Chapter 28: The Crown Prince’s Secondary Consort Plays Matchmaker

"The evidence is overwhelming, Yi Hanjin. Stop playing the fool and confess. Tell me, did you bribe the maid at Willow Garden to spike the incense? Did you orchestrate the cover-up for Jiyu when she brought in all that pine resin?" The Old Matriarch glared at Yi Hanjin, her eyes burning with a murderous intent. "Your goal was to burn Yuejiao to death, wasn't it? To take revenge for Lin Qingxu, right?"

Yi Hanjin shook her head frantically, tears streaming down her face in terror. "It wasn't me, it really wasn't me..."

"Liu'er may have been an accidental casualty of your scheme, or perhaps you intended to wipe out both Liu'er and Yuejiao in one stroke. Had Zijin not been with me, all three of them would have perished in that fire." The Old Matriarch rose from her chair with trembling rage, marched up to Yi Hanjin, and demanded, "Once all three were dead, Lin Qingxu would be the only one left in the Lin household to compete for a spot at the Zhaohuang Academy. Yi Hanjin, you vicious woman, was this your calculated plan—to murder them to pave the way for your own daughter, Lin Qingxu?"

Yi Hanjin trembled violently. "No, that’s not it. How could I ever do such a thing..."

"You wretched creature!" The Old Matriarch swung her foot and kicked Yi Hanjin in the chest, her face livid with fury. "For Lin Qingxu, for your own flesh and blood, there is nothing you wouldn't do. Hah! I understand your 'motherly love' all too well. You deserve to die, you wicked thing, you deserve to die!"

"Grandmother!" Lin Zijin rushed forward to steady the Old Matriarch, who was so overcome with indignation that she nearly fainted.

Lin Yuejiao also rose quickly from her stool to support the Old Matriarch. "Grandmother, please, do not let your anger harm your health. Calm yourself."

Qian Yaoxian remained silent; the evidence was ironclad, and even if she wanted to drag Lin Yuejiao down with her, there was no way to do it.

Just then, a voice announced from outside that Lin Qingliu had awakened and was being assisted into the room. The Old Matriarch immediately ordered for her to be brought in.

"Greetings to Grandmother," Lin Qingliu bowed.

The Old Matriarch sighed. "Rise, Liu'er. Why are you here? You just woke up; you should be resting."

"I heard Grandmother was interrogating the case of the fire in the East Pavilion. It happened at my Willow Garden, and as one of the victims, I felt I had to speak," Lin Qingliu said, her voice hoarse as she looked at the Old Matriarch. "My fourth sister and I were nearly burned to death. One only needs to deduce who would benefit most from our deaths to know who the mastermind is."

Upon hearing this, Yi Hanjin was so enraged she felt like lunging at her. "We have always minded our own business. How could I possibly have the power to cause such a life-and-death disaster on your own turf?" Even Lin Yuejiao lacked the influence to do anything in Lin Qingliu's Willow Garden, let alone her.

"Is that so? Because Willow Garden is my territory, it must mean I did it myself? Second Aunt, you think I would plot to kill myself and my fourth sister—nearly dragging Zijin and Seventh Sister into it as well—just to pave the way for Lin Qingxu? I must truly be a devoted sister to her, then, willing to burn myself to death for her sake," Lin Qingliu retorted.

Yi Hanjin was left speechless.

Lin Yuejiao looked at Lin Qingliu with a faint smile. "Big Sister, Grandmother will surely grant us justice and ensure you haven't suffered in vain. Rest easy, Big Sister. Grandmother intercepted Jiyu, and although she was silenced, a gold hairpin belonging to Second Aunt and a note left by Jiyu were found in her belongings. The evidence is conclusive. If not for this irrefutable proof, this case would have been hard to settle. We owe much to this evidence."

Lin Yuejiao emphasized the last sentence.

It felt as though a blade had been plunged into Lin Qingliu's heart. Suffocated by rage and nearly spitting blood, she tightened her fists hidden beneath her sleeves, struggling to suppress the urge to throttle Lin Yuejiao. She managed to steady her voice. "That is truly wonderful."

At that moment, she wished she could kill Lin Yuejiao, yet she had to smile as if she believed it wasn't Lin Yuejiao's doing.

"Yi Hanjin, our Lin family has no place for a daughter-in-law as vicious as you. Someone, fetch the Second Master! Divorce her! And report this to the authorities!" the Old Matriarch declared coldly.

Yi Hanjin swayed, nearly collapsing to the floor. She scrambled to cling to the Old Matriarch's legs, weeping and begging for mercy. "Old Matriarch, Aunt, it truly wasn't me! I was framed! I know nothing of this; the fire has nothing to do with me."

Lin Yuejiao hadn't expected the Old Matriarch to be so furious that she would demand a divorce and official reporting. The Old Matriarch had always valued the family's reputation above all else, yet this time, she had cast it aside entirely.

"Get away from me!" the Old Matriarch shouted coldly. "Get out!"

Soon, the Second Master, Lin Changhao, arrived, only to be met with the Old Matriarch's demand to divorce his wife.

"Mother, please calm your anger. Hanjin is, after all, Xu'er's legal mother, my wedded wife, and a lady of the Yi family. If you send her to the authorities, the Yi family will lose face," Lin Changhao pleaded.

"Second Brother, she nearly killed my Liu'er. Whether you divorce her or not is your business, but I will certainly report this to the authorities," Qian Yaoxian sneered. "If you aren't afraid of having a criminal for a wife, then don't divorce her. I won't interfere."

Ever since Lin Qingxu's failed attempt on Lin Yuejiao's life, the conflict between the two had become irreconcilable. Seeing the situation, Lin Yuejiao spoke up: "Grandmother, reporting to the authorities and divorce are grave matters. However, for the safety of the young ladies of the Lin house, perhaps we should first send Second Aunt back to the Yi family. As for the rest, Grandmother, please calm your anger and discuss it further with First Aunt and Second Uncle."

Lin Yuejiao's words were tactful, but in effect, they meant expelling Yi Hanjin from the Lin family and sending her back to her maiden home. For a married woman, this was a supreme disgrace.

"Very well," the Old Matriarch nodded. She turned her head and said, "Lin Changhao, cast her out of the Lin house now, and we shall decide the rest later. Everyone else may return. Yuejiao and Liu'er, you have both been through a great shock; you must rest well. By the way, Yuejiao, see if you can find the Divine Physician and ask him if he would deign to examine Liu'er."

Lin Yuejiao bowed. "Yes. I will do my best to invite the Divine Physician."

"Old Matriarch, Aunt, I am truly innocent..." Yi Hanjin continued to plead, but the Old Matriarch ignored her, and Lin Changhao dragged the nearly unconscious woman away.

Upon exiting the Hall of Compassion and Longevity, they saw Jing Mingge and Lin Yi waiting in a nearby pavilion. Seeing them emerge, they hurried forward.

"Mother, Yi'er, why are you waiting by the roadside?" Lin Yuejiao looked at Jing Mingge with concern. "Mother, you have been through too much shock; you should rest. And Yi'er, you haven't recovered from your illness yet—look how pale you are..."

Jing Mingge took her hands, her eyes glistening. "Yi'er and I went to the Leisurely Garden early this morning to see you, but heard you had been summoned by the Old Matriarch, so we waited here. I was terrified last night. If anything had happened to you, I wouldn't have been able to go on. Thank the heavens you are safe."

"Hmph." Just then, a resentful cold snort came from Qian Yaoxian nearby.

Jing Mingge watched their retreating backs, bewildered. "Yuejiao, did I say something to offend the First Aunt?"

"My lady, the First Aunt is merely unbalanced because she sees our young miss is unharmed, while the eldest miss is disfigured," the maid Iris whispered.

Lin Yuejiao curled her lips. "Don't mind her, Mother. Let's go back."

"Sister," Lin Yi took Lin Yuejiao's hand, gripping it tightly.

Lin Yuejiao held his hand with one, linked her arm with Jing Mingge's with the other, and returned to the Leisurely Garden.

The news of Lin Qingliu's disfigurement spread instantly throughout Xinzhou. Everyone knew that the greatest beauty in the city had been marred. The following day, various noble families sent representatives to inquire, wearing masks of concern while many secretly rejoiced.

Yi Hanjin was sent back to the Shen family. The Yi family sent people to kneel at the Old Matriarch's gate, begging her not to report the crime or divorce the wife. Among them was the Old Matriarch's own elder sister, putting her in an impossible position. The Yi family also sent a large sum of money as compensation to Lin Qingliu. The First House remained silent, and the matter reached a stalemate.

The very next day after Lin Qingliu's disfigurement, the scion of the powerful Chi family, Chi Zixian, personally arrived to propose marriage to Lin Yuejiao.

"Young Miss, this is terrible! Master Chi is pressuring us. Although the Old Matriarch disapproves of the match, she dare not offend him," Iris rushed in, reporting what she had gathered from the front hall. "He is the younger brother of the Crown Prince's concubine, and he has even asked her to act as a matchmaker. The Lin family cannot afford to refuse such royal connections."

Lin Yuejiao was stunned. "Chi Zixian? The Crown Prince's concubine as a matchmaker?"

In her past life, this had never happened, leaving her completely unprepared.

"Yes, that's what I heard. The Old Matriarch is unwilling, but the Chi family is too powerful," Iris said anxiously. "Young Miss, what are we to do?"

Lin Yuejiao had only met Chi Zixian once at a poetry gathering; she never expected him to come proposing.

"As long as Grandmother does not agree, there is still room to maneuver," Lin Yuejiao said calmly. "Do not worry. Grandmother won't agree so easily. Let's wait for more news."

Lin Yuejiao knew the Old Matriarch's heart better than anyone. The Old Matriarch desperately wanted a daughter from the Lin family to enter the Zhaohuang Academy, gain entry to the capital, and climb the social ladder through high-ranking nobles. The Chi family was wealthy, but the Old Matriarch had high expectations for Lin Yuejiao and hoped she would fly high like a phoenix; she wouldn't settle for a dissolute playboy.

However, the fact that Chi Zixian's sister was a Crown Prince's concubine and had personally acted as a matchmaker placed immense pressure on the Lin family.

Just then, Aunt Qiu arrived. "Fourth Young Miss, the Old Matriarch invites you to the Hall of Bright Propriety to meet some guests."

Even though Chi Zixian had come to propose to her, regardless of whether the Old Matriarch agreed or refused, she shouldn't have been required to appear.

Lin Yuejiao followed Aunt Qiu to the Hall of Bright Propriety. The Old Matriarch sat in the seat of honor, and to her left sat a graceful woman whose clothing and jewelry were of exquisite quality. One look told her she was of noble birth, though her demeanor suggested she was not easy to deal with. Beside her sat Chi Zixian, whom she had met once before.

"So, you are Lin Yuejiao?" Lady Chi, Ran Wanyi, looked at Lin Yuejiao with a critical gaze.

Chi Zixian’s eyes lit up the moment he saw her enter. He smiled, "Mother, this is she. How about that? My taste is quite good, isn't it?"

"As a daughter-in-law for our Chi family, she'll do, I suppose," Ran Wanyi said coldly. She turned to the Old Matriarch. "Old Matriarch, although my standards are high and I'm not entirely satisfied, since my son has taken a liking to her, I have agreed to this match. Here is the marriage contract; sign it."

The betrothal gifts had already been brought. Once signed, the contract would be legally binding, and even before the wedding, Lin Yuejiao would effectively be the Chi family's daughter-in-law.

After performing the proper greetings, Lin Yuejiao stood to the side with a calm expression, remaining silent and decorous despite Ran Wanyi’s rudeness.

The Old Matriarch said politely, "Lady Chi, you misunderstand. It is only right that a junior like Yuejiao should come to pay her respects when you wish to see her. However, I have not agreed to this marriage."

"What? You look down on our Chi family? You think my son is unworthy of your granddaughter?" Ran Wanyi’s expression darkened.

"Lady Chi must understand, Yuejiao has already obtained three upper-tier bamboo plaques. She is the first young lady in Jiangnan to be appreciated by the Prince of Loyalty and Righteousness and is highly likely to enter the Zhaohuang Academy. The prerequisite for the academy's examination is that one must be an unmarried daughter of an official. Once she is married, she cannot take the exam. We would be honored to be allied with the Chi family, but I hope you understand that no young lady in the world would want to give up the chance to take the Zhaohuang exam. I ask for your understanding," the Old Matriarch said carefully.

Ran Wanyi sneered. "Do you mean to say the Lin family refuses to marry into our Chi family?"

"Of course not. Aside from Yuejiao, the Lin family has other daughters. If you are interested in an alliance, perhaps you could consider them?" the Old Matriarch suggested tactfully.

Ran Wanyi scoffed. "Other daughters? You mean to fob me off with those scraps? Old Matriarch, you had better think carefully. This proposal is personally backed by my daughter, the Crown Prince's concubine. Do you dare refuse a noble? You are being incredibly bold."

Ran Wanyi's tone was exceptionally harsh. The Old Matriarch, having seen much of the world, remained inwardly furious but outwardly composed. "It is truly Yuejiao's honor to have a noble act as matchmaker. But a noble's word is not an imperial decree. Refusing it is hardly an act of disobedience, is it, Lady Chi?"

"You!" Ran Wanyi’s face darkened as she sneered. "I never expected the Lin family to be so ungrateful. If it weren't for Zixian's insistence, our family wouldn't even consider a woman like this."

The Old Matriarch replied, "Since you are also dissatisfied, there is no need for us to make things difficult for each other."

"Mother, what are you blathering about?" Chi Zixian glared at Ran Wanyi, then turned his face toward Lin Yuejiao with a fawning smile. "Fourth Miss Lin, I truly like you. Don't listen to my mother's nonsense. If you marry into our Chi family, I promise I won't bully you. I will treat you well. Won't you marry me?"

Upon hearing this, Ran Wanyi felt a headache coming on—how had she given birth to such a fool?