Lin Ruonan's gentle and magnanimous demeanor made Wang's behavior seem calculating. With just a few words, it wasn't difficult for everyone to deduce who was right and who was wrong. Especially given Xu Zifan and Lin Ruonan's past character and temperament, people naturally sided with them.
The farce of the Lin family provoking the Qi family had provided plenty of laughs. Now, thinking back, it must be that something unpleasant happened between the Lin and Xu families, which is why the Xu family refused to acknowledge the marriage. Even Lin Ruonan's grandfather had to adopt her and personally back her up. No matter how you look at it, the Lin family is clearly the problem.
Lin Ruonan left, but the customers became curious. They chatted while picking out fabrics, and would say a few words about it when they got home. Finally, they met someone who had been to Shuixi Town, and he told them all about the grudges between the Xu and Lin families. The gossip left behind in Shuixi Town swept through Anyang Prefecture like a tornado.
Lin Ruonan followed Old Master Lin to the house the Lin family was temporarily renting. Lin Fu looked ashen-faced, while Lin Yaozu looked alright. It was clear that the couple truly doted on their son, giving him everything good they could.
Lin Fu's face fell the moment he saw Old Master Lin, and he lowered his head dejectedly, "Father..."
Old Master Lin snorted coldly, "Look at the state you've become! I told you to be down-to-earth and stop thinking about those crooked ways, but you wouldn't listen. How many stupid things have you done behind my back? And what have you gotten out of it? You still have the nerve to go looking for Nan Nan? How did you all treat Nan Nan back then? What, now that you see she's doing well, you want to suck her blood like a leech? Let me tell you, don't even think about it. As long as I'm alive, you won't have anything to do with Nan Nan!"
Lin Fu suppressed his anger and said, "My youngest daughter doesn't recognize me and has gone to the capital to enjoy a life of luxury. My eldest daughter doesn't recognize me either and won't even give me a bite to eat. Father, you still side with her. Am I your own son?"
"That's your own fault! Come home with me. You've brought shame to the family. If you keep messing around outside, no one will even collect your body when you die!" Old Master Lin made his decision directly, brooking no argument.
Lin Yaozu immediately jumped out and retorted, "I'm not going back! Going back to that wretched village is nothing compared to staying in the prefectural city! Grandpa, what are you up to?"
Old Master Lin stared at him coldly, "What heart? The heart to save you. Do you have food to eat in the prefectural city? Can you survive? You had a perfectly good life but you had to mess it up. Now you've squandered all your wealth, and what are you still shouting about? Didn't your parents teach you? Go back and go to school and keep yourself in there. Stop fooling around outside."
"No way! Mind your own business. My sister and brother-in-law are here. If they don't care about me, I'll go out into the street and make a scene, so everyone can see how heartless they are." Lin Yaozu couldn't stand being reduced from a young master to a village boy. He glared at Lin Ruonan as she walked in and shouted defiantly.
Lin Ruonan said coldly, "Go ahead and go. Even if you go to the Emperor, I'm still an adopted child and a married man. I don't need to care about the three of you. I heard you offended the Qi family recently and got punished quite a bit? Don't blame me for being ruthless. If you really anger me, I can easily deal with the three of you in this city."
Wang pointed at her in disbelief, "You—how dare you? Father, listen to what your eldest granddaughter is saying! We raised her with great care, feeding and clothing her all these years. Not only is she ungrateful, but she also wants to punish us?"
Lin Ruonan curled her lips in a mocking smile. "The dowry my mother brought when she married into the family has been enough to support me all these years, hasn't it? Where did the Lin family get that brewing recipe? Do I need to remind you? You can't be so shameless. If you really want to tear off the mask, you'll have to see if you can crack a rock with an egg."
Lin Fu and Wang Shi were startled, both staring at Lin Ruonan speechlessly. Lin Ruonan stood beside Old Master Lin and said calmly, "What? You didn't expect me to know? We have Lin Ruoshan to thank for this. If she hadn't come to me to boast and mock, I wouldn't have known that what made the Lin family wealthy was actually my mother's brewing recipe. Originally, I planned to take it back, but after seeing you all in disarray and getting worse and worse off, I gave up on that plan. Anyway, with Lin Ruoshan around, I don't need to do anything; you won't be able to survive."
"Think about what you've done over the years. If you still want to drag the Xu family down with you, I will show no mercy. You're welcome to try."
Grandpa Lin helped Lin Ruonan so much because he knew she had suffered a great injustice. He didn't object at all to Lin Ruonan's heartless words about this matter; if these three insisted on getting involved, it would be better to teach them a lesson.
However, he overestimated them. The three members of the Lin family were terrified of the Qi family. The previous suppression by the young masters had already given them a lot of trouble. Their endless tricks had left them exhausted. Even at home, they had to be on guard against someone slandering them and beating them up. They were really afraid that Lin Ruonan would use the same tricks against them.
If they get hurt, what can they do without evidence? This city is unfamiliar to them, and now that Lin Ruoshan is gone, they are even more timid. The courage they had was dispelled by Lin Ruonan's intimidation, and they immediately agreed to go back to the village with Old Master Lin.
Old Master Lin breathed a sigh of relief. He had rushed over as soon as he heard the Lin family was causing trouble in the prefectural city. Xu Zifan and Lin Ruonan had initially refused to let him show his face, fearing it would upset him. But how could he sit idly by? This was all his own doing. The Xu family had saved his life, and not only had he failed to repay their kindness, he had also caused them considerable trouble. He felt guilty every time he thought about it; how could he let the Lin family drag them into this mess again?
Upon receiving Lin Fu's words, he immediately bid farewell to the Xu family, refusing to stay any longer despite their attempts to persuade him to remain, and left the prefectural city with three unruly children.
The Lin family left so quickly that before gossip could even take hold, it was gone, and the Xu family returned to its peaceful state. The people of Anyang Prefecture gradually forgot that the Lin family had ever existed.
It's a joke, but I occasionally feel a little regretful that I can no longer drink the spirit wine.
Lin Ruoshan went to the capital, a distance that Shaohua couldn't scan, but she drank spiritual spring water every day and sometimes talked to Changsheng. Changsheng had a powerful divine sense and could know about Lin Ruoshan's surroundings and people through the space they connected, so he was very familiar with her situation and reported to Xu Zifan every day.
It was usually idle, so it was quite happy to have a job this time. Lin Ruoshan noticed that it was more active than usual and thought it was because she was going to meet the emperor and finally satisfied Qinglong. She looked forward to the day when Qinglong would approve of her even more.
Lin Ruoshan was escorted to the capital. Upon arriving at a mansion in the capital, she didn't even get a good look at the interior before being instructed on etiquette and manners by two palace maids. She had never known that there were so many rules for meeting the emperor: the volume of one's voice, the appropriateness of one's smile, the pace of one's walk, the speed at which one kneels, the position of one's gaze, and so on.
There were too many rules to follow; she couldn't remember them all, couldn't do them properly, and would be punished by the nanny, making her miserable every day. This was nothing like what she had imagined: meeting the Emperor, receiving rewards, and then enjoying wealth and glory.
Besides, several imperial physicians and renowned winemakers were also watching her brew the wine. They formed a circle around her, not missing a single detail. She could only let Xiaoxi appear in the wine jar, reaching into the jar to stir the spiritual spring water, her face trembling with nervousness.
After examining the wine, the experts concluded that it was impossible to brew a miraculous wine; it could only produce ordinary, inferior liquor. Several imperial physicians also stated that the wine contained not a trace of medicinal herbs and could not possibly have any effects on prolonging life or curing diseases.
This further highlights Lin Ruoshan's extraordinary abilities; she accomplished what others couldn't. The fact that others couldn't conceive of or imitate proves her uniqueness.
Seeing that neither the imperial physicians nor the brewers could find anything wrong, Lin Ruoshan finally felt relieved and was filled with pride.
Three days later, Lin Ruoshan was brought to the palace to meet the emperor. When she alighted from her carriage outside the palace gates, the noble and majestic aura of the imperial palace overwhelmed her, almost causing her to lose her composure!
She followed the palace maids inside. The grandeur of the palace and the beauty of the imperial garden made her feel as if she were in a fairyland. She couldn't believe that she had seen such a place after being reborn.
Upon seeing the Emperor, she slowly bowed according to the etiquette taught by her nanny, but unable to resist her curiosity, she quickly glanced at him. The Emperor, over thirty but in his prime, looked extremely dignified and noble, and Lin Ruoshan's heart pounded as if it would burst out of her chest.
The emperor was slightly surprised when he saw her face clearly. The harem was full of beauties, but none had skin as smooth as jade and a figure as alluring as Lin Ruoshan. He instantly understood why the young masters the prefect had reported in his memorial had spent so much effort on Lin Ruoshan. Such a woman, if he could take her into his harem as a beautiful concubine for amusement, would be a delightful thing.
The emperor asked Lin Ruoshan a few simple questions, and Lin Ruoshan stammered in response, looking timid like a little rabbit, which amused the emperor. He ordered the Imperial Hospital to examine Lin Ruoshan and her wine again to see if there was anything wrong with it. After confirming that the wine was indeed only beneficial and had no harm, he slept with Lin Ruoshan that very night.
For the emperor, all auspicious omens in the world should belong to him. Lin Ruoshan's winemaking was unremarkable, yet it produced a miraculous wine that prolongs life; such an extraordinary woman naturally belonged to him. Moreover, Lin Ruoshan was stunningly beautiful, had no ties to any powerful faction, and was still unmarried. Letting her marry anyone else would displease him; what virtue or ability did that person possess to marry such a unique woman?
Lin Ruoshan became the emperor's woman without even realizing it. She was overjoyed and knelt and bowed to the Azure Dragon when no one was around. She was so excited that she couldn't speak coherently. The image of her becoming the most favored concubine in the palace appeared in her mind. She was so happy that she felt more alive.
Who could rival the emperor in terms of prestige and status as her ideal husband? What good is it that Xu Zifan passed the imperial examination? Even if he became the top scholar, he would still be nothing more than an ant before the emperor.
Lin Ruoshan finally felt triumphant and worked very hard to please the emperor, even brewing him wine with more spiritual spring water.
The emperor disliked her vulgar words and actions, and was disgusted by the prefect's report on her past. He only favored her for her beauty, and after each encounter, he would send her away, having palace maids and eunuchs fetch her drinks.
However, the emperor was delighted by the beauty's service and the benefits of the spirit wine, and he didn't mistreat Lin Ruoshan, giving her a new identity and bestowing upon her the title of "Consort." For a village girl, this was already a meteoric rise.
Lin Ruoshan was oblivious to the intricacies of her position in the imperial palace. Overjoyed, she dreamt of how to make the emperor like her more, so that with just a word from her, Xu Zifan, Lin Ruonan, and the Lin family would all be finished.