In Bamboo Garden.
“Father should know that the person who wants to destroy the Duke’s Mansion is not Eldest Sister.”
Lin Suisui’s clear voice echoed through the room.
“It is the man sitting on the throne.”
“Eldest Sister is only a knife in his hand… a knife he is using to destroy the Duke’s Mansion.”
“I know.”
Lin Zhengbei spoke in a low voice.
“The two hundred thousand soldiers under my command have always been a great threat in the Emperor’s eyes.”
“I’ve tried several times to hand over my military power, but he refused.”
“Father was right to want to give up his military command and retire safely.”
Lin Suisui sighed.
“For generations, the Duke’s family has guarded the northern border. The people there trust your family deeply.”
“Even if you want to retire, the Emperor will never feel at ease.”
“Fourth Girl…”
The Old Madam asked the question that all three brothers wanted answered.
“Tell us the truth.”
“Is our family really doomed this time?”
“According to what happened in my previous life…”
Lin Suisui did not hide anything.
“Father and Grandmother died in prison.”
“The others all died on the road during exile.”
“Died in prison? How is that possible?”
Lin Zhengnan cried out in shock.
“It would make sense if Mother died because of her age.”
“But Big Brother is still in his prime.”
“In my opinion, he could easily live another thirty years.”
“The official report said they died of illness.”
Lin Suisui smiled bitterly.
“But who knows what really happened inside the prison?”
Simply put…
Lin Zhengbei and the Old Madam were the pillars of the Duke’s Mansion.
Once they were gone, the rest of the family was no longer a threat.
The room fell silent again.
“Were… were the rest of us also trapped?”
Although he already suspected the answer, Lin Zhengchen still wanted to hear it.
“You were attacked by bandits while being escorted into exile.”
“Every one of you died.”
“Fourth Girl…”
Lin Zhengnan stared blankly at her.
His legs became weak, and he slowly slid off his stool onto the floor.
“Grandmother…”
Lin Suisui ignored her timid Second Uncle and looked at the pale-faced Old Madam.
“Do you believe me?”
“I do.”
Although her whole body was trembling, the Old Madam answered firmly.
“What if I tell you…”
Lin Suisui’s calm expression finally cracked.
Her voice trembled slightly.
“I have already died once.”
“Would you still believe me?”
“I would.”
This time, the Old Madam’s answer was even firmer.
She had lived for many years.
She had heard stories of people returning to life before.
“Everything I told you…”
“I experienced it myself in my previous life.”
Lin Suisui remembered that bloody day.
“According to what happened before, after the Lantern Festival…”
“On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month…”
“My brother-in-law, Chen Yuanqing, claimed to put justice before family.”
“He accused Father in court of secretly working with the Grand Marshal of the Jin Kingdom to overthrow the Great Yong Dynasty.”
“That’s terrifying…”
Lin Zhengnan muttered.
“The letter was found in Father’s study.”
Lin Suisui continued.
“Can our family really be convicted with only one strange letter?”
Lin Zhengbei clenched his teeth.
“Of course not.”
Lin Suisui let out a cold laugh.
“That eldest sister of ours spent a great deal of effort making sure the Duke’s Mansion could never escape.”
“So she had another plan?”
The Old Madam stayed unusually calm.
“I know…”
“Is it that woman, Yunniang?”
“Grandmother guessed correctly.”
Lin Suisui nodded.
“It was Yunniang.”
She had always known that her grandmother was a very wise woman.
“When Xiner brought her here, I already felt something was wrong.”
The Old Madam spoke quietly.
“Didn’t Xiner say she was Chen Yuanqing’s wet nurse?”
“She said Yunniang had made a mistake and was driven out of the Chen family.”
“She only needed to stay in our mansion for a few days before returning to her hometown after the New Year.”
Lin Suisui nodded.
She had only learned the truth many years later in her previous life.
“That’s right.”
The Old Madam sighed.
“I even suggested finding her a place to stay outside the mansion.”
“What did Eldest Sister say?”
Lin Suisui was curious about the excuse Lin Xiner had used.
“She said Chen Yuanqing valued this wet nurse very much.”
“He repeatedly asked her to take good care of the woman.”
Thinking about it now, the Old Madam was filled with anger.
“Before I could even ask more questions, her mother immediately agreed.”
“She welcomed Yunniang into the mansion.”
“They gave her good food, a comfortable place to stay, and even assigned a maid to serve her.”
Seeing that the grandmother and granddaughter had wandered off the main topic, Lin Zhengchen quickly interrupted.
“What’s wrong with Yunniang?”
“She is actually a princess of the Jin Kingdom.”
“It’s just that her mother had very low status.”
“In the Jin imperial palace, she lived worse than a servant.”
Lin Suisui looked at everyone.
“If you had paid closer attention, you would have noticed that Yunniang doesn’t quite look like us.”
“We were too careless.”
The Old Madam sighed.
“Who would have suspected someone brought back by Lin Xiner?”
“Big Brother.”
Lin Zhengnan spoke immediately.
“We can’t let that woman live.”
“Let’s kill her tonight and secretly dispose of the body.”
“No.”
Lin Suisui stopped him.
“Eldest Sister is very cautious.”
“She may come back herself to confirm both the letter and Yunniang before taking the next step.”
Lin Suisui handed the empty envelope to Lin Zhengbei.
“Father.”
“Put two blank sheets of paper inside.”
“Seal it carefully and return it to its original place.”
“Make sure no one can tell that it has been opened.”
“Understood.”
Lin Zhengbei stood up.
“I’ll send people to watch that princess right away so nothing unexpected happens.”
After he left, Lin Suisui continued.
“Earlier, Father deliberately told Eldest Sister that he planned to use fifty thousand taels to build connections.”
“I understand what you mean.”
Lin Zhengchen immediately understood.
“Lin Xiner is afraid Father might gain powerful allies.”
“They may worry that waiting too long will create problems.”
“So they might move against our family earlier than planned.”
“Exactly.”
Lin Suisui remained calm.
“I’m afraid they’ll speed up their plan.”
“Right now it’s still the New Year.”
“Before the eighth day of the first lunar month, the Emperor won’t attack the Duke’s Mansion.”
According to the customs of the Great Yong Dynasty, the first eight days of the New Year were a time for the Emperor and the people to celebrate together.
No matter how impatient the Emperor was, he would have to wait until after the eighth day.
Lin Suisui was not completely certain.
But she believed her guess was very close to the truth.
“The ninth day.”
Lin Zhengbei had returned and sat down again.
“Knowing the Emperor, the ninth day will be the latest he is willing to wait.”
“So…”
Lin Suisui thought quietly.
“We only have five days.”
If everything happened as it had in her previous life, they would still have more than ten days before disaster struck.
But now…
Five days was far too little time.
“Fourth Girl.”
The Old Madam looked at Lin Suisui.
“There is an old saying.”
“Life and death are decided by fate.”
“There is another saying.”
“Success depends on what people do.”
“I believe…”
She looked at her granddaughter with unwavering trust.
“You were given this second life to save the Duke’s Mansion.”