Chapter 28: Unexpected Harvest

  Recalling the past, Shen Jinglun's eyes turned slightly red, her dark pupils staring intently at Lin Xiyue's portrait, as if wanting to relive her every smile and frown through the painting.

  "Grandpa." Wen Zhu called out softly from outside the door.

  Shen Jinglun hastily put the bamboo flute into the brocade box, took a deep breath to suppress the mist in her eyes, stood up and put away the paintings on the frame, before asking in a low voice: "What's the matter?"

  Wen Zhu heard the unusual tone in his master's voice and didn't dare to enter rashly, so he replied in a low voice: "Master, a old servant from the He family has arrived, saying that he is delivering something for his family's aunt."

  "Got it." Shen Jinglun's voice had returned to its usual calmness and indifference.

  Wen Zhuo stiffened his scalp and said, "Grandfather, it's not that I'm ignoring your orders, but getting involved in the He family's affairs is...He looked worriedly at the door and carefully described: "At this moment, that person is inquiring about the wife of the head of the household and the young master."

  After a brief silence, Shen Jinglun opened the door and called in an attendant. Upon learning that Zhang Bo was only probing into the daily life of Da Han Shi and Lin Nuoyan, he asked in a low voice: "How are things at home, are they ready?"

  "The steward replied in a low voice: 'It's tonight.' He paused for a moment, then added: 'Just now, news came from home that Miss He sent her maid to find Zilan again. This time, Zilan has made it clear..."

  "She is indeed loyal and devoted."

  Guan Shi did not dare to accept Shen Jinglun's words and lowered his head, saying: "Master, that person claims to be 'Xie San', could he have something to do with the Yong'an Marquis Manor?"

  Shen Jinglun didn't answer, only reminding Guan Shi that no matter what happened, the top priority was to ensure the safety of his grandmother and Shen Nianxue.

  Guan Shi deeply understood the importance Shen Jinglin attached to his son and didn't dare to slack off. He personally rode a horse back to the Shen's house to guard Shen Nianxue. When he arrived at the Shen's house, Zhang Bo's ox cart had just stopped in front of the He's family gate.

  He was overjoyed to learn that he had returned, and hastily invited him into the house, asking: "Are Auntie and Cousin all right?" As soon as the words fell, he hurriedly added: "And where is Aunt? Is she getting used to living with Zhang Shu at Qing Song Guan?"

  Zhang Bo, after being beaten by He Huan, did not dare to be slow again and respectfully replied: "Back to the young lady, Auntie is doing well, but she said that the food at the nunnery is very plain. Also, she asked me to tell you, young lady, if there's anything going on at home, you can send someone to deliver a message to her."

  What joy can be put aside, yet in her heart it's all clear. Thinking back to the last time Shen Jinglun personally helped Wei read a letter, making Wei feel that this method could get close to him. She didn't think about it either, the young maids and servants of the Shen family, who had the qualifications to appear in front of their masters, which one couldn't recognize characters or recite a few poems? If they repeatedly reminded Shen Jinglun, wouldn't the He family not even have someone who could recognize characters, making him look down on them even more?

  Zhang Bo saw that the master was not speaking, so he continued: "Young Miss, I originally wanted to kowtow and pay my respects to Madame Lin, but the people in the courtyard said that the small courtyard where Madame Lin and Young Master Shen live is taken care of by the servants of the Shen family, and even their food and tea are prepared by the Shen family."

  "So, Auntie's words 'eat lightly' have a hidden meaning?" He Huan smiled lightly. In her opinion, the various things in Qing Song Guan were indeed Shen Jinglin's style of doing things. With him around, she didn't need to worry about her mother and brother's safety at all.

  He Huan asked a few more trivial matters about the Qing Song Temple, and just as he was about to order Zhang Bo to withdraw, he suddenly said: "Eldest Miss, there is one thing that I don't know whether I should say or not."

  "Just say it directly."

  Zhang Bo thought for a moment and stated in a light tone, "Before Xiao left Qing Song Guan, my wife told me that she saw someone leaving Auntie Lao's room that morning. She was curious and followed to take a look. Although it was just a back view, she felt the person looked like Lan Mama beside Third Madam."

  He Huan naturally remembered Lan Mama, who was Zou Shi's dowry and also her trusted advisor. At the beginning, the real He Huan had not suffered less from her secret grievances, and even Xiao Han Shi had been made to wipe away tears in the house by Lan Mama several times. Why did she go to Qing Song Guan to see Wei Shi?

  Thinking of the two paintings in He Bo Hai's study, He Huan felt a chill in her heart. However, no matter how hard she tried to recall, she couldn't find any connection between Lan Mama and Wei Shi. She could only ask Zhang Bo: "Zhang Bo, I've always been puzzled - three years ago when the family split up, was it just Third Uncle who moved out on his own, or did the entire household of Da Fu, Er Fang, and San Fang completely separate?" According to Cao Shi's words, Er Fang didn't get anything in the split, but San Fang got two very profitable shops, as well as a portion of the land.

  "Go back to Miss, at that time the old master had just passed away, and I was busy with the funeral. As for how the division of the family property went, I'm not clear about it. I only heard Old Lady Ji say that Miss showed sympathy for Third Young Master's youth and Second Madam's poor health, so apart from the white peony and the things left behind by the late Second Madam, everything else was given to Third Young Master."

  When she heard this, He Huan furrowed her brow slightly and bowed her head in thought. In her memory, there was indeed a true He Huan who had cried and begged others not to move the dowry of her birth mother, and also begged Wei Shi not to sell the white peony. However, she did not remember saying that she would give all the property originally belonging to the second house to the first house. In fact, she didn't even know what assets the He family had, how much land they had, or how much silver they had exchanged after selling them.

  He Huan secretly resented the fact that He Huan was not in charge, and asked Zhang Bo again: "Didn't Eldest Maternal Aunt ever ask Auntie why she gave the two shops that were the only source of income for the family to Third Uncle?"

  "Back to the young lady, after the old man passed away, the old lady fell ill and was bedridden for more than half a year. It was Cao's wife who was initially very dissatisfied and had an argument with Old Lady Ji."

  Zhang Bo's words made He Huan even more puzzled. On that day, she and Cao Shi went to find He Bai Hai. From Cao Shi's tone, she didn't know the inside story of the division of the family property and was very dissatisfied with the many benefits the third house had obtained. Three years ago, how did Wei Shi make Cao Shi shut up? Cao Shi wasn't the real He Huan, and even if she suffered a loss, she didn't dare speak out. Apart from this, it's also the most important point that He Bai Hai is not Wei Shi's biological child. She had always been excluding the third house, so why was she so "generous" when dividing the family property?

  He Huan was almost certain that the so-called "division of property" must have hidden tricks. If she hadn't seen those two paintings in He Baihai's study, she would have immediately asked Wei to return home and everyone would have discussed the details of the division clearly face-to-face. Now, her top priority is to figure out the origin of those two paintings.

  Following her temper, she wanted to go to He Bo Hai's house and confront him, after all Tang An was a rebel, if things didn't go well the entire He family would be implicated. However, Shen Jing Lin had taught her that no matter what happened, she must first understand the situation before thinking of a solution to strike at once. Last time at He Bo Hai's house, she had already startled the snake in the grass, this time she absolutely could not act impulsively.

  He Huan sat at the table, pondering the recent events. She had impulsively sent Xie San to prison, only to be met with surveillance by the guards. Although it was true that Xie San had extorted them and she had prepared evidence, Lin Zhen's attitude made her dare not hope for a favorable outcome.

  Who is Xie San after all?

  He Huan was guessing the identity of Xie San at the same time, Xie San was having a drink with County Magistrate Yue in the backyard of the county government office. County Magistrate Lv held his wine cup and secretly glared at Lin, who was standing behind him, and smiled at Xie San: "Xie Captain, we didn't recognize you and almost messed up your big deal, I'll punish myself with three cups!" After that, he downed the white wine in one gulp and reached out to grab the wine jug.

  "Lord Lü." Xie San grasped Lord Lü's hand, picked up the wine jug and refilled his cup. He said seriously: "Lin Zuo is just doing his duty, what fault does he have? It's me who should have reported the case to Lord Lü earlier..."

  "Thank you, Captain. Please don't say that." Magistrate Lü's face was filled with anxiety. Although both Lin and Xie were addressed as "Captain", there were differences among them. In front of Xie San, a six-flapped door golden plaque catcher, Lin Captain was nothing, let alone him, a dignified imperial official, a serious scholar, who had to fawn on him, not to mention that he also shared the same surname Xie.

  As soon as he thought of the Marquis of Yong'an, Prefect Lyu's smile became even more fawning. He wanted to ask Xie San if he had any connections with the Marquis of Yong'an's household, but his words turned over in his stomach three times before he finally didn't dare speak up.

  Xie San saw Lu County Magistrate wanting to speak but stopping, a faint smile flashed at the corner of his mouth, and he took the initiative to open his mouth: "Lu Sir, to be honest, I haven't revealed my identity to Lin Huo in He's house, because I have an unreasonable request."

  Phoenix's new book "Noble Girl Picking Up Dad", book number 3099923, crossed over to become the unmarried daughter-in-law of a noble family. However, her noble stepmother and future mother-in-law, Empress Dowager, viewed her as a thorn in their side, determined to eliminate her to pave the way for their beloved son's future sister-in-law. No worries, though - the future Marquis is actually her loving father from her past life! With her dad protecting her, watch how she overcomes all obstacles and creates a lifetime of good fortune. In this era of picking up dads, palace struggles are also leisurely.