Chapter One Hundred Three: Unraveling

Chapter 103: Unraveling the Threads

The jewelry set, after Lin Qiuran brought it back, she had her maid inquire about it at a jewelry shop. It was made of gold cat's eye chrysoberyl, inherently precious, and a complete set was even rarer. Having no occasion to wear such elaborate jewelry, she placed it in her private collection.

Lin Qiuran now recalled it and wished to take it out for a closer look.

She had always enjoyed jewelry and often purchased pieces for herself. However, the first set she acquired after arriving here was the gold bracelet and earrings unearthed from the vegetable garden in their old home in Xiaojia Village. Later, to buy a house, she sold them, along with the box they came in, for thirty-seven taels of silver.

At the time, Lin Qiuran believed Sun Shi had buried them, but that wasn't the case. Later, she reasoned that since they were dug from their own land, and no one in the village had claimed them after such a long time, she sold them. Sun Shi even told her they could buy them back when they had more money.

That New Year, Lin Qiuran bought gold bracelets and other jewelry. Subsequently, she would add to her collection during festivals or whenever she found something she liked. Now, her jewelry box contained numerous pieces—gold, silver, and jade. As for the set she sold out of necessity, she never gave it much thought; even after she had money, she never considered redeeming it.

Upon closer reflection, the gold bracelets sold in Yu'an’s jewelry shops were priced based on the gold value plus craftsmanship fees. Yet that set, along with its box, had fetched such a high price, implying its intrinsic value must have been several times higher. The pawnshop wasn't foolish; they wouldn’t make a loss on a deal.

Why would such valuable items appear in a village?

Lin Qiuran had some thoughts stirring in her mind, but they remained elusive. She wanted to examine the jewelry Lady Qin had given her, hoping it might reveal something.

Lin Xia went to fetch the items while Lin Qiuran waited indoors, sipping tea.

The daylight outside was pleasant. If it weren't still the twelfth month, she could have gone out to enjoy the scenery. Of course, some were undeterred by cold or fatigue—Tangyuan and Xiao Xun had gone to the new house today. She had used the carriage, so she wondered if the father and son were cold on their journey.

Tangyuan was very attached to Xiao Xun. The child was lively and active, and Xiao Xun was skilled in martial arts. Especially having just met his son, he couldn't help but indulge him, so Tangyuan naturally adored him.

With someone looking after the child, Lin Qiuran felt much lighter.

Soon, Lin Xia brought the box over. That day, Lin Qiuran had only glanced at it a few times. After all, she had her own jewelry, and even though the set was valuable, she didn't find it remarkable enough to gaze at daily.

Lin Qiuran didn’t rush to open it. Instead, she placed the box on the table and first examined its exterior. Looking at it now, she found it increasingly elegant and dignified. It was carved with intricate openwork patterns and made of excellent material. Held against the daylight from the window, gold patterns could be seen woven into its surface, shimmering brightly.

Lin Qiuran recalled that the box had patterns back then too, but she never imagined the box itself might be valuable, so she had never examined it closely.

These patterns felt somewhat familiar to her, though she couldn’t clearly remember what the previous box looked like. She only knew it had gold on it, which was why it was expensive.

If it truly was a similar box, and if her suspicions were correct… then Lady Qin’s inexplicable favoritism, the old marquis’s fondness for Tangyuan, Lady Qin’s repeated mentions of Xiao Xun, and her inquiries about the Xiao family would all make sense.

Looking at each incident individually, they seemed unrelated, but connected together, they formed a coherent picture.

Lin Qiuran opened the box again and examined each piece of jewelry inside, but found nothing unusual.

After carefully placing the jewelry back, she closed the box and studied the exterior once more. On one hand, she found it unbelievable, while on the other, she wondered if she was overthinking things. How could such a thing be possible? But if it weren’t for this reason, why would Lady Qin show her such special treatment? From her early days in the capital until now, without Lady Qin’s help, Lin Qiuran didn’t know how many detours she would have taken.

When Lin Qiuran first arrived in this world, she only knew of Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi. They had separated from the main family, and she knew little else. She was pregnant at the time and lived with Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi. Later, Xiao Xun returned, and she occasionally felt he was quite handsome, not very similar to Sun Shi or Xiao Dashi.

He really didn’t resemble them much, but to suspect Xiao Xun wasn’t their biological child based solely on that seemed inappropriate.

Lin Qiuran gently rubbed the box. If he truly wasn’t their biological child, then Lady Qin’s cautious yet eager demeanor might suggest Xiao Xun was a relative from the Marquis of Anyang’s household.

In these noble families, children were protected like precious jewels. If a child went missing, they would have launched a widespread search long ago, not cautiously tiptoeing around the way Lady Qin did, looking as if she wanted to ask but didn’t dare.

If it wasn’t a case of a lost child, then it was likely something had happened back then, forcing them to send the child away. Otherwise, why would they hesitate to search for him? And who would choose to live in a place like Xiaojia Village over the capital?

If Xiao Xun hadn’t joined the army and achieved merits, Lin Qiuran would probably have gone to Xuzhou first instead of coming to the capital.

Lin Qiuran closed the box again. These were all baseless speculations. Perhaps it was just as Lady Qin said—she and Tangyuan simply appealed to the older woman.

Lin Qiuran glanced down at the box, then averted her gaze. She had Tangyuan, and now Xiao Xun had been ennobled. Their life was stable and fulfilling. Soon, Tangyuan would start school, and the Golden Tripod Restaurant had opened in the capital… Everything was thriving.

She shouldn’t meddle in these matters. Whether her suspicions were true or not, it was better to pretend she knew nothing.

Lin Qiuran shut the box. "Lin Xia, take this back to the storeroom."

Lin Xia nodded and had just picked up the box when Lin Qiuran added, "Never mind, just leave it on the dressing table for now. It might come in handy later."

After a moment's thought, Lin Qiuran stood up, threw on her cloak, and headed to Longevity Hall.

The sunlight was warm, and Sun Shi was sitting by the window embroidering, humming a tune unique to Yu'an. A charcoal brazier sat not far from her feet, and the stove was lit, making the room cozy and warm.

Sun Shi wore underclothes with a quilted vest over them, sitting cross-legged in a relaxed posture.

Seeing Lin Qiuran arrive, Sun Shi smiled and said, "Come have a seat. What do you think of this embroidery pattern? I saw someone wearing something like it and tried to copy it. Since you go out often, you should have more clothes made."

Lin Qiuran leaned in for a closer look and noticed the wrinkles on Sun Shi’s face, along with a few small age spots. Over the years, Sun Shi hadn’t changed much—she had gained a little weight and looked somewhat younger, though age spots were appearing, as they do with time.

Her hair showed streaks of gray, and she kept it simple at home, styled with a white jade hairpin and a headband adorned with agate, giving her a dignified look.

Lin Qiuran sighed inwardly. "It looks lovely, but you should take care of your eyes and not embroider for too long."

Sun Shi replied, "I know. There’s not much to do during the day, so I just embroider. I work slowly, barely making progress with each stitch."

Lin Qiuran nodded and sat down. "I wonder if the letter has arrived. I hope Father comes soon so you’ll have company."

She had her own responsibilities, Xiao Xun had his, and Tangyuan would soon start school. In such a large estate, keeping busy with chores was the only way to pass the time.

Sun Shi said, "Your father isn’t one to dawdle. He’s probably already on his way. I’m just worried he might bring food supplies. Did you mention that in your letter? Everything can be bought in the capital—there’s no need to bring crops from harvest. He might even bring vegetables, afraid of coming empty-handed."

Lin Qiuran replied, "I forgot to mention that. There’s something else I forgot too."

Sun Shi paused her embroidery and looked at Lin Qiuran, who hesitated before speaking. "I asked Father to check with the village head back home. We can contribute to renovating the ancestral hall and repairing the roads. Showing respect to the elders and contributing to the village has its benefits, but I’m worried the old household might leech off us. Even though Yu’an is far from the capital, I’m concerned it might affect my husband..."

Sun Shi slammed her embroidery hoop down with a "smack." "How dare they have the nerve!"

Lin Qiuran nodded. "Exactly. When the news came that Xiao Xun was away, the old household didn’t even show their faces when things needed to be done. They only came after they found out we’d moved to the county town. But when they arrived, they didn’t even bring a housewarming gift—they just expected us to prepare meals for them. They showed up with a whole crowd, not treating us as family at all."

The memory stirred Sun Shi’s anger. "If they really dare to take advantage, I’ll have a word with them! Do they expect us to be their beasts of burden, working for them our whole lives?"

Xiao Dashi often returned to Xiao Family Village, and Sun Shi didn’t know if he secretly gave them money on the side. But if they tried to take advantage and affect Xiao Xun’s career, Sun Shi would never allow it.

After years of hardship under Bai Shi, she had finally found some peace. Sun Shi declared, "If they try to use filial piety to pressure us, I’ll expose everything they’ve done over the years. If it comes to it, I’ll disown Xiao Xun and see how they dare to play the family card."

She continued, "They used to complain that I couldn’t bear children and made me do all the work. Finally, we managed to separate from them. Then they refused to acknowledge Xiao Xun as their grandson, calling him an ungrateful brat? Nothing we did was ever enough. Xiao Xun grew up without eating a single grain of rice from them—I’d like to see what they have to say now!"

Lin Qiuran’s heart pounded. Sun Shi’s words suggested she hadn’t hidden the truth from the original Lin Qiuran. Besides, anything that happened in the village would eventually become common knowledge.

Lin Qiuran had never asked about these matters since arriving here, so she hadn’t known. With only one child in the family, who would suspect he wasn’t biologically related?

No wonder, when news of Xiao Xun’s death had arrived, Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi had been willing to let her end the pregnancy and remarry. If he had been their biological child, they would have fought to preserve his bloodline.

In this era, people counted on sons to care for them in old age. With Xiao Xun gone and the grandson not biologically related, and with their daughter-in-law’s character still unknown, the couple had to secure someone to care for them in their old age. Since their relatives in the old household were unreliable, they had chosen to show kindness to Lin Qiuran.

If Lin Qiuran were in Sun Shi’s position, she would also have given her a dowry, treating her as a daughter, to ensure someone would care for her in old age.

If they had forced her to stay, and something happened to them, the child would suffer if Lin Qiuran refused to care for him.

Naturally, Lin Qiuran had chosen to keep the child because she saw that Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi were good people, and she could take charge of the household. Compared to returning to her parents’ home and raising someone else's children, it was better to raise her own.

Sun Shi had endured a hard life but was now finally enjoying better days. Lin Qiuran said, "Xiao Xun has good judgment. I’ve asked Father to smooth things over with the village head and elders—they’re not blind to the truth. You don’t need to worry."

"I’m just afraid your father might be foolish and unable to distinguish right from wrong, easily won over by a few honeyed words from them. If he dares to do that, I’ll divorce him," Sun Shi said, annoyed that Xiao Dashi hadn’t come with her and now she had to worry about him.

Lin Qiuran said, "Father wouldn't do that. He has to consider my husband’s standing. Even in the worst-case scenario, if it really came to that, we would definitely stand by you."

Lin Qiuran had been keeping up social connections all along. Even for Tangyuan’s full moon celebration, she had invited the local officials and clan elders. This wasn’t pointless—when people eat your food or receive your favors, they tend to remember your kindness.

But if someone were truly shameless enough to latch onto them, now that they had moved to the capital, it would be difficult for people from their hometown to come all the way to the capital without substantial funds. Would they have to beg their way here?

After leaving Shou'an Hall, Lin Qiuran couldn’t help but recall past events. In fact, there had been some clues before. When she was about to give birth, Liu Shi had come early and kept urging her, saying she was worried Sun Shi wouldn’t provide adequate care. At the time, Lin Qiuran hadn’t paid it much mind, but now she realized the reason behind it.

She looked up at the sky and let out a long sigh. What should she do now?

Xiao Xun was not their biological son. How he came to Yu'an, Lin Qiuran didn’t know, but it was true that the Marquis of Anyang’s household had reservations.

On one side was their stable life—Tangyuan was doing well, the estate was well-run, and Sun Shi was also content. On the other side was Xiao Xun. If she were Xiao Xun, knowing she wasn’t biologically related to the family, she might have been fine if she never found out. But if those around her knew and deliberately kept it from her, she would not be happy.

Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi were straightforward people. If they had given Xiao Xun such a name, and if they knew his biological relatives were nearby but had their reasons for not reclaiming him back then, how should they handle the situation now?

When Lin Qiuran arrived at the main courtyard, Tangyuan and Xiao Xun had also returned, and the three of them had their meal there. They were moving the day after tomorrow, and Tangyuan excitedly told Lin Qiuran what the new house was like. "Mother, I chose a courtyard with bamboo. Father said it’s close by, so I can practice martial arts every day. The scenery is beautiful."

Lin Qiuran smiled and patted Tangyuan’s head.

How time flew—it had already been over a month since they arrived in the capital.

Lin Qiuran said, "You and your father put in work today. If you still want to go back after your afternoon nap, you can go for a while longer."

Tangyuan usually took a nap at noon. Lin Qiuran wasn’t tired, so she sat by the window going over the account books while Xiao Xun read military texts nearby. The Emperor had not yet assigned him an official position, so during this idle time, he didn’t want to just stay at home doing nothing.

He was clearly someone driven to advance himself.

Halfway through his reading, Xiao Xun asked, "Did everything go smoothly at the banquet today?"

Lin Qiuran put down her book. "It went smoothly, but I found the Marquis of Anyang’s household a bit off. There’s something I haven’t told you yet, and the more I think about it today, the more uneasy I feel. A few days ago, when I went to the Marquis of Anyang’s residence to help prepare for the banquet, Lady Qin gave me a headpiece as a thank-you gift."

Xiao Xun frowned. "She gave it to you? You didn’t have to tell me about it."

Lin Qiuran replied, "Hear me out. At the time, I accepted it without thinking much, but today at the banquet, I met Lady Qin again. She asked about Tangyuan and kept probing about the Xiao family and you—where our hometown is, whether you have any siblings. Madam Qin seemed very emotional when she spoke, and the whole family treated me exceptionally well... I can’t shake this uneasy feeling. I wonder if there’s some hidden reason behind it, which made me think of what happened before."