Chapter 175: Employing People

Chapter 175: Employing People

"If you can’t write, just stay put and behave!"

Zheng was just making a casual remark, knowing her stepdaughter couldn’t produce a poem and secretly smirking.

It was not her fault as a stepmother for not giving the opportunity; it was her stepdaughter’s lack of skill.

Looking at her own daughter, busily collaborating with the girls from Zhao's mansion on poetry, she was extremely pleased.

"Indeed, my daughter..."

Naturally outstanding!

Little did she know, Lin Yunjiao was having a hard time.

Her mother had pushed her to compose poetry in front of Lady Zhao, hoping to impress and later be mentioned to the prince. Although she complied, she was truly vexed.

"Why is this so difficult!"

Lin Yunjiao wanted to throw a fit, but a maid persuaded her, "Second Miss, this is Zhao's mansion. Please don’t throw your brush."

So, she silently picked up her brush again.

Muttering, "Father should have just talked directly to Lord Zhao and Lady Zhao..."

"Lady Zhao has seen me and knows I'm unmarried."

"Why do I have to compete in poetry and verses with these people?"

So troublesome!

After half-heartedly writing a poem and enduring until the banquet ended, Lin Yunjiao burst into tears as soon as she got into the carriage, "I don't ever want to come here again!"

"What’s wrong, Jiao'er?"

Lin Yunjiao angrily said, "Prince, prince, prince, how many times did I hear about the prince and not even see him once!"

"If it’s not this madam, it’s that grandma; I'm tired of bowing. And today, I even had to write poetry, which I hate the most!"

Zheng said, "But you did quite well."

Lin Yunjiao gritted her teeth, "If it happens again, I’ll bash my head in!"

Though her words were spoken in anger, Lin Yunjiao truly felt upset.

Zheng's face darkened, wanting to scold her daughter for being unambitious, yet worried about upsetting her further, she consoled, "Alright, alright, we won't come next time."

Still, she couldn't help but sigh, "Behaving like this, how will you marry a prince?"

Lin Yunjiao, too tired to respond, thought if marrying a prince was this troublesome, she didn’t want it.

When the carriage reached the Lin mansion, both mother and daughter fell silent until they returned to their inner courtyard, where Lin Yunjiao quickly retreated to her own quarters to rest.

"Help me up, I want to go out for a stroll."

Unable to sleep, Lin Yunjiao dressed and asked, "Lin Yunwan didn’t go to see the old madam, did she?"

Bored, she wanted to visit her legitimate sister.

No matter the reason, she felt compelled to find her.

The maid assisting her said, "This servant doesn't know."

Lin Yunjiao then headed out towards Bixi Hall and unexpectedly encountered Wen Hai.

This time he didn’t run, looking like he had just left her father’s study, covering his chest and mumbling to himself.

"Hey… Wen… cousin."

Lin Yunjiao called out to him.

Wen Hai turned, his eyes widening. He thought of running, but remembering Lin Yunjiao’s words, he dared not and awkwardly approached, bowing, "Cousin."

Lin Yunjiao eyed something in his arms, asking, "What are you hiding?"

Wen Hai furrowed his brow.

This second miss, so bold in speaking to a man! He had heard that ladies of good families are never so daring.

But being timid, he looked down and stammered, "No, nothing."

It was his article, given to his uncle for feedback. His uncle, outwardly gentle, criticized the article as completely flawed.

"I saw it, bring it out for me to see."

Lin Yunjiao reached out to take it.

Wen Hai, clutching his chest, refused to hand it over.

Lin Yunjiao then teased him, "You're just too ashamed to show it because it's poorly written, right?"

Wen Hai glared at her, retorting in embarrassment and annoyance, "It's very well written! I just don't want to show it to you!"

Unable to contain his frustration, he stepped on her foot and ran off.

That second miss, her words are too harsh.

Lin Yunjiao was stunned.

"He stepped on me! He actually dared to step on me!"

Wen Hai resolved never to return to the back courtyard again, not wanting to be threatened by the second miss with scissors anymore.

The next day, when Lin Yunwan went to pay her respects to Zheng, she unexpectedly met Lin Yunjiao, who had arrived even earlier than her.

"Madam."

Lin Yunwan curtsied, and Wen's mother, still sitting nearby, watched her with a smile and said, "I heard the eldest miss is very good at embroidery. I have a pattern that I'm not satisfied with. Would you mind helping me with it?"

Wen's mother had already taken out the pattern.

Lin Yunwan: "..."

Was Wen's mother trying to please her? Why was she asking for help? Who was courting favor with whom?

She declined directly, "Fan Mama has left me with homework to do. Aunt Wen, I'm afraid I can’t help you today."

Wen's mother's face stiffened as she looked at Lin Yunwan's wrist, asking, "Why aren’t you wearing the gold bracelet I gave you? Don't you like it?"

Lin Yunwan smiled lightly, "It got deformed, it's inconvenient to wear now."

Wen's mother's expression soured.

Lin Yunjiao even chimed in, "Exactly, it’s so light. How can it be worn?"

Wen's mother: "..."

Zheng glared at her daughter, initially pleased she came to pay respects but now frustrated by her tactlessness.

She pinched Lin Yunjiao secretly, scolding, "It was your aunt's kind gesture. How can you speak to your aunt like that?"

Lin Yunjiao was dissatisfied, thinking, 'What aunt? Just a fallen family.'

She didn’t respect such relatives.

"Madam, the young master has come to pay his respects."

Lin Yunjiao's eyes lit up instantly, losing interest in making sarcastic remarks.

Zheng happily said, "Quickly invite him in."

Wen Hai entered with his head down, always avoiding looking at the women of the Lin mansion.

Especially upon hearing the second miss's voice, he felt like leaving, but feared his mother’s scolding.

"Mother, Aunt Lin."

"We're all family, Wen Hai, come and sit down!"

Wen Hai still chose to sit at a lower position near Zheng, opposite Lin Yunwan and Lin Yunjiao, not daring to raise his head, just staring at his toes.

Lin Yunwan stood up and said, "Madam..."

She didn't want to stay; Zheng and Lin Huabin couldn't force her to be with Wen Hai.

Zheng, not wanting her to leave, interrupted, "You’ve been studying with Fan Mama for days, but no one has taught you about managing household affairs. Don't be in a hurry to leave, learn some household management here."

Wen's mother added, "Having a stepmother like you is not easy. Yunwan—this is your good fortune!"

Zheng smiled contentedly.

She loved hearing such remarks, hoping they would spread widely, to silence those who spoke ill of her.

Lin Yunwan inwardly laughed at the farce, thinking even the worst theatre troupe couldn’t produce such a poorly acted play.

She didn’t expose the pretense and smoothly said, "I’ve heard from the old madam and Fan Mama that the most important aspect of managing a household is employing the right people. I want to select a capable maid to assist me in the mansion."

Zheng had dismissed all the usable maids and servants from Bixi Hall.

Moreover, Lin Yunwan wanted to find a maid with influence, one who could extend her reach outside, even to Miss Lin’s maternal family, the Su clan.

Zheng’s face stiffened, "You're learning to manage people now? It's too early for that."

She hadn’t expected this stepdaughter to have such big plans!

Planning to meddle in the domestic affairs of the Lin mansion so soon, how ambitious.

Lin Yunjiao was uninterested in these matters; she just wondered why Wen Hai was sitting here.

Yet, she saw the fool only daring to stare at his own toes.

"What's so interesting about that..."

She muttered.