Chapter 246: The Visit

Chapter 246: The Visit

"Who are you?"

Lin Yunjiao was at home taking care of her child when a well-dressed, unfamiliar woman came knocking. Hearing from the maid about the visitor's appearance, she decided to greet her personally.

Ge Baoer smiled and had someone hand over her calling card.

The place was modest, even emitting an unpleasant odor, reminiscent of the rural house where she lived as a child.

She covered her nose with a handkerchief.

Lin Yunjiao didn't even take the card, merely glancing at it and spotting the words "Marquis of Wuding's Mansion," which secretly excited her.

"Please, come in and talk."

She was also very curious about the secret of her princess sister's identity, and now that someone had come to tell her, she naturally opened the door.

"Thank you, Madam."

Ge Baoer followed Lin Yunjiao inside. The small residence had a courtyard just beyond the screen wall, with the main hall and side rooms closely packed together, lacking even a veranda, and was very narrow.

It had been many years since she had been in such a small residence.

Ge Baoer was quite unaccustomed to it.

Lin Yunjiao was also unaccustomed, but since coming to the capital, it was different from Jiang Qian, where she could occasionally return to the Lin family home.

She too had been a pampered and privileged daughter, and she instantly understood Ge Baoer's thoughts.

"I don’t have tea to offer you. Please sit, and speak your mind."

Lin Yunjiao was straightforward. She sat down first, pouring herself some tea.

Ge Baoer stood for a while, still not sitting.

She hadn't expected Lin Yunwan's supposed sister to be like this, not easy to get along with at all!

Lin Yunjiao naturally wouldn't drink the Lin family's tea, but her not offering it to Ge Baoer was another matter.

"This is—Madam Wen, I am the one in charge of the household at the Marquis of Wuding's Mansion."

Most people would assume she was a younger daughter-in-law, not realizing she was actually an aunt.

Ge Baoer often introduced herself in this manner.

Lin Yunjiao was not one to be easily intimidated. She glanced at Ge Baoer and, noticing the silk flowers in her hair, scoffed with disdain, "The aunt in charge of the household?"

Ge Baoer's face darkened, asking, "Aren't you a foreigner, Madam Wen?"

How could she know about the affairs of the Marquis of Wuding's Mansion?

Lin Yunjiao curled her lips, "I may be from out of town, but I'm not blind. Your demeanor reminds me of one of my father's aunts."

It was that Aunt Man who showed her true colors after her mother was sent away to the countryside.

"The aunts in the Lu family are far inferior to the ones in our family."

At least Aunt Man managed to maintain a serious facade, but this woman in front of her didn’t even try, only flaunting her wealth and luxury.

At her core, she still had the air of a petty household.

Ge Baoer's face turned sour.

How dare a mere countrywoman speak to her in such a manner!

Before Ge Baoer could say anything, Lin Yunjiao had already finished a cup of tea and asked impatiently, "You came to me for something today, right? What is it? Speak up quickly."

Although she was curious about Lin Yunwan's affairs, she had no intention of catering to others.

She had had enough of pandering to her mother-in-law and Aunt Man!

Ge Baoer's expression softened considerably.

She had important business to attend to and shouldn't be dwelling on trivial matters.

"Madam Wen."

Ge Baoer sat down and explained her purpose.

"As long as you are willing to identify the Princess Consort of Prince Huan, these silver notes are just a small token of my gratitude."

She took out five hundred taels of silver and placed them in front of Lin Yunjiao.

A woman who had never seen such money, living in such a cramped rented house in the capital, would surely be tempted.

But Lin Yunjiao was not such a woman.

She picked up the five hundred taels, counted them, and said with a smile, "Five hundred taels, huh."

Ge Baoer felt very pleased with herself.

No matter how arrogant, she thought, everyone bows down to silver.

Lin Yunjiao threw the silver notes back and chuckled, "Do you think I'm a fool? Five hundred taels to identify the Princess Consort of Prince Huan? You should find out about the Lin family's status in Jiang Qian! When I was in my boudoir, just three pieces of jewelry were worth five thousand taels!"

"This little money to buy the life of the entire Lin family? Who would care for that!"

She rolled her eyes.

Before her marriage, her parents would never allow such an expression, but after living with her mother-in-law for so long, rolling her eyes had become second nature, far from a demure lady.

Ge Baoer felt embarrassed, unable to maintain her composure.

But she had come prepared and immediately seized on a loophole in Lin Yunjiao's words.

"If five hundred taels aren't enough to make you identify her, then how much will?"

Lin Yunjiao's implication was that the amount was insufficient, not that it was impossible.

It seems there really is something suspicious about Lin Yunwan's background!

Ge Baoer was somewhat excited, feeling as if she was about to grasp Lin Yunwan's weak point.

Lin Yunjiao was also taken aback, not expecting to have slipped up in her speech.

But she had never intended to defend her so-called sister, who she believed was responsible for her mother's plight, even though her mother was also at fault.

"Don’t expect me to identify her. I'm telling you, no one from our Lin family would ever identify the Princess Consort of Prince Huan."

"Open your eyes wide, auntie, and see who she is now – the Princess Consort of Prince Huan – each word weighs a ton!"

The status of the Princess Consort of Prince Huan was immensely significant!

Ge Baoer was running out of options.

If money couldn't sway the other party...

She quickly said, "Madam Wen, you came to the capital but didn’t seek out your own sister, the Princess Consort of Prince Huan. It seems you aren’t very close to her..."

Lin Yunjiao sneered, "She and I share the same father but different mothers, and her mother and my mother were not on good terms. Of course, we're not close."

She wouldn't divulge her family's private affairs to an outsider.

Ge Baoer was secretly delighted. She had hit the mark.

Regardless of the reasons for their lack of closeness, it was enough for her that there was animosity between the sisters.

"Since you allowed me in, you must be willing to help me, right?"

Ge Bao'er continued holding the silver, saying, "As long as you can help me, I will still give you the silver."

Lin Yun Jiao didn’t even look at the silver, stating, "I’ll say it again, I won’t help you identify anyone. But I can tell you..."

Ge Bao'er listened intently.

Lin Yun Jiao spoke a few words to her, then said, "Go and investigate yourself. If you find out, that's your skill."

Ge Bao'er, excited by what she heard, quickly stood up and said, "Thank you."

She left behind an 800-tael banknote.

Lin Yun Jiao rolled up the banknote, tucked it into her purse, and said to her maid, "Go to Prince Huan's mansion."

Lin Yun Wan was handling affairs in the inner house. Hearing that Lin Yun Jiao had arrived, she was somewhat surprised and told Cui Qin, "Bring her here."

She also instructed another maid, "Prepare some snacks the children love, and gifts for the two kids."

"Yes."

Two quarters of an hour later, Lin Yunjiao finally made her way to Lin Yunwan's residence.

Upon entering, she exclaimed, "This prince's mansion is so large, even larger than the Lin family's. I thought the homes in the capital would be smaller due to the abundance of wealthy people."

"It's the same everywhere."

People of high status never shortchange themselves.

Lin Yunwan smiled lightly, "Please, have a seat."

Lin Yunjiao took out the banknote hidden in her waistband, slapped it on the table, and said, "Let's be clear, I don't owe you anything. This is from the Wuding Marquis House, and I haven't spent a penny of it."

Turning her face away petulantly, she added, "If it weren't for this matter, I wouldn't have come to your house."

Lin Yunwan softly suggested, "Have some tea."

Cui Qin served the tea, smiling, "Second Aunt, please enjoy the tea."