After being forced to leave the marriage, I became the wife of a top scholar.

Chapter 144 What is her identity?

When Bai Wanqing came out of Pan Hu's house, Lin Yunche also happened to come out of the house.

"You've been gone for so long and haven't come back, so I came out to check on you!" Lin Yunche explained somewhat awkwardly.

"Okay!" Bai Wanqing took the medicine box and went to the kitchen.

Look, Fengniang is pounding glutinous rice with a wooden mallet; no wonder it's making such a loud noise.

"Fengniang!" Bai Wanqing called out to her as she walked into the kitchen.

When Fengniang turned her head and saw that the Madam and the Master had come out, she realized that her movements might have been a bit too loud.

"Madam, I...I forgot this thing is noisy, did it disturb you?" Feng Niang rubbed her hands apologetically.

Lin Yunche plopped down on the stone table in the courtyard, his face expressionless.

Bai Wanqing saw through Feng Niang's little scheme at a glance, "Pan Hu likes to eat it, right?"

"When he was little, did you always cook for him?"

Fengniang was taken aback, then nodded. "Yes! I always make it for him. Every time he's naughty and gets a beating, I make it for him no matter how early or late it is."

"Madam, I'm sorry, I momentarily forgot where I was."

"Punish me!"

Bai Wanqing looked at the sticky rice in the wooden bucket. She was surprised that it had already taken shape after only half an hour of pounding. It seemed that Feng Niang was quite angry!

"Alright! Then I'll punish you by making you turn this sticky rice into rice cakes as soon as possible. I want to eat some."

Feng Niang was taken aback for a moment, then immediately smiled and agreed, "Alright, Madam, please wait a little longer, it will be ready soon."

Bai Wanqing smiled and left the kitchen, sitting down with Lin Yunche.

Before the two could even speak, Meng Tongzhi and Bi Tongzhi arrived together.

"Lord Lin, Lord Hai and his entourage are about to enter the city. Shouldn't we set off?"

Lin Yunche was about to say that he had something to do and couldn't go, but then he remembered what Bai Wanqing had said yesterday. He turned to look at Bai Wanqing, "Madam, what you meant yesterday wouldn't have been..."

Bai Wanqing chuckled softly, "What, can't wait?"

Lin Yunche shook his head violently, "Who's in such a hurry! As for her! I'll reject her in front of everyone today, so she won't come looking for trouble with you."

After speaking, Lin Yunche glanced in Pan Hu's direction.

"It's alright! It's okay to ask about Pan Hu later, you can go ahead." Bai Wanqing said calmly.

Lin Yunche stood up. "Then I'll really go."

Bai Wanqing smiled at him, her expression revealing little emotion, while Lin Yunche felt a slight disappointment in his heart.

"Didn't my husband already make promises to me?"

"I believe you."

Lin Yunche narrowed his eyes slightly, and unconsciously curled the corners of his mouth. "Trust me, that's the right thing to do."

After saying that, Lin Yunche changed into his official robes and went with Meng Tongzhi and Bi Tongzhi to welcome Lord Hai.

He was enjoying the rice cakes that Fengniang had just made, feeling quite content.

Lin Yunche and the officials of Huaizhou City arrived at the East Gate early to wait.

Seeing Lin Yunche frowning and looking eastward, Meng Zhan smiled and moved closer.

"My lord, our men say that Lord Hai has already taken the main road this way. Why don't you go into the carriage and rest for a while? I'll call you when he arrives."

Lin Yunche glanced at Meng Zhan and laughed, "Lord Meng, if you are tired, you can go in and rest. I just got up and I'm in great spirits, not tired at all."

Meng Zhan forced a smile, "It's good that you're not tired, it's good that you're not tired."

After saying that, he obediently returned to his position, his face turning ashen. Bi Yi secretly chuckled when he saw Meng Zhan get the short end of the stick, and ran over to give him a similar rebuff.

"Lord Meng, the magistrate has already shown concern for you. Why don't you go and rest in the carriage?"

"I'll just wait here with you, sir."

Meng Zhan snorted coldly, "Bi Yi, don't think that just because you're favored by Lord Lin, you can do anything."

Bi Yi chuckled and said, "Yes! There's really nothing I can do. I can only stay by your side at all times and help you with government affairs."

"Unlike Lord Meng, who is so fortunate to have a concubine of considerable status in his family."

"I suppose Lord Meng will be promoted again soon! Is he going to the capital this time?"

"Bi Yi!" Meng Zhan glared at Bi Yi and roared.

Bi Yi laughed even more heartily. Just as Meng Zhan was about to say something, he saw a large convoy of cars approaching from not far away.

Meng Zhan wisely shut his mouth immediately.

Before long, Lord Hai's convoy arrived at the city gate.

Hai Daren and his group of officials disembarked from the carriage, and Lin Yunche and his men went to greet them.

"Lord Hai, we've finally been waiting for you," Lin Yunche said with a smile.

Hai Daren chuckled. This Lin family lad is getting more and more glib. Everyone in the country wants him to come, but the Lin family lad would never want him to come.

"It's good that I'm welcomed by Lord Lin; that means I've come to the right place," Lord Hai said with a smile.

"Welcome! Welcome, of course you are welcome." Lin Yunche gestured for them to enter the city gate.

"Miss, look, it's Scholar Lin!" The maid lifted the carriage curtain and excitedly looked at Lin Yunche walking in front.

At that moment, the woman sitting in the center of the carriage, wearing a veil, also saw Lin Yunche through the gap in the carriage curtain.

She haughtily raised her chin and said in a deep voice, "Put the curtain down, don't be impolite."

Seeing that her mistress wasn't very happy, the little maid obediently lowered the curtain.

"Miss, didn't you used to like Scholar Lin the most? Why do you seem to dislike him now?"

The woman slightly curled the corners of her lips. "Hmph! What do you know!"

Do you know what kind of woman a man like Lin Yunche likes the most?

The little girl rolled her eyes. "You like the daughter of a merchant?"

The woman raised her slender hand to cover her mouth and smiled. Now the news had spread throughout the capital that Lin Yunche had married a merchant's daughter, but it was said that Lin Yunche was forced into the engagement.

So now people in the capital are saying that Lin Zhuangyuan, such a beautiful flower, has been stuck in cow dung. He has no choice but to marry her out of a sense of morality, and he must feel bitter inside.

"How could a top scholar like him, the grandson of the Duke of Huguo, possibly be interested in a merchant's daughter!"

The young maidservant flattered, "What you say is true, Miss. But when Miss Cheng was to be betrothed by the Emperor, Scholar Lin also refused!"

The woman raised an eyebrow and said, "You mean Cheng Susu?"

"Hmph, who does she think she is! How could Lin Yunche possibly be interested in her!"

“What you say is true, Miss. But now that Scholar Lin is already married, isn’t it a bit too late for us to come here?”

Hai Shengyang squeezed her handkerchief. When she first saw Lin Yunche in the capital, she took a liking to the man and immediately ran to the palace to find her sister, hoping that she could help her.

But to everyone's surprise, her sister said that the Lin family was untouchable.

There's nothing to be ashamed of. It's just a once-famous family that's past its prime. Her current status is more than enough to match the Lin family.

"It's a bit late, but I'm going to do it anyway. I'm fine with being a concubine!"

"Think about it, I am the daughter of the Governor-General of the Three Northern Regions. If I were to join the Lin family, I would hold the highest position. How could a mere merchant's daughter possibly compete with me for the power to manage the household?"

"Moreover, my father is now Lin Yunche's superior. What can a merchant's daughter do to help Lin Yunche? But my father is different. I think Lin Yunche will definitely agree to this matter very easily."

Hai Shengyang had already planned it all out in her mind; she was determined to succeed this time.

To others, she was nothing more than a lovesick fool who was infatuated with Lin Yunche's good looks and talent, but was she really? Of course not. In her opinion, the Lin family would one day regain its former glory, but her sister would not see it, nor would her father.

“But Miss, even if a concubine were to enter the household, the head mistress would probably still need to give her approval.”

"It's not enough for just Scholar Lin to nod."

Hai Shengyang glared at the girl beside him and said, "Why do you always encourage others? Can't you use your own brain?"

The little girl was so frightened that she quickly shrank her neck.

"She's just a merchant's daughter, what makes her think she can compete with me! Does she dare to defy me!"

The little maidservant repeatedly agreed, saying, "Miss, you're the best! There's nothing you can't get."

Hai Shengyang then smiled with satisfaction.

"Lord Hai, you have come from afar and must be tired from your journey. This is a separate courtyard that we arranged in advance. Are you satisfied with it?" Lin Yunche said respectfully.

Hai Daren had never seen Lin Yunche like this before. Wasn't he always so arrogant and unruly? Why was he being so humble and polite now? He didn't know what was going on and felt a little uneasy.

"You're too kind, Lord Lin. This villa is so beautiful; it's clear you put a lot of thought into it, so of course I'm satisfied," Lord Hai replied politely.

"I'm satisfied! I'm satisfied!" Lin Yunche said with a smile.

Just then, a yamen runner suddenly ran over and whispered something in Bi Yi's ear, which Bi Yi then relayed to Lin Yunche.
Lin Yunche frowned slightly.

"Lord Lin, is there something urgent?" Lord Hai asked.

Lin Yunche said apologetically, "It's Magistrate Zhou. Several prisoners we arrested earlier committed suicide in prison. I'm afraid I have to go and see them!"

Upon hearing this, Hai Daren realized it was indeed a significant matter.

"Then Lord Lin, please go quickly. I don't need you here."

Lin Yunche clasped his hands in a fist salute, bowed slightly, and shouted, "Meng Zhan!"

Meng Zhan was overjoyed to see that he was about to appear before Lord Hai, and quickly stepped forward and said, "My lord, what are your orders?"

"We need some help settling things in here, Mr. Hai. You can take care of it."

Meng Zhan smiled and replied, "Yes!"

After saying that, Lin Yunche left the villa with the others, leaving Meng Zhan to help Lord Hai settle into his home.

Meng Zhan wanted to get closer to Lord Hai, but to his surprise, Lord Hai had already disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving only the outsiders and a maid in the courtyard.

"Sirs, you can just unload these things in the yard, and we can handle the rest ourselves."

Meng Zhan cursed inwardly, but maintained his composure on the surface.

"Did you hear me? Just put the things down."

After Meng Zhan finished his work, he left in a huff without even getting a sip of tea from the Hai family.

Lin Yunche, you've tricked me time and time again. You'd better never fall into my hands.

(End of this chapter)