By the time Yu Shi arrived, Luo Chi had already left.
He sat in the study, staring blankly at a jade pendant in his hand.
The pendant was made of pure, high-quality mutton-fat jade, which he cherished and wore daily.
“Chen’er, what happened? Didn’t you say Luo Chi was your sworn brother? How did things escalate like this?” Yu Shi rushed in, panting heavily.
“Mother, it’s a long story.” Yang Chen helped Yu Shi to a chair, patted her back to calm her breathing, and explained the situation.
Earlier, Luo Chi had come to the estate claiming that his men in Xi Jing had gone missing and suspected Yang Chen was behind it.
He had found a jade pendant at the scene—identical to the one Yang Chen always wore.
“A jade pendant?” Yu Shi pondered. “That pendant was a gift from Lin Yulang back then.”
She glanced at Lin Tangtang, suspicion growing in her heart. “Lin Tangtang, is this some scheme by your Lin family to frame our Marquis Estate?”
Yu Shi’s pent-up anger erupted all at once.
“Madam of the Hou Estate, I don’t understand what you mean.” Lin Tangtang’s expression turned icy. “My father and brother are fighting on the battlefield, a thousand miles away—everyone knows this. Are you trying to smear their reputation?”
“Mother, watch your words.” Yang Chen cautioned Yu Shi upon hearing her reckless remarks.
Yu Shi’s face darkened, but she refrained from further outbursts.
“Then, on behalf of the Lin family, can you explain why there are two identical jade pendants? Who owns the other one?” Yang Chen cleared his throat, his eyes filled with doubt.
Everyone in the room turned their gaze to Lin Tangtang.
“What is there to explain? This pendant was mass-produced by Northern Border He Shi Jade back then—dozens of them were made. My father only purchased a few and gifted them to the Marquis Estate and several noble families. If you don’t believe me, Young Lord, you can inquire elsewhere.”
“There are many owners of this jade. I don’t know who the pendant General Luo found belongs to.” Lin Tangtang clarified the matter in just a few words.
“But wasn’t it said back then that only one was given to the Yang family?” Yang Chen felt a knot in his chest.
“Indeed, the Yang family received only one pendant—yours. Isn’t that ‘only one’?” Lin Tangtang replied with utter nonchalance.
“Then why didn’t you inform the Marquis Estate that other households also had this jade?” In Yang Chen’s mind, the pendant was unique.
He never imagined there were dozens of them in the world!
All these years, he had publicly declared that this jade would become the Marquis Estate’s Family Heirloom Jade Pendant. Had he made a fool of himself?
“Young Lord, you never asked. Why should I have volunteered the information?”
Lin Tangtang sneered, “The Lin family gifted the pendant, and you’ve been using it. Now, you’re blaming the Lin family? What kind of logic is that? Besides, the Lin and Hou families are related by marriage. The Lin family has no motive to harm the Marquis Estate.”
Yang Chen was momentarily speechless.
The others also felt that Luo Chi’s discovery of the pendant could not be blamed on the Lin family.
“On this return to the capital, I had prepared fine Jadeite as gifts for the Madam of the Hou Estate and the Young Lord.”
Lin Tangtang sighed, took two pieces of Jadeite from her sleeve, and then put them back. “But now, it seems the Marquis Estate holds grievances against the Lin family’s gifts. It would be inappropriate to offer them.”
With that, she bid farewell and left.
Yang Chen watched Lin Tangtang’s retreating figure, feeling that something was off but unable to pinpoint what.
Meanwhile, Yu Shi’s recently suppressed anger flared up again.
Those two pieces of jade were of the finest quality.
Lin Tangtang was deliberately using this matter as an excuse to avoid showing respect to her future mother-in-law, otherwise she would have produced the items earlier in the room.
However, with many people present, she couldn’t make a scene publicly to avoid being labeled as harsh.
Having risen from a mere concubine to her current position, she had plenty of methods to teach Lin Tangtang a lesson.
After leaving the study, Chunxue gave Lin Tangtang a thumbs-up. “Miss Lin, your counterattack just now was brilliant.”
“We’ve only just entered the Marquis Estate. This is just the beginning.” Lin Tangtang knew the road ahead would be long.
“Yes, I know. Miss Lin, if General Luo hadn’t come to cause trouble, would you really have given away those two jade pendants?” Chunxue asked curiously.
Lin Tangtang smiled without answering.
In her previous life, after entering the estate, Yu Shi had constantly tried to control her. She had given numerous gifts but never gained any genuine affection from Yu Shi. Instead, Yu Shi saw her as weak and easy to bully, intensifying her torment.
This time, how could she possibly give gifts again?
An ungrateful wretch who can’t be won over doesn’t deserve to live.
As for Luo Chi picking up the jade pendant, that was all part of her plan.
Back then, her father had left her a jade pendant specifically.
Luo Chi and Yang Chen were allies, usually united as one, but when it came to women and children, everything became unpredictable.
This time, Yang Chen and Luo Chi didn’t come to blows, but next time might be different.
“Chunxue, go to the storytelling teahouse opposite General Luo’s residence and tell the storyteller about Yang Chen bringing me back from the Imperial temporary residence.”
Lin Tangtang whispered a few instructions in her ear, and Chunxue leaped onto the roof, instantly disappearing into the vast night.
The Imperial temporary residence was located in Xi Jing.
No matter how eloquently Yang Chen might explain, the fact remained that the jade pendant was found at the scene;
And the fact that Song Ru Er disappeared as soon as Yang Chen went to the Xijing Imperial Palace – Luo Chi would find it hard not to be suspicious.
The first crack had appeared in their relationship.
When she returned to the West Garden, the candles in the courtyard weren’t lit yet, and Granny Li hadn’t returned.
Just as she was about to light the lamp, a shadow flashed by. Lin Tangtang was startled and cried out in fear.
A cold scent of cedar and masculine aura reached her nose.
“It’s me.”
Qin Mo’an’s cool voice sounded by her ear. In the darkness, human senses became exceptionally sharp, able to hear each other’s breathing.
“Your Highness, what brings you here?” After collecting herself, Lin Tangtang lit the candle.
“Passing by the Marquis Estate, I came to hear your progress report.” Qin Mo’an turned and sat in a chair.
“Everything went smoothly today. Luo Chi came to make trouble at the Marquis Estate.” Lin Tangtang brewed a cup of tea and presented it to Qin Mo’an.
“And then?” Qin Mo’an continued questioning.
“Two mad dogs turning on each other. There will be quite a show to watch next.”
A slight smile touched Lin Tangtang’s lips. “That’s today’s progress.”
“Oh? Is that all?”
Qin Mo’an’s eyes deepened, carrying a dangerous aura. “Then tell me, is the Lin Family Head Jade Pendant you gave me also mass-produced by the He’s Jade Workshop?”
Because the family head’s jade pendant would only have one copy, never mass-produced.
Caught off guard by the question, she choked on her water.
If she answered “yes,” then this jade wasn’t the Lin Family Head Jade Pendant, meaning Lin Tangtang had no authority to represent the General’s Mansion in cooperating with the Crown Prince. Simultaneously, she would have committed the capital crime of deceiving the Crown Prince.
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Lin Tangtang’s forehead.