.
Leaving this as the murder weapon, she wondered if Lin Chuyao could escape this calamity?
Even if she managed to avoid this disaster, she would surely suffer greatly and exhaust all means.
Her reputation would also be tarnished, dragging her into a messy scandal.
Lin Pianran was looking forward to it!
Only after dealing with that old hag did Lin Pianran truly breathe a sigh of relief.
She should be able to avoid this disaster for now.
No one would be scheming against her marriage plans anytime soon!
For the time being, she definitely wouldn’t fall into that “wolf’s den” of Jing Wang Manor again.
Without the old lady acting as a matchmaker, Jing Wang Manor wouldn’t pay any attention to her either.
Thinking of Princess Jing, Lin Pianran’s eyes filled with intense hatred and murderous intent.
Prince Jing, Huo Yu, was the younger brother of Qin Wudi.
He was naturally lustful, with a large number of wives, concubines, and children.
He had nearly a hundred children alone, making his lineage extremely abundant.
Prince Jing’s interest in women was often fleeting—intense when it arose but quick to fade.
“Fickle and easily bored” was the most accurate description of him.
Once he grew tired of a woman, he would discard her in the backyard, leaving her to fend for herself, never caring about her again.
Many women met tragic ends.
Princess Jing, on the other hand, was inherently cruel. She showed no pity for these unfortunate women; instead, she deliberately oppressed, framed, harassed, and tormented them…
She even secretly plotted to take their lives.
She was a truly terrifying and venomous woman!
Extremely cunning, she never dared to provoke favored women. But once these women fell out of favor, she would intensify her torment, often making their lives unbearable.
Prince Jing never interfered with the affairs of the inner household, allowing her to act recklessly.
Coupled with the powerful influence of Princess Jing’s maternal family, no one dared to expose her misdeeds, which only emboldened her to commit even more atrocities without fear.
The couple—one constantly bringing women into the backyard, the other relentlessly tormenting and killing these pitiful women.
One was a heartless philanderer, the other a ruthless murderer.
Neither of them was any good!
Recalling the suffering, torment, and her eventual tragic death in her previous life—all closely tied to Princess Jing and orchestrated by her—Lin Pianran harbored a deep-seated hatred for her.
She wished she could skin her alive, tear her bones apart, and scatter her remains, condemning her to eternal damnation in the endless abyss of hell.
A moonless, windy night—the perfect time for murder and arson!
She decided not to delay any longer and would go out to try her luck, searching for the courtyard where the people from Jing Wang Manor were staying.
If the defenses were lax and she could find an opportunity to strike, that would be even better!
She would seize the initiative.
Even if she couldn’t take the lives of those enemies, she could at least take some valuables as interest for now!
Lin Pianran moved slowly along the path, advancing cautiously through the darkness.
Afraid to use any light, she had to feel her way in the dark.
She was even more fearful of being caught by the patrolling Yulin Jun.
She walked with extreme caution and slowness.
Due to the darkness, she might have taken a wrong turn, as Lin Pianran ended up near another courtyard.
Whose residence was this?
Lin Pianran crouched beneath a window with faint light, eavesdropping.
She could only hear the seductive sounds of a man and woman embracing and flirting.
Lin Pianran cursed inwardly, “What bad luck!”
She then prepared to turn around and leave.
But who would have thought that voices continued to emerge from within, “Sixth Young Master, Xiangyun has waited for you all these days. Why did it take you so long to visit me? You’ve made me wait so anxiously!…”
It was these words that made Lin Pianran halt her steps just as she was about to leave.