Page 760

"Haha, Lin Siyu, after all this time, do you still think that I am the same Lin Yuan you used to bully and scold at will?" Lin Yuan pinched her somewhat chubby chin, scoffing inwardly. This girl might look pretty, but she’s nothing special—she even has a double chin now, and she’s caked in so much makeup. Ah, truly getting on in years.

Lin Siyu bit her lip. Only from this close did she clearly see Lin Yuan’s eyes, which held a brightness different from before, filled with wisdom and determination.

"You, let go of me. I, I did indeed want to tarnish the reputation of Fuman Building. But, you guys didn’t suffer any losses, did you? So why are you still bothering me? I, I am the Master Magistrate’s Little Concubine, you can’t hurt me—let go of me at once!"

"Heh!"

With a scoff, Lin Yuan thought, Lin Siyu, oh Lin Siyu, you really do have a pig’s brain. Fuman Building didn’t suffer any losses, not because of Lin Siyu’s magnanimity, but because of their own hard work. Yet this woman unabashedly declares she’s done no wrong—ridiculous!

The grip of Lin Yuan’s hand tightened, causing Lin Siyu’s face to turn pale with pain: "Lin Siyu, you better understand one thing, today’s peace at Fuman Building isn’t a gift from you, but the result of our own striving!

And, you have managed to keep your pretty face today, not because of your own efforts, but because I, the lady, have kindly decided to spare you. Hmph!"

With a strong push, Lin Yuan finally let go of her chin, and with a look of distaste, she patted it off and curled her lip, saying, "Did you steal from the Li Mansion kitchens or something? Applying so much white powder to your face—it’s not even pretty, just heavy! Old woman!"

Lin Siyu, now freed, was deeply stung by the words ’old woman,’ standing there dumbfounded, touching her own face.

She indeed felt the thick layer of powder, but could she be blamed?

These past few days, she had been so troubled over Li Chengzhi’s marriage that her skin had deteriorated; without makeup, her face would look even worse.

Panpan, with her head lowered, forcefully stifled her laughter, her shoulders beginning to tremble.

Old woman—that Boss Lin certainly knew how to hit where it hurts.

It seems this woman will be so infuriated when she gets back that she won’t be able to get out of bed—great news, giving her a few more days of illness so that Panpan could enjoy a good break.

Emerging from the narrow, dark alley, Lin Yuan felt a wave of relief and walked with a lighter step.

Lin Yi followed behind, rolling his eyes.

It had been a whole day, and the Second Young Lady’s mood had not been great.

If it wasn’t missing a certain someone, he wouldn’t believe it.

Lin Siyu was just unlucky, seeking trouble at such a time—it served her right to be handled by the Second Young Lady.

But, if it cheerfully improved the Second Young Lady’s mood, then it was a good deed on Lin Siyu’s part, so let her return home in peace.

A gust of wind flew out from Lin Yi’s sleeve, and Lin Siyu’s coachman’s body shivered, slowly regaining consciousness.

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is a special day; only after it passes is the New Year officially considered over, and thus the Emperor would host a grand banquet in the palace to entertain the ministers and their families.

The palace banquet commenced in the evening, but the ministers started to enter the palace one after another from the afternoon. Xia Zheng was no exception, but unlike previous years when he was the last to enter, this year, he was among the first.

Just thinking of today’s plan made Xia Zheng unbearably happy, to the extent that even upon seeing Zhao Hongsheng, whom he usually found most disagreeable, he cheerfully greeted him.

This left Zhao Hongsheng utterly bewildered, cautiously ordering his people to guard him, fearing this was some kind of conspiracy by Xia Zheng.

"Hey, old man, looking for me?"

Inside the Imperial Study Room, the Old Emperor sat alone on the throne, sipping tea when Xia Zheng burst in with brisk steps, crashing down opposite the Old Emperor, effortlessly picking up a teacup from the table, taking a sip, and then scrunching his face with disdain, "An Emperor of a whole country drinking such lousy tea? Pitiful!"

The only one daring to call the Emperor pitiful under the heavens was Xia Zheng himself.

The Old Emperor extended his hand to knock on Xia Zheng’s head, but strangely, the man who was supposed to be looking down, drinking tea, seemed to have eyes on the top of his head, leaning back just in time to dodge the Old Emperor’s surprise attack.

Xia Zheng chuckled hehe, leaving the Old Emperor harrumphing with annoyance: "Not a shred of decorum! Entering without a bow, even daring to snatch my tea! Let me tell you, this is a new tea contributed by a Foreign Country; you should feel lucky to even sip it, yet you nitpick!"