Forcing me to become a concubine? Remarrying the Ninth Prince, she'll be pregnant all over the

"Master, it's so late, why have you come?"

Madam Chen gave a slight bow with an embarrassed smile, her voice soft: "Are you missing Tang'er? My lord, you're too hasty. Now that Tang'er is back, how could she possibly leave home again so soon?"

"There's no need to rush. It's late. Let me help you back to your room so you can rest early." Madam Chen tried to help him again, but Lin Rucong coldly brushed her aside.

Although he was unaware of what had just happened, the butler, Lin De, had already informed Chen Shi of what had happened when she arrived in such a menacing manner.

"What did you do to Tang'er?" Lin Rucong demanded in a stern voice, "Outrageous! How dare you!"

"Oh dear..." Madam Chen panicked, her awkward smile almost crumbling. She could only bow again and say, "What are you saying, sir? Isn't Tang'er my child too? Isn't it only natural for me to discipline her?"

"You dare talk back? Tang'er, is that really you...?"

Lin Rucong almost blurted out the secret he was waiting for, but he quickly realized what he was doing and stopped himself.

Madam Chen's face turned pale instantly, and she could no longer maintain her smile. She lowered her head in embarrassment and said, "What you say is true, sir. I was presumptuous and overstepped my bounds."

"My lord, please calm down. I'll accompany you back first. Whatever punishment you may give me, I will have no complaints..."

With a forced smile, Chen apologized and reflected on her actions. Her soft voice, combined with her alluring figure, made her incredibly seductive, even though she was past her prime.

Lin Rucong wasn't buying it. He gave her a gloomy look, then walked around to the door of the inner room: "Tang'er, your father knows you've been wronged. You did nothing wrong about breaking off the engagement, and you don't need to care about the gossip outside."

Lin Wantang was still on the floor in the inner room, her mouth covered by the old woman, making it difficult for her to speak. She didn't want her father to see her disheveled state, but just a few words were enough to touch Lin Wantang's eyes, which gradually reddened and tears welled up.

Her father understood her, and he didn't blame her...

"You are a daughter of the Lin family. How can you marry someone as a concubine? Let alone the crown prince, even the emperor himself, the Lin family's principle of 'better to die a glorious death than live a shameful life' will never be broken!"

Lin Rucong's words are profound and resonant.

Every word he said touched Lin Wantang's heart, and she was so moved that tears streamed down her face.

However, Madam Chen couldn't stand these words and became increasingly frustrated. She said, "Master, what you're saying is wrong. Isn't Qinglian a daughter of the Lin family? Isn't she your own daughter? Does she deserve to be someone's concubine?"

"How dare you say that!" Lin Rucong's cold eyes flashed, almost as if he wanted to tear Chen Shi apart alive: "How can Qinglian compare to Tang'er? What makes her even more comparable! You know perfectly well, yet you still dare to say such things!"

A single sentence carries a hidden meaning, concealing something deeper within its words.

Chen's expression suddenly changed, and she quickly lowered her head, but could not hide her resentment.

"Tang'er, don't worry about what your mother said. This is your home, and no one has the right to ride roughshod over you! Don't worry, your father is here."

Lin Rucong offered a few words of comfort, then said, "It's inconvenient tonight, so I won't go in. I'll come to see you again in a few days."

After saying that, Lin Rucong glared fiercely at Chen Shi again, and as he turned to leave, he threw out the words, "You come out with me!"

Chen gritted her teeth and clenched the handkerchief in her hand, reluctantly following him out.

Inside, the old woman, hearing that there was no more noise outside, hurriedly released Lin Wantang and knelt down in fear, saying, "Young Miss, I had no choice, I know I was wrong..."

Ma Pozi was Chen's dowry maid. She had been in the Grand Tutor's mansion for many years and had been instigated by Chen to do many bad things. Ma Pozi had long harbored resentment but was powerless to change anything.

Knowing that it had nothing to do with Ma Pozi, Lin Wantang slowly got up, holding onto the octagonal table, and moved to sit on the bed. She waved to Ma Pozi, "Granny, get up quickly. Today's matter has nothing to do with you. I know that myself."

Ma Pozi was still uneasy. After getting up, she didn't dare to look Lin Wantang in the eye and said, "This servant has hidden some top-quality wound medicine. I'll go and get it for the young lady right away..."

As he was about to leave, Lin Wantang stopped him, saying, "That's enough. I acted rashly and without consideration, almost causing trouble that affected the whole household and my parents. It's only right that I was beaten and scolded. How could I dare to apply medicine to relieve the pain?"

These words reflect self-pity and self-deprecation.

But Lin Wantang said it on purpose, otherwise how could she get information out of Ma Pozi?

Lin Wantang heard Lin Rucong’s two angry words clearly and guessed that something was amiss. Moreover, she had always suspected in her previous life why Chen Shi, as her biological mother, did not protect her but instead helped Lin Qinglian in every way.

The pain of ten months of pregnancy, the joy of childbirth—which child isn't a piece of flesh that fell from the mother's body? If a father doesn't love his child, that's nothing, but how many mothers can be so heartless and cold-blooded towards their children?

Lin Wantang had experienced pregnancy and childbirth. Even though she never saw the two children she had given birth to in her previous life, the thought of her children being taken away by Chen Shi and Lin Qinglian, and the pain of separation from her flesh and blood, still made her resentful to this day. Therefore, she couldn't understand Chen Shi's thoughts and actions even more.

Adding to this Lin Rucong's unfinished words: "You dare talk back? Tang'er, is it really you..."

What would be the second half of that statement?

Could it be that... Lin Wantang is not Chen's biological daughter?

That's why Madam Chen couldn't stand Lin Wantang talking about the eldest daughter, and was especially wary of the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. Could it be that the true eldest daughter of the Grand Tutor's mansion is Lin Qinglian?

The two are the same age, both sixteen this year, differing only by one month in their birth dates.

It's not impossible, but...

Lin Wantang was filled with many doubts as she pondered. As she narrowed her eyes, she heard Granny Ma say, "Miss, you mustn't let your mind wander. You heard what Master said just now, and he didn't blame you. Why add to your worries?"

Ma Pozi was tight-lipped and clever. Lin Wantang tried to probe a few more times, but Ma Pozi's flattery and persuasion were flawless. In the end, Lin Wantang had no choice but to send Ma Pozi away.

The maids prepared hot water and helped Lin Wantang bathe and change her clothes. After that, she sent them away and took out two bottles of medicine from her medicine box, applying them to her face in front of the bronze mirror.

The swelling and pain subsided overnight.

However, Lin Wantang still used the excuse of recuperating from her injuries to stay at home, spending her days reading and embroidering. Even the puppet soldiers and armor that she used to frequently urge on, and those related to Qimen Dunjia, she had lost all interest in.

As if Chen's admonition had worked, she diligently copied scriptures and reflected on herself. She clearly reduced her allowance for the three meals a day served by the maids, and she didn't complain much about the cold soup and side dishes.

After all, if one cannot be ruthless in small matters, how can one plan for the greater good to come?