Chapter 24: Showing Off One's Power-Após Ter Seus Sentimentos Ouvidos, a Verdadeira Filha Querida Tornou-se a Favorita de Todos em Pequim(Felicidade plena)

To put it bluntly, had Lin Wanyue not stolen the credit, he wouldn’t have had to empty his coffers to satisfy Lin Zhaozhao, only to be mocked for it in the end!

Turning to Lin Wanyue, he scolded her without restraint, "Why would you claim credit that isn't yours? You talk a better game than you play, so it’s no wonder Lin Zhaozhao finds you insufferable! It is fortunate that she was the one bullied this time; had it been any other noble daughter, I fear that even if I bankrupted the family, I wouldn't be able to smooth over such a disaster! Get yourself to the ancestral hall and kneel in penance, and while you're at it, memorize a few prescriptions for snake venom!"

Lin Qingwu’s harsh words struck like a resounding slap across the face of Lin Wanyue, who had been ready to flaunt her superiority. She had not expected her eldest brother, who had spoken so calmly to her before, to be this furious.

"Brother, you don't love me anymore!" she whimpered.

Lin Qingwu thought to himself, *I still love you?*

"How utterly foolish!" He had assumed that having been raised in the Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate since childhood, she would at least be smarter than the later-arriving Lin Zhaozhao and put family interests above her own. But looking at her now, she was nothing more than an idiot! All she knew how to do was stir up jealousy and resentment within the household. All his past favors to her had been wasted! If she married into a prestigious family like this, she would only bring disaster upon them.

Still, after sending Lin Wanyue away, Lin Qingwu turned to Lady Bai. "Mother, go and inquire about the details of how Zhaozhao saved that person, and make sure Wanyue remembers them so we don't have further trouble!"

But this was a matter where her own biological daughter had been wronged. How could Lady Bai conspire with a credit-stealer to break her daughter’s heart? She gritted her teeth, flicked her handkerchief, and snapped, "I will not! If you want to say it, you go and say it yourself!"

Lin Qingwu remained speechless. *I am only doing this for the good of the family!* None of them—not one—cared for his official position or the future of the Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate.

He had intended to visit his grandmother's chambers to tell her to cancel the Chrysanthemum Viewing Banquet. But as soon as he arrived, a servant reported that Eunuch Jinbao, the Emperor’s most favored attendant, had arrived from the palace. The entire Lin family rushed to the entrance to greet him.

"Eunuch Jinbao, what wind has blown you to our humble estate?" the old Marquis, Lin Feili, asked with a hurried smile.

"Marquis, you flatter this servant! I have come under imperial orders. It seems your Fourth Miss is quite remarkable; she has caught the eye of the young Prince of Northern Rong, and the Emperor has sent me to deliver rewards!"

With a clap of his hands, a group of guards brought in a mountain of gold, silver, and jade treasures. "Pray tell, where is the Fourth Miss?"

As soon as Eunuch Jinbao finished speaking, Lin Feili called out, "Wanyue, come here!"

Lin Wanyue, whose eyes were red from crying while kneeling in the hall, had been terrified that Lin Zhaozhao would run out and blab, ruining her reputation. She had never imagined that the Emperor’s rewards would arrive first, meaning the palace already believed she was the savior. Her face lit up, and she stepped forward. "Eunuch Jinbao!"

"The Marquis of Qingyuan has raised a fine daughter," Eunuch Jinbao remarked, seeing the girl was beautiful and likely to have a bright future. He decided to do her a favor. "The Emperor bestows upon the Fourth Miss ten taels of gold, a pair of jade bracelets, and a 'Dragon and Phoenix' ring... As for the title of County Princess, the palace is currently under curfew. The decree must be drafted and stamped by the Ministry of Rites, which will take two days. But rest assured, girl—what is yours is yours; it won't go anywhere."

Lin Wanyue beamed and bowed. "Many thanks, Eunuch. I only helped as I could; it is my honor to serve the Emperor and the Great Yong. I hardly deserve such gold and silver from His Majesty, let alone the title of County Princess."

Eunuch Jinbao was pleased by her humble words. *Truly, the daughter of the Marquis of Qingyuan.* He smiled, "The Emperor values you, so you must accept it."

"Then I have troubled you to make this trip," Lin Feili said, stepping forward and subtly slipping a stack of banknotes into the eunuch’s hand.

Jinbao spoke of politeness, but his hands accepted the money without hesitation. Once the delivery was complete, he departed.

Seeing that even Jinbao had come in person, Lady Han felt even closer to her granddaughter. "Wanyue, for the banquet in a few days, I will give you five hundred taels of silver. Go out and buy a proper outfit. After all, you represent the face of our Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate!"

*Now she cares about the face of the estate!* Lin Zhaozhao rolled her eyes, but since she had already squeezed a fortune out of Lin Qingwu, she kept her silence.

The next moment, Lin Wanyue put on the jade bracelets from the Emperor. "What beautiful bracelets!" she chirped, looking at Lin Zhaozhao with a smile. "They truly are imperial gifts, quite different from the trinkets you buy, little sister. Why don't you pick one or two you like? I shall gift them to you."

Lin Zhaozhao stared at her. *Gift them to her?* How laughable—to use someone else's credit and then try to act generous and superior?

"If you're so generous, why not just move all this gold and silver into my courtyard?"

"I would love to, sister, but these are gifts specifically named for me by the Emperor. If I gave them all to you, the Emperor might think I am ungrateful." She stepped closer, lowering her voice to a whisper only the two of them could hear. "Lin Zhaozhao, don't be greedy and ungrateful. So what if you saved the person? My eldest brother is on my side now, and the Emperor’s rewards are already in our house. You can treat illnesses just like those lowly commoners, but it's a pity—you are nothing but a stepping—"

Before she could finish the word "stone," Lin Zhaozhao slapped her hard across the face. "Stop acting so smug. I’m only humoring you for the sake of those shops. Don't think I’m a spineless mute. If it comes to it, we can all be executed for deceiving the Emperor! It isn't me who is being named a County Princess, so I don't fear death. I just wonder if you’ve lived enough of your pathetic life!"

Lin Wanyue’s head snapped to the side. She instinctively moved to strike back, but the weight of Lin Zhaozhao’s words stopped her cold.

Lady Han moved to intervene, but Lin Zhaozhao retorted gently, "Grandmother, among us younger ones, a little fighting is just a sign of affection. Since Wanyue doesn't mind, you shouldn't interfere. You’d be better off spending that time figuring out how to save your own family's brothers!"

As for Lin Wanyue, she could just wait. For the upcoming Chrysanthemum Banquet, she would definitely prepare a 'grand gift' for her!