On the second day, Lin Yao went to the storeroom to collect her allotted allowance.
The stewards there didn’t dare make the decision themselves and said they would first seek instructions from Madam Chen.
The Lin family had once rendered great service to the empire and had been granted the title of Duke. However, with each passing generation, they declined further.
By the time of Master Lin’s generation, his elder brothers had achieved nothing in their official careers. Instead, they became consumed with internal संघर्ष, each vying for the ducal title.
After all the infighting, both sides suffered, and in the end, only Master Lin—the illegitimate son—remained.
And so, the ducal title unexpectedly fell to him.
Master Lin himself was not particularly capable. He held only a nominal post at court, yet he hated nothing more than being called useless.
Madam Chen understood this well. She flattered and indulged him constantly, earning his deep favor.
As for the official wife, Madam Lin, she was frail and spent her days eating vegetarian meals and praying, never involving herself in household matters. As a result, the authority over the Duke’s residence fell into the hands of Madam Chen, a mere concubine.
Madam Chen and Madam Zhao were at odds. Thus, over the past few years, Madam Zhao and her daughter Lin Yao had been entirely at Madam Chen’s mercy—tormented and oppressed as she pleased.
The clothes Lin Yao wore had been patched over and over for five or six years. She had only a single servant attending her.
Madam Zhao had once protested, thinking: My daughter carries the blood of the Duke—why should she live worse than a servant?
She went to the Duke to make a scene and managed to obtain a new set of clothes.
But the very next day, Lin Yao was falsely accused of theft and beaten. The new clothes were soon stained with blood, and Madam Zhao nearly got sold off.
Only after Lin Yao begged desperately was her mother spared.
That night, mother and daughter held each other and cried until dawn—and from then on, resigned themselves to their fate.
In the Duke’s residence, whoever won the Duke’s favor ruled supreme. There was no such thing as fairness.
The life they had lived over the years was truly inhumane.
After waiting for a while, Madam Chen finally arrived at a leisurely pace.
“Oh my, Fourth Miss,” she sneered sarcastically, “don’t think that just because you’re going to become the Prince’s concubine, you’ll rise from a branch and turn into a phoenix. Even our eldest miss couldn’t catch the Prince’s eye—what makes you think he’d fancy a little vixen like you?”
In truth, she was jealous. No matter how much she tried to persuade her own daughter, Lin Shu, the girl refused to enter the Prince’s residence, which infuriated her.
“You’re right, Aunt,” Lin Yao replied calmly. “Whether he favors me or not is another matter. But since I am to enter the Prince’s residence, if I go dressed like this, it will disgrace the Duke’s household—and reflect poorly on Elder Sister as well.”
Madam Chen’s expression darkened.
This wretched girl had quite the sharp tongue—was she threatening her?
Her gaze swept over Lin Yao.
Despite wearing such ragged clothes, the girl still looked alluring. Her face was small and delicate, her skin smooth, her eyes watery and captivating. Her figure was even more striking—her chest straining against her clothes, her waist slender, her hips shapely.
A true beauty.
If she were sent to a pleasure house, she might even become the top courtesan.
But noble families valued the demeanor of a proper young lady.
Then again, wasn’t seducing a prince no different from what those women did?
No wonder the eldest miss had chosen this girl.
Her own daughter had been raised as a proper lady—sending her to do such a thing would be a waste.
Thinking this way, Madam Chen felt somewhat appeased.
She forced a smile and instructed the storeroom, “Very well. Give Fourth Miss some allowance so she can present herself decently.”
Only then did the staff bring out five taels of silver and offer it to Lin Yao.
But Lin Yao did not accept it.
“Aunt, what can five taels possibly do? It’s not even enough for a decent outfit.”
“Give her another ten taels,” Madam Chen said through gritted teeth.
“Aunt, what about money for jewelry and accessories?” Lin Yao added with a faint smile.
Now Madam Chen was getting angry. “How much do you want?”
“Five hundred taels,” Lin Yao said plainly.
Madam Chen’s eyes widened in fury. “You little wretch—have you lost your mind?”
“If Aunt is unwilling to provide it,” Lin Yao said calmly, “then I have no face to enter the Prince’s residence. Perhaps you should let Sister Shu go instead.”
Madam Chen thought, If she won’t go, then fine—I’d rather send my own daughter!
“Mother, give it to her!” Lin Shu’s voice suddenly rang out from behind, urgent. “I’m not going to the Prince’s residence!”
She only wanted Lin Yao to hurry and go there to suffer the same misery she had endured in her previous life—and stop interfering with her future with Gu Yulan.
Madam Chen was reluctant to part with the money, but Lin Shu, anxious, rushed into the storeroom herself and withdrew five hundred taels for Lin Yao.
Holding the silver notes, Lin Yao felt quite satisfied. When she looked up, she met Madam Chen’s venomous gaze.
Clearly, the woman was already plotting something.
“Aunt,” Lin Yao said coldly, “if you dare take your anger out on my mother—if she suffers even the slightest harm—I’ll assassinate the Prince in his own residence and make the entire Duke’s household pay with their lives.”
Prince Yu was the Empress’s beloved son. The Lin family, already in decline, would be utterly destroyed if anything happened to him.
Madam Chen was stunned. She had never expected this usually meek illegitimate daughter to be so ruthless.
“Aunt, treat my mother well. If I gain the Prince’s favor, I will repay you,” Lin Yao added with a faint smile. She gave a small bow before turning and leaving.
Madam Chen stamped her foot in rage.
Lin Shu hurried after Lin Yao.
“Lin Yao, stop dreaming! Do you really think the Prince will break his habits for you? Do you know how many women the Empress has sent him? Every type imaginable! What are you compared to them? Just wait—you’ll end up living like a widow, bullied and ignored!” Lin Shu mocked gleefully.
The thought of Lin Yao suffering the same fate she once had filled her with satisfaction.
This foolish girl actually thought she was going to enjoy a life of luxury—how naive.
“Since Elder Sister personally chose me, I must have something special,” Lin Yao replied lightly. “As for you, Sister Shu—Father once intended to betroth me to Gu Yulan. I looked into him. His mother is particularly harsh, and he even has a lover in a brothel…”
“Impossible! Don’t you dare slander him!” Lin Shu snapped, cutting her off. She glanced behind to make sure her mother hadn’t heard, then relaxed slightly.
“Gu Yulan is talented and upright. There’s no way he has a lover. Just wait—next year he’ll pass the imperial exams, and in a few years, he’ll become Grand Chancellor. I’ll be the Chancellor’s wife!”
“People aren’t always what they seem. Perhaps you should listen to your mother and reconsider,” Lin Yao said gently.
“Don’t think you can stop me from becoming a noble lady! I’ll marry Gu Yulan very soon!” Lin Shu shoved her and stormed off.
Watching her retreating figure, Lin Yao slowly curled her lips into a faint smile.
She hadn’t been kindly reminding Lin Shu at all.
Lin Shu had already set her heart on Gu Yulan—no matter what was said, she wouldn’t believe it.
From her reaction just now, it was clear she hadn’t yet convinced Madam Chen.
Though Madam Chen was only a concubine, her ambitions were sky-high. She believed her daughter was no less than a legitimate young lady.
Even if Lin Shu didn’t enter the Prince’s residence, she should at least marry into an official family—not some poor scholar with an uncertain future.
So she would never agree.
By saying what she did, Lin Yao knew Lin Shu would panic—and resort to extreme measures to force her mother’s approval.
In that case, Lin Shu’s marriage to Gu Yulan would become inevitable.
And sure enough, in the following days, Lin Shu went on a hunger strike to pressure her mother.
Madam Chen still refused.
In the end, Lin Shu went as far as seducing Gu Yulan, turning their relationship into a fait accompli.
With no other choice, Master Lin hastily selected a date for their marriage.
When news spread, the Lin family became a laughingstock.
But Lin Shu didn’t care.
Once she became the Grand Chancellor’s wife, everyone would praise her foresight and keen judgment.