Faced with Concubine Liu’s naturally imposing presence, Lin Yanxi showed no fear at all and instead smiled as she asked:
“Concubine Liu seems quite free today. Came strolling around my courtyard with nothing better to do?”
No matter what, she absolutely could not lose in terms of momentum.
“Though the Lin family may not be an aristocratic household, we are still among the wealthiest merchants in Beili. Yet as the Lin family’s eldest miss, you dress like this every single day. Fortunately, our family has only been in the capital for three months and not many people know us yet. Otherwise, wouldn’t you have already disgraced the entire Lin family?”
The Lin family had originally lived in Jiangnan and only moved to the capital three months ago.
As for Lin Yanxi’s fashion sense… it was truly difficult to describe.
Her soft and glossy hair was always tied into a high bun for no apparent reason. The loose green robe hanging over her petite frame looked oddly mismatched. If she hadn’t deliberately applied lip rouge, it wouldn’t have been surprising for people to mistake her for a young man.
Yet even dressed like this, she still couldn’t hide the spiritual aura surrounding her.
Especially those clear eyes of hers—they shone like brilliant stars, dazzling enough that people couldn’t help but look twice.
Lin Yanxi herself didn’t care much about appearances and instead replied matter-of-factly:
“What’s wrong with how I dress? I think it’s perfectly fine.”
This had been how she dressed in her previous life too. She was simply used to it and hadn’t changed the habit yet.
“And you still dare ask me what’s wrong?” Concubine Liu looked as though she’d heard something unbelievable. She coldly glanced at the servants behind her. “All of you, explain properly to Miss what exactly is wrong here.”
The servants immediately lowered their heads even further, none of them daring to speak.
“Cuizhi, you tell your young miss what the problem is.”
After being singled out, Cuizhi’s body trembled twice. She didn’t dare look directly at Concubine Liu’s intimidating aura and could only cast a pleading gaze toward Lin Yanxi.
“M-Miss…” Cuizhi’s voice was as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, hardly daring to breathe.
Lin Yanxi frowned slightly, the ends of her brows lowering.
“So Concubine Liu came here today just to criticize how my appearance doesn’t match the prestige of the Lin Residence?”
Concubine Liu narrowed her eyes halfway and asked sharply:
“Isn’t that exactly the issue? The Lin family is at least considered respectable in the capital. Yet you disregard all proper behavior for a young lady and openly roam around outside every day. I even heard you got into a fight today?”
The corners of Lin Yanxi’s lips suddenly curved upward, a trace of arrogance hidden between her brows.
“My parents haven’t bothered to control me for all these years. Isn’t Concubine Liu overstepping a bit by managing so much?”
The moment those words came out, the kneeling servants nearby all sucked in sharp breaths.
They couldn’t help secretly giving their eldest miss a mental thumbs-up.
She truly dared to say anything.
“You…” Concubine Liu choked on her words, her expression becoming rather ugly.
Lin Yanxi casually waved a hand and spoke as though nothing had happened.
“If Concubine Liu has no other business, I’ll return to my room first. I’ve been out all day and I’m rather tired.”
“Stop right there!”
Her steps were forcibly halted.
Concubine Liu issued another command:
“All of you, leave first.”
Receiving permission to escape, the servants immediately fled as though granted amnesty. Even Lin Yanxi’s maid Cuizhi seized the chance to escape this dangerous atmosphere.
Once everyone had left, Concubine Liu walked straight toward the stone table in the courtyard and sat down.
Her makeup was exquisite, and her pale purple robes appeared understated yet luxurious. Having managed the Lin family business impeccably for many years, she naturally exuded a commanding dignity without even needing anger.
Concubine Liu poured herself a cup of tea and leisurely took two sips before asking:
“I heard your stall got smashed?”
Lin Yanxi pressed her lips together, walked over, and sat across from her without ceremony. She poured herself tea as well and gulped it down in one go.
“That was an accident. Those people were being unreasonable.”
Concubine Liu let out a cold snort.
“How embarrassing.”
Lin Yanxi’s clear eyes rolled thoughtfully before she suddenly grabbed Concubine Liu’s hand and whispered:
“My parents haven’t come back for all these years. Doesn’t Concubine Liu have any other thoughts about that?”
With such a beautiful daughter and such a stunning concubine in the household, her so-called cheap father could actually endure over ten years without returning for even a look?
Could he already be dead?
“Do you know why I’m so angry today?” Concubine Liu quietly withdrew her hand and placed a letter in front of her. “Your father will arrive in the capital tomorrow. If he sees you looking like this, how do you think he’ll view you and me?”
“Hm?” Lin Yanxi blinked in confusion. “He’s coming back tomorrow? So suddenly?”
“Your father’s letter says your mother adopted a foster daughter. She’s not necessarily the most beautiful woman alive, but she’s graceful and exceptionally refined. Now look at you…” Concubine Liu’s face was filled with indescribable disgust.
If they returned and compared the foster daughter with the Lin family’s real eldest miss, they would undoubtedly think she had failed to properly raise the child all these years.
After hearing this, Lin Yanxi slapped the stone table hard enough to make it shake.
“What?! So the reason they never returned all these years was because they were raising someone else outside? No, no, no—then I don’t want parents like that anymore!”
Concubine Liu took a deep breath and finally asked the question she had kept buried in her heart for a long time.
“I remember you weren’t like this before. Why have you completely changed ever since arriving in the capital?”
Lin Yanxi’s expression instantly stiffened.
There was no way she could tell the truth—that the real eldest miss had secretly gone climbing on the journey to the capital three months ago and accidentally fallen to her death.
Concubine Liu’s sharp, calculating eyes carefully examined Lin Yanxi, as though trying to uncover something hidden within her.
Lin Yanxi clenched her fists.
She had already decided that if Concubine Liu kept pressing further, she’d do the same thing as before—
Knock her unconscious with one punch.
Just as her fist was about to swing upward, the steward suddenly came running over in a hurry, panting heavily.
“Concubine Liu, we’ve already figured out the issue with the shops!”
Lin Yanxi raised an eyebrow and silently gave the steward an approving look.
His timing was impeccable.
The steward was utterly baffled by her expression, though he still respectfully invited Concubine Liu over to inspect the matter they had uncovered.
Before leaving, Concubine Liu shot Lin Yanxi a warning glare and tossed out one final order:
“Cuizhi, properly dress up your young miss. Going out looking like this is utterly disgraceful!”
“Yes…”
Just as Cuizhi answered, Lin Yanxi immediately interrupted:
“Cuizhi, don’t listen to her!”
Cuizhi nearly died of shock.
Her young miss was openly going against Concubine Liu now?
Then what was a mere servant like her supposed to do?
Whose orders should she follow?
Concubine Liu inhaled deeply. Never before had she felt so strongly that this eldest miss possessed a rebellious streak running through every bone in her body.
This hopeless girl was truly going to anger her to death.
The information she’d received stated that Madam’s adopted daughter was dazzlingly beautiful, cultured, considerate, and deeply loved by both the master and mistress.
If they returned tomorrow and saw their biological daughter looking this unbearable, how could they not compare her to the adopted daughter?
And what if they ended up disliking their own flesh and blood because of it?
The girl was already this old, yet she didn’t consider any of these things at all.
It truly infuriated her!
In the end, Concubine Liu decided to stop bothering with her altogether and stormed angrily out of Xiyan Pavilion.