After returning to the capital to farm, the abandoned concubine made a comeback.

Lin Qin knew the power of rumors and gossip; like wildfire, once it spread, it would inevitably cause huge obstacles to the preparation of the exhibition.

She forced herself to calm down and, like a cheetah on the hunt, began to trace the source of the rumor.

The artisan district in Beijing is a gathering place for craftspeople. The streets are narrow, lined with shops, and the air is filled with the smell of sawdust and dye.

Lin Qin, dressed in an elegant dress, moved through the crowd like a pure lotus flower, standing out from the noisy surroundings.

With keen eyes, she carefully observed everything around her, trying to find the answer from the slightest clues.

Some of the artisans around her gave her evasive glances, while others looked at her with curiosity. Whispers filled the air, as if an invisible net was enveloping her.

Lin Qin felt those gazes, but she didn't back down. Instead, she became even more determined, a confident smile playing on her lips, as if to say, "I'll see who's behind this!"

After some clever investigation, Lin Qin finally identified several key figures who were the ones who fueled the spread of the rumors.

Instead of confronting craftsman Sun directly, she chose to tackle him one by one.

She found one of the artisans who was most enthusiastic about spreading rumors. Instead of directly accusing him, she spoke to him calmly, her words filled with enthusiasm for the preservation of folk crafts and a bright vision for the future.

Her sincere gaze seemed to penetrate people's hearts, allowing them to feel her utmost sincerity.

At first, the craftsman was somewhat skeptical, his eyes flickering, but as Lin Qin explained, his expression gradually changed, from doubt to surprise, then to conviction. Finally, he even offered to help Lin Qin clarify the rumors.

"Your Highness, you are such a kind person. I misunderstood you before!" the craftsman said with a guilty expression.

Lin Qin smiled slightly, said nothing more, just patted his shoulder, and then turned and left.

She knew that she had cut off the source of the rumors, and it was only a matter of time.

After dealing with several key figures, Lin Qin stood on the street corner, watching the sunset, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

Suddenly, a dark figure flashed by and whispered in her ear, "Your Highness, aren't you afraid of offending Craftsman Sun by doing this?"

Lin Qin turned around and saw the craftsman Sun standing there with a sinister smile on his face.

"Offend? Craftsman Sun, you spread rumors and defamed my reputation. Shouldn't you pay the price?" Lin Qin's tone was icy, her eyes sharp, like a drawn sword piercing straight into Craftsman Sun's heart.

Intimidated by Lin Qin's imposing presence, Craftsman Sun subconsciously took a step back, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes, but he still forced himself to remain calm. "I'm just stating the facts, Your Highness, why are you so agitated?"

The issue of funding weighed heavily on Lin Qin's mind like a mountain.

She stepped into the Chamber of Commerce again. Chairman Zhao was still sitting upright in the carved armchair, holding two walnuts in his hands, looking high and mighty.

"Oh, isn't this the Princess Consort? What, here to beg me again?" he said sarcastically, his eyes full of contempt.

Lin Qin clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her palms. She suppressed her anger and tried her best to remain calm.

“President Zhao, I hope you can reconsider. This is not only for my sake, but also for the preservation of folk arts and crafts in our capital…” “Stop trying to intimidate me with these grand principles,” President Zhao interrupted her impatiently. “This is a chamber of commerce, not a charity. I don’t do things that don’t make money.” He glanced at Lin Qin with disdain in his eyes. “Your Highness should go back to embroidery. You can’t afford to play this game.”

Lin Qin took a deep breath, turned and left the Chamber of Commerce, a sense of powerlessness welling up in her heart.

But she didn't give up. She thought of some friends she had made in business before, who might be able to help.

She immediately picked up her pen and wrote a letter, explaining her plans and the difficulties she encountered, her words filled with enthusiasm for the preservation of folk arts and her hopes for the future.

After sending the letter, Lin Qin anxiously awaited a reply.

A few days later, good news followed one after another. Her friends were moved by her plans and enthusiasm and expressed their willingness to provide financial support.

When Lin Qin received the reply, she was so excited that tears welled up in her eyes. She held the letter tightly, her heart filled with gratitude and hope.

With funding secured, Lin Qin's face regained its radiance, and she immediately threw herself into the intense preparatory work.

In the dead of night, Lin Qin was still working late into the night, her desk piled high with blueprints and documents.

She rubbed her sore eyes and stretched. Suddenly, a figure appeared at the door. "It's so late, aren't you going to rest?"

Zhu Ling felt heartbroken seeing Lin Qin running around everywhere.

On a quiet night, Zhu Ling brought Lin Qin to an ancient temple.

The moonlight shone like water on the temple, and the surroundings were so quiet that only the sound of each other's breathing could be heard.

Zhu Ling stood in front of Lin Qin, his eyes filled with deep affection.

He gently raised his hand and smoothed Lin Qin's wind-blown hair.

Lin Qin felt as if his fingers had magic; every touch as they brushed against her scalp warmed her heart, enveloping her in a sense of tenderness and security.

Her cheeks flushed red, like ripe apples, and her heart began to beat faster involuntarily.

Zhu Ling gently pulled her into his arms, and the two nestled together in the moonlight, a sweet atmosphere filling the air.

After making progress in preparing for the exhibition, Lin Qin felt conflicted.

She paced alone in the room, the sound of her footsteps particularly clear in the quiet room.

She wondered if her dedication to preserving folk arts and crafts had led her to neglect her family.

On one side is her beloved career, and on the other is her responsibility to her family; it's like two invisible hands pulling her along.

Her brows were furrowed, and her hands unconsciously gripped the hem of her clothes.

But soon, Lin Qin's rationality prevailed, and she resolved to balance the two relationships.

Lin Qin stood by the window, gazing into the distance with a determined look in her eyes.

Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she quickly walked to her desk, picked up a pen, and began to write something on a piece of paper. More and more words appeared on the paper with each stroke of her pen, but no one knew what she was writing.

Lin Qin's gaze settled on an abandoned courtyard.

Although it is dilapidated, overgrown with weeds, and its walls are peeling and revealing the gray-yellow bricks underneath, it has the advantage of a prime location, situated right next to the city's most bustling street.

The only problem is that the owner of the courtyard is a stubborn old man who is convinced that Lin Qin's exhibition will not be able to be held and refuses to rent it out no matter what.

"Grandpa, your yard is just sitting empty anyway, why don't you rent it to me and let me renovate it and restore its former glory?" Lin Qin stood at the gate, her tone sincere, just like a TV shopping salesperson, only missing a sign that said "If you miss this, you'll have to wait another year."

The owner of the courtyard glanced at her sideways, fanning himself with a palm leaf fan, and said slowly, "Young lady, I'm not trying to discourage you, but with your skills, you think you can hold an exhibition? I think you should give up on that idea as soon as possible."

Lin Qin wasn't annoyed. She took a deep breath, her eyes sparkling with confidence, as if she had a level 10 beauty filter. She began to eloquently describe her plan: "Grandpa, you don't know this, but this exhibition is no ordinary exhibition..." She vividly described the theme, content, significance, and vision for the future inheritance of folk arts and crafts, speaking with great enthusiasm, as if she could reach the pinnacle of life tomorrow.

At first, the owner of the courtyard looked disdainful, but as Lin Qin spoke, his expression gradually changed, from disdain to surprise, then to contemplation, and finally, he listened intently, even putting down the palm-leaf fan in his hand, as if he was infected by Lin Qin's enthusiasm.

“Young lady, what you’re saying is quite interesting…” The owner of the courtyard stroked his chin, a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Lin Qin pressed her advantage: "Grandpa, if you rent the courtyard to me, I guarantee I'll make it look brand new. Then you'll be a hero in preserving the folk arts and crafts of our capital!"

Ultimately, the owner of the courtyard was moved by Lin Qin's enthusiasm and ambition and agreed to rent the courtyard to her.

Lin Qin jumped up excitedly, feeling as if she had won a five million dollar lottery prize, and couldn't wait to start the renovation work immediately.

After signing the lease agreement, Lin Qin immediately began renovations; however, new challenges quietly arose.

She stared at the last taels of silver in her hand and muttered to herself, "This little bit of money probably won't even be enough to buy a brick..."

Just then, a voice came from behind her: "Your Highness, it seems you have encountered a problem."

Lin Qin turned around and saw a familiar figure standing there, holding a stack of silver notes in his hand, with a meaningful smile on his lips.