Chapter 23: To Deprive One of Their Wealth Is Akin to Murdering Their Parents-Após Ter Seus Sentimentos Ouvidos, a Verdadeira Filha Querida Tornou-se a Favorita de Todos em Pequim(Felicidade plena)

Lin Zhaozhao’s words were sharp and precise. Lady Bai, naturally trusting her own biological daughter, asked for clarification: "Wanyue, did you truly save the little prince of Northern Rong? Why does your eldest brother say you saved him? Is there some misunderstanding here?"

[Misunderstanding? I think it was done on purpose!]
[What a total green tea! Getting the benefits and still acting innocent! I can’t wait to see if you can even explain the method for curing the snake venom!]

Lin Qingwu also began to harbor doubts about Lin Wanyue’s honesty. After all, he had suddenly acquired the ability to clearly hear Lin Zhaozhao’s inner thoughts. Seeing her look so genuinely enraged, it didn't seem like she was lying at all.

Concerned about the future of the Marquis’s estate, he spoke up: "Zhaozhao has a point. Since you aren't convinced by her, why not go outside with me and explain in detail the process of how you neutralized the poison?"

What process of neutralizing the poison? She wasn't trained in medicine! Besides, the incident today had been sudden, and Lin Wanyue had simply usurped the credit. She had assumed that since the real savior didn't come forward, she might as well take advantage of it; she had never had time to prepare any medical theories about snake venom. Who could have imagined...

Stunned by the questioning gazes of Lady Bai and Lin Qingwu, Lin Wanyue stammered, "Eldest brother, I, I..."

"What 'I, I, I'? Either you saved him or you didn't! Your language centers are failing to connect with your cerebellum; such a simple question and you're stumbling over your words—have you ever considered that there might be something wrong with your brain?"

Lin Zhaozhao grabbed Lin Wanyue, ready to drag her outside. "Since grandfather is taking a concubine today and our estate is full of guests, you are going to go tell everyone the truth right now: that you stole my credit, and you are going to apologize to me!"

"No!"
"How can you do this?!"

Two voices of protest rang out in unison. Lin Zhaozhao looked up to see the young man standing before her. He was fiddling with a jade thumb ring. Lin Qingwu was exceptionally handsome, and with his current expressionless, cold, and ascetic face, he appeared even more distant. However, his words were far from pleasant:

"Wanyue stealing the credit was indeed wrong of her, and I will punish her by having her kneel in the ancestral hall. This matter ends here; you are not to run outside and cause a scene!"

"I’m causing a scene?!" Lin Zhaozhao was nearly driven to madness by this so-called older brother. "You say I'm causing a scene? I’m reclaiming what is rightfully mine—how is that causing a scene?"

"You may be reclaiming your interests, but you are losing face for the Marquis’s estate!" Moreover, if it were only a matter of losing face, it would be one thing, but the stakes were higher: "Minister Xu has already reported this matter to the Emperor. Being named a county princess and entering the palace as a companion are certainties. If you go out and make a scene now, you are slapping the Emperor in the face. Our estate would be guilty of deceiving the sovereign!"

"Qingwu!" Lady Bai felt her eldest son’s judgment was biased. "Zhaozhao has lost her position as a county princess and the chance to enter the palace as a companion. You are Zhaozhao’s older brother; blood is thicker than water. You should have been the one to explain things clearly to the Emperor for her, how could you..."

"Mother! The imperial court is in constant turmoil, and countless people are eyeing our Qingyuan Marquis estate. Your womanly kindness will only harm the entire family! Furthermore, if Wanyue’s reputation is ruined, will Zhaozhao even be able to find a good husband?"

To put it bluntly, Lin Qingwu didn't care whether it was Lin Zhaozhao or Lin Wanyue who had stolen the credit; he didn't care who was wronged, he only cared about the interests of the estate. He even felt that Lin Zhaozhao was simply inferior to Wanyue. If it had been Wanyue whose credit was stolen, she surely would have understood the logic and stopped making a fuss. But Lin Zhaozhao, on the other hand, only craved empty titles and rewards, completely disregarding the estate's interests. As expected of a sister brought back halfway through life—she was unteachable, never putting the estate first and only thinking of her own petty glory!

Lin Zhaozhao: "?"

Lin Zhaozhao was so angry she laughed.
[Screw you and your 'not finding a good husband'! I get none of the benefits, but when things go wrong, I’m the first one you use as a scapegoat!]
[You two siblings really have some nerve! Saving the Northern Rong prince—could the Emperor not have rewarded me with gold and silver? Now, thanks to you, it’s all gone to Lin Wanyue!]
[As the saying goes, stealing one's wealth is like killing one's parents!]
[Lin Wanyue killing my parents isn't the same as killing yours? You unfilial, disloyal wretch, and you have the audacity to lecture me on the moral high ground of the Qingyuan Marquis estate?]

Lin Qingwu: "..."

It was just having her credit stolen. Since Lin Zhaozhao had received so many benefits from the Qingyuan Marquis estate, what was the harm in suffering a little? And here she was, dragging in talk about killing parents!

"What exactly do you want?! Wanyue gaining the position of county princess reflects well on you too!"

Reflects well on me, my foot! Did Lin Zhaozhao care about such ethereal things? A corporate slave who worked nine-to-five only cared about money! This was the equivalent of staying up late to work hard on a proposal, being promised a five-million-dollar bonus that would secure your life, only for a colleague to steal your proposal and take the money! Was the Emperor’s praise and the title of county princess more important than money?

Lin Zhaozhao couldn't take this. However, she was clear-headed enough to know that even if she ran out now to say Lin Wanyue had stolen her credit, no one would believe her; worse, Lin Qingwu might just claim she had gone hysterical and have her dragged away and locked up.

No! Since the gold and silver rewards were gone, she had to make up for it elsewhere. Didn't Lin Qingwu say she didn't understand the bigger picture?

Lin Zhaozhao immediately went for the jugular. "Even though I don't like what you're saying, I know that if I make a scene, you'll look even worse. If you want me to let it go, I want ten thousand taels of gold!"

"Ten thousand taels?"
Not just Lin Qingwu, even Lin Wanyue was stunned. One tael of silver was enough for a household to live on for several months in this era. Lin Qingwu was not a corrupt official. "Where am I supposed to get that much silver?"

"Fine, so you won't give it?" Lin Zhaozhao turned to leave. "You can send people to stop me today, but can you stop me for the rest of my life?"

"Wait!" Seeing that Lin Zhaozhao was really about to leave, not only was Lin Wanyue panicked, but even Lin Qingwu gritted his teeth. "I have several shops under my name; I'll transfer them to you!"

It wasn't easy to establish shops in the capital, a place filled with powerful figures, and the profits were what Lin Qingwu used to grease the wheels of his political career. But now, with the arrow already on the string, he had no choice. He had to grit his teeth and have someone bring the deeds for the shops.

"Then many thanks, big brother!" Lin Zhaozhao reached out to take the deeds. Lin Qingwu was truly reluctant to part with them and gripped them tightly, but in the end, Lin Zhaozhao snatched them away with one hand.

She sneered.
[You little punk! I knew you'd only feel the pain once the knife was in your own flesh!]

Lin Qingwu was also fuming! This Lin Wanyue—she usually looked so clever, who knew she would do something so foolish! As expected of a bloodline raised outside, she was just stupid!