xymnovel Chapter 5 A Plot Unfolds
Chapter 5 A Plot Unfolds
As the three approached, Lin Wu stopped a passerby: "Brother, what's going on?"
A passerby whispered, "It's someone from the Wang family. The old man was selling wood carvings at a roadside stall when the Wang family's carriage passed by. The horse got spooked, and the young master of the Wang family said that the old man had startled the horse and ordered his men to attack him."
"The Wang family? Which Wang family?"
"Who else could it be but the Wang family, the Minister of Rites! The one who did the beating was Wang Sheng, the third young master of the Wang family, a notorious bully!"
Lin Chen's eyes turned cold.
What a coincidence! We were just talking about the Wang family when we ran into them.
He pushed through the crowd and declared loudly, "To commit murder in broad daylight, what a show of power!"
The servants who were beating the man stopped and turned around.
A young man in brocade robes stood there, fanning himself, with two attendants behind him.
"Who are you? How dare you interfere in the Wang family's affairs!" one of the servants said arrogantly.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and a slick-haired young man peeked out:
"Who's the blind fool... Oh, who do we have here? It's Young Master Lin the Eighth!"
It was Wang Sheng.
In Lin Chen's memory, the original owner had a grudge against Wang Sheng.
Last year, when competing for the title of courtesan at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, Wang Sheng was humiliated by the original owner's silver.
"Young Master Wang, long time no see." Lin Chen said with a forced smile, "You haven't given up your habit of hitting people, have you?"
Wang Sheng jumped off the carriage and sneered:
"Lin Chen, mind your own business! This old bastard startled my horse; beating him is too lenient!"
Lin Chen glanced at the dying old man on the ground, then at the scattered wooden carvings.
The carvings depict small animals; the craftsmanship is rough, but the artist puts a lot of heart into them.
"Did the horse get startled?" He walked to the carriage, where the horse was leisurely eating hay, showing no signs of being startled.
"Young Master Wang, your horse looks quite docile," Lin Chen said, patting the horse's neck.
Wang Sheng's face darkened: "Lin Chen, are you determined to oppose me?"
"It's not about opposing them." Lin Chen turned to Lin Wu and said, "Help the old man up and take him to the clinic."
"yes!"
Lin Wu stepped forward to help the man, but the Wang family servants tried to stop him, only to be stopped by a glare from Lin Wen.
Wang Sheng's face turned ashen with anger: "Lin Chen! Do you really think you're still the legitimate son of the Duke's mansion?"
"Everyone in the capital knows what your Lin family is like now! My father is the Minister of Rites, do you dare offend me?"
Lin Chen laughed: "Young Master Wang, your father is the Minister of Rites. What does that have to do with you beating up commoners in the street?"
"What, does the son of a high-ranking official have the right to act with impunity?"
"You!" Wang Sheng pointed at Lin Chen, "Fine! Very well! Lin Chen, you just wait!"
"I'm waiting." Lin Chen's smile vanished, his eyes turning icy. "But before that, shouldn't you pay this old man's medical expenses?"
"Losing money? Dream on!"
"It's fine if I don't have to pay," Lin Chen said slowly.
"Then I'll have to make a trip to the Jingzhao Yin's office. Perfect timing, I'm quite free lately, I can keep Young Master Wang company for a while."
I've heard that Magistrate Zhang of the Capital Prefecture detests spoiled brats who bully others.
Wang Sheng's expression changed.
Although his father was the Minister of Rites, Zhang Zhengqing, the Prefect of the Capital, was known for his incorruptibility and was also a protégé of the Grand Tutor. He might not necessarily give his father any face.
More importantly, he was in the wrong in this matter to begin with, and making a big fuss would not do him any good.
"Hmph!" Wang Sheng pulled a silver ingot from his pocket and threw it on the ground. "Give him a reward! Let's go!"
After saying that, he climbed into the carriage and slunk away with his servants.
Lin Chen picked up the silver and walked up to the old man.
Lin Wen had already given the old man some basic treatment, and he was able to stand up with difficulty.
"Thank you, young master, thank you, young master..." The old man trembled as he tried to kneel down.
Lin Chen helped him up, saying, "Old man, there's no need for such formalities. Take this money and go to the clinic for a proper checkup."
"How...how can this be...?"
"Take it." Lin Chen stuffed the silver into his hand, then looked at the wood carvings. "I'll take all of these. How much?"
The old man waved his hands repeatedly: "Young master, you saved my life. These little trinkets are worthless. Take them if you like..."
Lin Chen smiled and took out another ten taels of silver:
"Then consider it a purchase. Lin Wu, help the old man pack up and take him to the clinic."
"yes!"
As Lin Wu helped the old man away, passersby began to murmur among themselves:
"This young master Lin isn't as bad as the rumors say..."
"Yes, those words just now left Young Master Wang speechless!"
"The upbringing of the Duke of Zhenguo's family is, after all, still quite good..."
Lin Chen listened to these discussions and chuckled inwardly.
Today's events turned out to be an unexpected success.
Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly heard a clear voice: "Uncle Ba!"
Lin Chen turned around and saw his third sister-in-law, Qin Shuyan, holding Lin Nian'er's hand, standing not far away.
Qin Shuyan wore a light blue dress today, looking elegant and dignified.
Lin Nian'er was wearing a pink jacket and had two pigtails, looking extremely cute.
"Third Sister-in-law? Nian'er?" Lin Chen walked over. "What are you doing here?"
Qin Shuyan looked at him with a complicated expression:
"I brought Nian'er out to buy some paper and pens, and that's when I saw what just happened."
Lin Nian'er tilted her head back, her eyes sparkling: "Uncle Ba is so amazing! He chased away the bad guys!"
Lin Chen squatted down and pinched her little face: "Nian'er, be good. Uncle Ba was just being reasonable, he didn't fight."
"But Uncle Ba looks so imposing standing there!" Lin Nian'er said, pulling a small wooden carving from her bosom. "Uncle Ba, this is for you!"
It was a small wooden rabbit carving, the carving was a bit clumsy, but very cute.
"Did Nian'er carve this herself?" Lin Chen asked in surprise.
"Yes!" Lin Nian'er nodded vigorously, "I learned it from that old man! Uncle Ba, do you like it?"
"I love it, I love it so much!" Lin Chen took the wooden carving and carefully put it into his pocket.
"This is the best gift Uncle Ba has ever received."
Qin Shuyan watched this scene with a gentle look in her eyes.
She originally had a very bad impression of Lin Chen.
He was a dissolute playboy who did not pursue any proper career.
But what she saw today changed her perspective considerably.
To be able to argue with a bully like Wang Sheng in the street requires not only courage, but also wisdom.
His tenderness towards Nian'er didn't seem fake either.
"Eighth Brother," Qin Shuyan said softly, "thank you for what happened earlier."
"You're too kind, Third Sister-in-law." Lin Chen stood up. "I just saw injustice on the road."
Qin Shuyan hesitated for a moment, then asked, "I heard you went to the Li family today to break off the engagement?"
Lin Chen raised an eyebrow: "Third sister-in-law is really well-informed."
"It's all over the place." Qin Shuyan looked at him. "Are you... alright?"
Lin Chen laughed: "What could possibly happen to me? I'll eat and drink as usual, and life will go on as normal."
Qin Shuyan nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
The three of them walked back together. Lin Nian'er held Qin Shuyan's hand in one hand and Lin Chen's hand in the other, skipping and jumping around, extremely happy.
As they approached the Duke's mansion, Qin Shuyan suddenly whispered:
"Eighth brother, the Li family's annulment of the engagement is likely not simple. Be careful."
Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat: "What does Third Sister-in-law know?"
Qin Shuyan shook her head: "I don't know the specifics. But when I checked the accounts recently, I found that several payments were unaccounted for, and they seem to be related to the Li family."
Lin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly: "Thank you for the reminder, Third Sister-in-law."
It seems the Li family has more to do than he expected.
Upon returning to the manor, Lin Chen first took Lin Nian'er back to his sister-in-law's place, and then returned to his own courtyard.
He closed the door and summoned Yuan Tiangang.
"My lord," Yuan Tiangang appeared silently.
"Has the connection between Li Chongming and the Second Prince been investigated?" Lin Chen asked.
"Preliminary findings have been made." Yuan Tiangang handed over a confidential report.
"Li Chongming has transferred more than 50,000 taels of silver to the Second Prince's residence in the past three months, of which 20,000 taels were spirit stones exchanged on the black market."
In addition, he secretly helped the Second Prince acquire three mines in the west of the city, using funds allocated by the Ministry of Revenue for "water conservancy repairs."
Lin Chen quickly glanced at the secret report and sneered:
"Embezzling public funds and enriching himself, Li Chongming is quite audacious."
"There's one more thing," Yuan Tiangang said.
"Three days ago, Li Chongming secretly met with Liu Kun, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War. The content of the conversation is unknown, but Liu Kun had served as the quartermaster of the Northern Border three years ago."
Lin Chen's eyes sharpened: "The Northern Border?"
"Exactly." Yuan Tiangang nodded. "I have already sent people to investigate Liu Kun thoroughly, and I believe we will have results soon."
"Very good." Lin Chen pondered for a moment.
"Also, help me investigate the Wang family, the Minister of Rites, especially Wang Yun and Wang Sheng."
And that old man selling wood carvings today, check his background too. I just feel like today's events are too coincidental.
"Understood."
After Yuan Tiangang left, Lin Chen sat at the table, playing with the small wooden carving that Lin Nian'er had given him.
Today’s series of events may seem accidental, but there may be a connection behind them.
The Li family broke off the engagement, the Wang family committed murder in the street, the third sister-in-law reminded them of the accounting issues, and Yuan Tiangang discovered clues about the northern border...
"The waters of this capital city run deeper than I thought," Lin Chen muttered to himself.
However, he likes it.
It's the challenges that make things interesting.
Just then, a maid's voice came from outside the door: "Eighth Master, Fifth Madam requests your presence at the accounting office, saying she has something to discuss."
Fifth Sister-in-law Wen Ruoxi?
Lin Chen stood up: "I understand, I'll go right away."
Looks like today isn't over yet.