Bamboo Garden.
Bamboo Garden was in the most remote southwest corner of the Duke’s Mansion.
Even on a clear day, it took about fifteen minutes to walk from here to Fushou Hall.
Today the weather was bad.
By the time they arrived, it was almost dark.
As soon as they reached the area, they saw a large bamboo forest.
The crowded bamboo leaves were covered with a layer of white snow, creating a beautiful winter scene.
But no one was in the mood to enjoy it.
“This place is so remote. There aren’t even any proper buildings here. It doesn’t look like somewhere people live.”
Everyone stood outside the bamboo forest in shock.
“But this is the only bamboo forest in the mansion.”
Nanny Qian remembered passing by this place many years ago.
Just then, an older woman walked over from the edge of the bamboo forest and knelt before them.
“This servant greets the Old Madam and the Duke.”
“Who is your master? Get up and answer.”
Although Nanny Qian already knew the answer, she still asked.
“My young lady is the Fourth Miss.”
The nanny looked to be in her forties or fifties and spoke clearly.
“Lead the way.”
The Old Madam spoke.
They followed her through the bamboo forest.
Soon they saw a small house built with mud bricks.
There was only a tiny open space in front of it.
Behind the house stood the thick bamboo grove, and beyond it, they could clearly see the high walls of the Duke’s Mansion.
“Granddaughter greets Grandmother.”
Seeing them arrive, Lin Suisui walked out of the house.
She was still wearing the same clothes as the day before and respectfully bowed to everyone.
“You… live here?”
Only after seeing Lin Suisui walk out did they believe what they were seeing.
They had always known that because of her birth mother, Wang Qingwan had never liked this child.
But they had never imagined that the Fourth Miss of the Duke’s Mansion would be living in such a place.
“Second Uncle, I’ve lived here since the day I was born.”
Lin Suisui remained calm, as though she did not notice their dark expressions.
“It’s cold outside. Please come inside and warm yourselves by the fire.”
From outside, they could already see a large fire burning in the middle of the room.
“My child… you’ve suffered so much.”
The Old Madam walked over and gently patted Lin Suisui’s shoulder.
Since they were still unfamiliar with each other, she did not dare hold the girl’s hand.
“Grandmother, Father… please come inside.”
Lin Suisui’s voice remained calm.
It was too late to complain now.
She had no intention of telling them about her hardships.
“How could this happen? This is unbelievable…”
After entering the house, Lin Zhengnan kept repeating those words.
The small house had only three connected rooms with no dividing walls.
In the firelight, everything inside could be seen at a glance.
On one side stood a small wooden bed, the kind usually used by servants.
On the other side was a raised platform made of mud bricks with several wooden boards laid across it.
It was obvious that the small bed belonged to Lin Suisui.
The wooden boards were where her servants slept.
Both sleeping places had only thin cotton quilts.
Without the fire…
Those thin blankets would never be enough to keep anyone warm during the freezing winter.
There was almost no furniture.
Only an old table with one broken leg, supported by a mud brick, stood beside the fire.
The fire burned in the very center of the room.
It was fed with thin branches that they had probably collected over time.
“Grandmother, I don’t have any tea leaves, so I can’t offer you tea.”
There were several small stools beside the fire.
Lin Suisui invited everyone to sit.
All the servants, including Nanny Qian, had been asked by Lin Zhengbei’s guard to wait outside under the narrow porch.
Another fire had been lit there for them.
“Fourth Girl… I’m sorry. I truly didn’t know you were living like this.”
Those were the first words Third Master Lin Zhengchen spoke after sitting down.
Not only Lin Zhengbei, her own father…
Even he, as her uncle, was shocked by what he had seen.
This was the Duke Yong’s Mansion, a noble family with hundreds of years of history.
Even though Lin Suisui was born to a concubine, she was still a daughter of the Duke’s family.
He had never imagined that this calm young girl had lived in such conditions all these years.
“None of that matters.”
Lin Suisui looked at Lin Zhengbei.
“Father, you must have read the letter. That means you believe what I said.”
She spoke with complete confidence.
“This is the letter.”
Lin Zhengbei took it from inside his robe and handed it to her.
By now, it was completely dark outside.
There were no candles in the room.
Only the light from the fire allowed them to read the letter.
“It’s almost exactly what I expected.”
After reading it, Lin Suisui did not hesitate.
She threw the letter into the fire.
However, she kept the envelope instead of burning it.
“Father, tell me only the important things that happened after Eldest Sister arrived.”
The four people looked at her in surprise.
Lin Suisui did not explain why she could read.
Even she herself still found her rebirth hard to believe.
“She wanted to take all the cash from the Duke’s Mansion.”
The excuse about borrowing money clearly meant that Lin Xiner already knew something and wanted to take away the banknotes while she still could.
“Father, tell me exactly what happened.”
Although Lin Suisui was only a thin young girl…
Everyone in the room had already begun to treat her as the person they could rely on.
Lin Zhengbei carefully retold everything that had happened when Lin Xiner asked to borrow money.
Lin Suisui stayed silent.
She gently tapped her fingers on the old table with the broken leg.
She wore cheap clothes.
There were no ornaments in her hair.
Yet everyone felt a natural authority coming from her, as if she were someone born to lead.
“Father… you’ve alerted the enemy.”
Lin Suisui sighed.
“You still have hidden guards and death warriors, don’t you?”
“I do.”
Lin Zhengbei answered honestly.
“I have hidden guards, death warriors, and other trusted men.”
“Then send them out immediately.”
“They must split into two groups and ride as fast as possible to the northern border to deliver a message to Eldest Brother.”
Lin Zhengbei immediately stood up.
“Tell Eldest Brother to do everything he can to take his most trusted men and find an excuse to leave the city in pursuit of the enemy.”
“Then disappear.”
Thinking of the young general, she stressed one more point.
“They must disappear before the imperial officials arrive.”
“And it must appear that they disappeared while chasing the enemy.”
Lin Zhengbei did not ask why.
He simply nodded and walked out without another word.
“Father.”
Lin Suisui called after him.
“Tell Eldest Brother to take everything valuable that can be carried.”
“Anything that cannot be taken should be hidden.”
The Lin family also owned a residence on the northern border.
All those valuable treasures had been collected by generations of the family.
In her previous life, everything had been confiscated by the imperial court.
In the end, the Emperor even accused the Lin family of using those treasures to fund a rebellion.
But in this life…
As long as she, Lin Suisui, was here…
The man sitting on the throne would never get what he wanted.
Lin Zhengbei nodded again and strode away.
No one spoke until he returned.
Lin Suisui’s mind raced as she thought about what to do next.
“I’ve arranged everything.”
Lin Zhengbei walked back into the room, breaking the silence.
“What should we do now?”
He asked Lin Suisui directly.
It was clear that he no longer saw the young girl before him as an ordinary child.
At least, not anymore.