Chapter 13 Brother and Sister

  Mrs. Daehan felt a deep sense of regret and couldn't help but think back to eighteen years ago when she had arranged the marriage between her younger sister, Mrs. Xiao Daehan, and He Bai Xian. At that time, she had no idea that He Bai Xian would take a concubine outside of their home and even have a son with her. Her younger sister had died with resentment in her heart, which she could understand, but the He family was too unreasonable, recognizing the concubine as the new wife and making He Huan call her mother. Initially, she and her daughter had strongly opposed this, but He Huan had turned around and blamed them instead.

  Recalling all sorts of past events, Mr. Han let out another sigh and said resentfully: "It's all those pirates who committed evil deeds on the sea that have ruined our two families to this state!"

  What joy, what delight! Lin He's two families' downfall was all thanks to those pirates at sea. As far as she knew, Jizhou City was still peaceful, but the coastal fishing villages were often raided by pirates. The bandits robbed and killed, set fires, and raped women, doing every evil deed imaginable. The imperial court had even sent troops to surround and annihilate them, but the vast ocean made it impossible to know where they were hiding.

  These things were all heard by He Huan from Shen Jinglun's side. The Shen family had planned to donate money to build a sea ship, and Shen Jinglun had personally gone to the coastal fishing villages to take a look, but he was after all a scholar, how could he understand military affairs? Moreover, he had been the companion reader of the former crown prince's eldest son. After the former crown prince was deposed, some people said that the former crown prince and his family were imprisoned by the emperor, while others said they were all dead. In any case, although the emperor released Shen Jinglun back to his hometown and did not punish him, his relationship with the former crown prince was well-known throughout the land, and he had to be careful in his words and actions.

  She thought of Shen Jinglin having a lot of talent, but could only live in Jizhou, and for his whole life he couldn't enter the official circles. He Xuan could only sigh in regret for him. Looking at the time, she felt strange that Shen Jinglin hadn't sent someone to hurry her away from Lengmei Garden, and worried that the stranger hadn't been caught.

  After bidding farewell to Da Han, He Huan was about to turn back and meet up with Tao Shi when he saw Lin Nuoyan crouching alone in the corner of the courtyard, his head lowered as if doing something. He quietly approached him and found that Lin Nuoyan was secretly wiping away tears.

  "Cousin, what are you squatting here for?" He Huan deliberately raised his voice.

  Lin Nuo Yu hastily stood up, turned his back to He Huan and wiped away the tears on his face. Turning around, he solemnly swore: "I won't let you bully my mother."

  "If I had deliberately bullied your mother, could you have stopped me?"

  "I...!" Lin Nu's words stuck in his throat. After a moment, he shouted loudly: "I am the eldest son of the family, if you bully my mother, I will fight to the death with you!"

  "This is just a moment of bravery. You only have one life. You've risked it all, what will you do if someone else bullies your mother in the future? Besides, you said I bullied your mother, did you see it with your own eyes?"

  "Big sister said you and second sister are both bad people."

  "I think your sister didn't say it that way, did she?" He Huan lightly laughed and shook her head. "You're already ten years old, you're a grown-up, many things you have to figure out for yourself. Let's put it this way, no matter who it is, only when one has the capability can they say the word 'protect'. As for you now, I'm afraid nobody can protect you."

  Lin Nuo's eyes widened as he stared at He Huan. "Don't underestimate me!" He clenched his fists, his cheeks flushing bright red. "I can not only protect my mother but also avenge my father in the future!"

  He Huan was taken aback for a moment. She also wanted to avenge her father, but the pirates on the sea were so powerful that even the government couldn't do anything about them, what could ordinary people like them do? She had never dared to instill the idea of revenge in her brother's mind, and she didn't know he had such thoughts. "Who taught you to avenge your father when you grow up?" She hastily corrected herself, "I mean, avenge your uncle."

  "I thought so myself." Lin Nuo Yan's eyes were filled with anger, "Sir said that those bandits killed many civilians, robbed a lot of money and goods, everyone is afraid of them, but I'm not afraid."

  He Xuan listened to Lin Nuoyan's childish words, her heart filled with mixed emotions. The imperial court had always valued literature over martial arts, and she had always hoped that her brother could study well, become a high-ranking scholar, but her father's grudge was a thorn in her heart, and she regretted not being born as a boy. She took two steps forward and hugged Lin Nuoyan's head tightly.

  Lin Nuo was startled and pushed her away with force, shouting: "Let me go!"

  He Huan was caught off guard and took a small step back. She composed herself, looked serious and said: "Although your older sister is no longer here, you should still remember what the 'Nuò' character in your name means." After that, she turned around and left.

  He Huan returned to the small flower hall in front of her from Lengmei Garden, and had not heard any rumors about the Shen family catching a thief. She felt strange in her heart, but did not dare to ask.

  Mrs. Tao saw Hehuan hadn't returned for a long time, and she was already anxious like an ant on a hot pot. Seeing her walking far away, she hastily went forward to ask: "How is it? Have you seen your aunt? What did she say?"

  "These things, let's talk about them when we get home." Hehuan gave the Tao family a slightly calm and unhurried glance. She saw someone hiding in the corridor not far away, peeking out to take a look. She supported the Tao family into the house, just wanting to find a little maid to report, they were ready to go home, when Zilan hurriedly walked towards them with quick steps.

  Zilan rushed to the door of the house and said hastily, "Miss Biao, I'm telling you about Madame's matter, not letting you lead strangers to wander around in the backyard."

  "What are you talking about?" He Huan's face turned stern, and he said displeased: "You call me 'Miss Biao' and should understand the distinction between master and servant. What attitude is this now?"

  Zilan pursed her lips and looked at Hehuan, saying stiffly: "There's a thief in the house, someone saw him talking to Miss Biao..."

  "Ridiculous!" He Huan snorted coldly, "Are you implying that I led the thief into the Shen family?"

  "Miss Bai, I didn't mean it that way."

  "What else could it mean?" He Huan's face grew even angrier, "I don't want to waste words with you. If your brother-in-law has such suspicions, bring him over right now and I'll clarify things with him in person!"

  "Miss Biao!" Zilan's face suddenly showed a look of terror, and she quickly covered up her emotions, saying in a low voice: "Miss Biao, please calm down, Master has been accompanying Young Master Nianxi, no one dares to disturb..."

  "I don't care about those things, you must tell me clearly, who exactly saw it when you say 'someone saw'?" He Huan asked.

  Facing He Huan's aggressive questioning, Zilan's original attitude of demanding an explanation was gone, and she hastily smiled and explained that a small maid saw her talking to a strange man near Lengmei Garden, so she came over to ask about it.

  He Huan pretended to think carefully and said uncertainly, "I did speak with someone near the Cold Plum Garden, but he was just asking for directions. I saw him wearing the uniform of a lower-ranking servant from the manor, so I thought he was one of my sister's husband's newly hired servants who had gotten lost."

  Zi Lan immediately became anxious upon hearing this and repeatedly asked the man what he looked like and what he had said. He Huan lied, saying that the man told her he was ordered to go to Shen Jing Lun's study. Since she didn't know the way either, she suggested he ask someone else.

  Upon hearing this, Zilan hastily bid farewell to Hehuan and left in a flurry.

  After a cup of tea, the He family's carriage drove out of the Shen family gate. In a dark alley not far from the gate, the man's eyes were fixed on the carriage, his thin lips pursed into a straight line. He had changed out of his servant's clothes, but still couldn't hide the disheveled look in his eyes. He was very clear that he had been played by the woman in the carriage and almost caught by Shen Jinglun on the spot. Now all he wanted to know was one thing - who was the woman in the carriage? He quietly followed after it.

  In the following days, He Huan and Tao Shi went to the Shen family early in the morning. Facing the pointing and snickering of others, who were openly and secretly laughing at He Huan for trying to eat swan meat, Tao Shi felt ashamed and couldn't lift her head, but He Huan seemed to be completely deaf to it. When Tao Shi advised her to leave the Shen family early, she replied that since she wasn't afraid of death, why would she care about the spittle of the living.

  In fact, He Huan didn't care about gossip. She had made up her mind to remarry Shen Jinglin and expected to be the subject of gossip afterwards. This world has always been where the winners speak, and in the future, as long as she becomes Mrs. Shen again, those people will only envy her, and they won't remember today's cold words and sarcastic remarks.

  He Xuan didn't care about others' opinions, but there was one person she couldn't help but pay attention to, and that was Shen Jinglu. These past few days, she hadn't had the chance to talk to him, but she had caught glimpses of him from afar several times. He still looked elegant and refined, only she could tell he was exhausted, almost worn out.

  More than a year of married life, He Huan had long discovered that whenever he slightly raised his eyebrows, it meant he was already extremely impatient; and whenever he subconsciously rubbed his temples, it meant he was very tired.

  These days, she either saw him frowning or rubbing his forehead. Twice, she even saw him staring blankly at the sky.

  Facing such a Shen Jinglu, He Huan didn't know whether to be happy or worried. Which woman wouldn't want her husband to still miss her after she's gone? But if he was always thinking of Lin Xiyue, how could she marry him again as He Huan? Should she tell him that she was actually Lin Xiyue, reincarnated in He Huan's body? He never believed in supernatural things. If she said something like that, he would probably turn around and leave the moment she spoke a word.

  Looking from afar at Shen Jinglin sitting inside talking to a country squire, He Huan was mesmerized.

  "Oh dear, I thought it was someone else. It's actually Miss He from the He family." A sharp female voice called back He Huan's thoughts.

  PK1000 words added today. Tomorrow's update will be at 19:18 and the additional update will be at 07:18, but tomorrow there will only be a regular update.