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

Lin Qin keenly sensed the undercurrents and began to quietly gather clues.

The anomaly in the ledger was merely a trigger, igniting a burning desire for exploration within her.

She visited shop assistants and secretly observed the palace's movements, like a seasoned hunter tracking her prey in a foggy forest.

Inside the palace, the atmosphere suddenly became tense. Every smile and frown of everyone seemed to hide a secret, and the air was filled with a sense of impending doom.

This mysterious force, sensing Lin Qin's investigation, became enraged and launched a final, frenzied counterattack.

They incited uninformed people to boycott Lin Qin's shop and spread rumors to defame her reputation.

Lin Qin became the target of public criticism and was thrust into the eye of the storm.

A deluge of insults and slander came crashing down on her, almost overwhelming her.

"Heh, you want to mess with me? I've seen it all before!" Lin Qin sneered, her eyes showing no fear, but rather burning with fierce fighting spirit.

She knew that at this moment, backing down would be tantamount to admitting defeat.

What she had to do was to rise to the challenge and uproot this mysterious power!

On this day, Lin Qin attended the royal banquet in full regalia.

Amidst the rustling of clothes and the clinking of glasses, undercurrents were stirring.

The emperor was quite curious about this woman who had gained fame among the common people, and would often cast inquiring glances at her.

The Empress maintained her usual elegant smile, but a barely perceptible hint of hostility flashed in her eyes.

Young Master Sima repeatedly raised his glass, trying to get closer to Lin Qin, but she skillfully avoided him.

All of this was observed by Eunuch Zheng, who was hiding in the shadows.

Halfway through the banquet, the painter Fang, on the Empress's orders, painted portraits of everyone.

When it was Lin Qin's turn, he deliberately made things difficult for her, using his poor drawing skills to depict her in a ridiculous and unsightly manner.

The crowd chuckled, but Lin Qin remained calm.

She took the painting and smiled slightly. "Painter Fang has excellent skills, but I wonder who the person in this painting is?"

Her sharp eyes swept over the crowd before finally settling on Eunuch Zheng.

"Eunuch Zheng, you are very knowledgeable, could you please enlighten me?"

Eunuch Zheng's expression changed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Lin Qin pressed on, "Eunuch Zheng, have you received any bribes from someone?"

Eunuch Zheng fell to his knees with a thud, "Your Majesty, spare me! This servant...this servant..."

"Who ordered you to do this?" Lin Qin's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

Eunuch Zheng pointed tremblingly at the Empress, causing an uproar among the crowd.

The Empress's face turned deathly pale, but she forced herself to remain calm. "You audacious servant, how dare you slander me!"

"Slander?" Lin Qin sneered. "Your Majesty, do you know where the South China Sea pearls that Young Master Sima gave you came from?"

The Empress guiltily avoided Lin Qin's gaze.

Lin Qin continued, "Those pearls were obtained by Young Master Sima through embezzlement of disaster relief funds by abusing his position! And the reason he was so audacious was because he had someone backing him up, and that person is..."

Lin Qin paused deliberately, her gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on the Empress, "It is Your Majesty the Empress!"

"You're spouting nonsense!" The Queen could no longer remain calm and screamed.

At this moment, Zhu Ling stepped forward and produced evidence he had prepared beforehand, including the account book of Sima Gongzi's embezzlement and letters from the Empress to him about their collusion.

With irrefutable evidence, the queen was speechless.

The emperor was furious and ordered the empress to be banished to the cold palace, and the young master Sima was also dismissed from his post and investigated.

With the truth revealed, everyone admired Lin Qin's wisdom and decisiveness.

The palace was filled with a delightful atmosphere.

Zhu Ling walked up to Lin Qin and hugged her tightly in front of everyone.

"Qin'er, you've suffered so much." His voice was deep and gentle, his eyes burning with intense love.

Lin Qin's cheeks flushed as she gently leaned against Zhu Ling's chest.

The feelings between the two ignited intensely in the air.

The emperor watched this scene and smiled with satisfaction.

This banquet not only exposed the conspiracy but also became a legendary tale.

"Qin'er," Zhu Ling whispered in Lin Qin's ear, "I plan to use all the fertile land in the outskirts of Beijing..."

Lin Qin leaned against Zhu Ling's chest, feeling his warm embrace, and her eyes couldn't help but well up with tears.

She has experienced so much along the way.

From a discarded concubine banished to a farm to a powerful woman who turns the tide in the palace, she has sacrificed so much.

The tears she shed alone in the dark of night, the moments when she had to grit her teeth to survive, all flashed through her mind like fleeting clouds.

She knew that she was no longer the little woman who could only depend on men.

The palace, having experienced such a dramatic rise and fall, was filled with a sense of vicissitude, as if it had survived a catastrophe.

The crowd was still in shock, finding it hard to believe that the empress, who had been so glamorous just moments before, was now in such a sorry state.

Lin Qin, the abandoned concubine who was once ridiculed by them, became the most dazzling presence in this storm.

"Everyone," Lin Qin slowly rose to her feet, her clear voice echoing throughout the hall, "I am keenly aware that my achievements today are inseparable from everyone's support. Therefore, I have decided to invest all the profits from my shops into the construction of the capital!"

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

As is widely known, Lin Qin's business empire is already incredibly wealthy, and the profits from her businesses are astronomical.

It's unbelievable that she's willing to donate such a huge fortune without reservation!

This woman has a truly broad perspective!

“Especially the rural revitalization plan,” Lin Qin continued, “I hope to make use of all the wasteland on the outskirts of Beijing so that everyone can have enough to eat and wear.”

The people in the palace looked at each other in disbelief; none of them had expected her to have such a grand goal.

In their minds, a woman's value lies in marrying into a good family and bearing a good son; no one ever thinks about "rural redevelopment."

The look in their eyes as they looked at Lin Qin changed from shock to deep admiration.

After hearing Lin Qin's words, the emperor realized that he had originally thought Lin Qin was just a woman who knew how to do business.

Unexpectedly, she had such a heart for the people.

He nodded slightly, a pleased smile playing on his lips. "Good! I approve! Lin Qin, I greatly admire your idea! You truly are the daughter-in-law I have chosen!"

Despite gaining the emperor's approval, Lin Qin remained calm and composed.

She knew all too well that this was not the end.

There are still many more things she needs to do.

She glanced at Zhu Ling beside her, then at her bulging purse, and a sly smile crept across her lips. She was determined to have the land on the outskirts of Beijing!

"Qin'er," Zhu Ling whispered in Lin Qin's ear, his deep voice tinged with a hint of doubt, "I plan to use all the fertile land in the outskirts of Beijing..."

The emperor was overjoyed and immediately issued an edict, bestowing upon Lin Qin the title of "Queen of the Countryside," granting her thousands of acres of fertile land, tens of thousands of taels of gold, and giving her full authority over the country's rural development plan.

"I want the whole world to know that my Great Zhou Dynasty has produced an extraordinary woman!" The emperor laughed heartily, his gaze towards Lin Qin filled with admiration.

Lin Qin accepted the imperial edict, secretly pleased.

Thousands of hectares of fertile land?

Ten thousand taels of gold?

This is like a windfall!

It seems that the perks of time travel are really appealing!

She bowed gracefully, her tone respectful yet confident: "Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty! I will certainly live up to Your Majesty's expectations and carry out the rural revitalization plan to the end!"

The entire palace was in an uproar.

The way everyone looked at Lin Qin changed from initial contempt to awe.

No one expected that this once-discarded concubine, banished to a farm, would rise to power and become the "Queen of the Countryside."

Lin Qin stood in the center of the palace, receiving the worship of the crowd, surrounded by a halo of glory.

She seemed to see the future: lush green fields, rows of neat houses, and children's happy faces...

This is the idyllic world of her dreams!

After the banquet, Zhu Ling walked to Lin Qin's side and looked at her affectionately.

"Qin'er, you're amazing!"

Lin Qin winked playfully, "Of course! Don't you know who I am?" She took Zhu Ling's arm, and the two walked side by side, their silhouettes looking exceptionally beautiful in the sunset.

Back at her residence, Lin Qin eagerly opened the system panel. It displayed:

[Congratulations, host, on completing the mission! Reward: Ten million taels of silver as start-up capital for the Rural Renovation Project!]

"Wow! I'm rich!" Lin Qin jumped up excitedly.

With this huge sum of money, her rural revitalization plan can be implemented much faster!

However, Lin Qin knew that the rural transformation plan would not be smooth sailing.

Those conservative forces, those whose interests have been harmed, will never let her have her way so easily.

The next morning at court, Lin Qin had just proposed a detailed plan for the rural renovation project when it was met with strong opposition from a group of senior officials led by Grand Tutor Chen.

"Absurd! How can a woman interfere in politics!" Grand Tutor Chen exclaimed, his spittle flying everywhere.

Lin Qin sneered, "Grand Tutor Chen, your thinking is too outdated! What era are we living in? Women shouldn't be involved in politics? That's so backward!"

Grand Tutor Chen was speechless after Lin Qin's retort, and his face turned green with anger.

Lin Qin looked around, her eyes resolute. "I know the rural revitalization plan will affect the interests of some people. But my mind is made up, and I will not back down!"

Her voice was powerful and resonant, echoing throughout the entire court.

At that moment, a young eunuch rushed in and whispered a few words in the emperor's ear.

The emperor's expression changed drastically, and he abruptly stood up. "What?! The fertile fields outside the capital... yielded nothing?!"