Jade of Another World

Seeing Lin Wan's increasingly reckless behavior, Prime Minister Lin and the Old Madam suspected that Consort Liu was behind it all, stirring up trouble and plotting against her. The child herself was good, but Consort Liu was a despicable woman. If it weren't for Consort Liu's family being the Liu family, their status in the capital would have been incredibly high. The Liu family had produced a concubine in the previous dynasty, and now their eldest daughter was Consort Liu, deeply favored by the Emperor. Lord Liu was the Crown Prince's tutor, a man of great skill, and his two sons were also outstanding individuals. But Consort Liu, aside from being reasonably good-looking, seemed completely different from her family. Alas… what a misfortune for the family, to be stuck with such a useless person. The Old Madam grew increasingly troubled. She immediately sent someone to summon Consort Liu. Consort Liu, still puzzled by the summons, arrived at the main hall. Upon entering the hall, seeing Prime Minister Lin's gloomy face and the old lady's angry expression, she had a vague feeling of unease, but she still forced herself to remain calm, stepped forward, gave a graceful bow, and said, "Master, Madam, why did you summon me here?"

Lin Xiang snorted coldly, his eyes full of dissatisfaction, and scolded, "Aunt Liu, look at what you've done! Lin Ning, as the legitimate daughter, has been back in the manor for so long, yet she lives in that dilapidated place, with the worst food, clothing, and daily necessities. You were originally a concubine in this manor, and if it weren't for your usual sense of propriety, why would we have let you manage the household affairs? Is this how you treat the legitimate daughter?"

The old lady's face darkened, and she said sternly, "Madam Liu, the Prime Minister has been kind to you, allowing you, a concubine, to manage the household and treating you like the mistress of the house. He's done this because you've brought forth many children for the Lin family, such fine offspring. But how have you raised them? Our Lin family has always valued rules and the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. Lin Ning is the eldest legitimate daughter; she deserves all the respect and treatment she's entitled to. But now, she's treated worse than an ordinary maid. Rumors are circulating that our Lin family mistreats its legitimate daughter, especially since her mother has passed away. Now your reputation as a stepmother is utterly ruined. If you ruin your reputation, it won't be good for the Lady of the Liu family in the palace, will it?"

Upon hearing this, Aunt Liu immediately understood. Although she harbored a domineering streak, the fact remained that she had mistreated her eldest daughter, so she dared not shout. However, she thought to herself, this wasn't something that had only happened a day or two ago, and no one had ever thought there was a problem over the years. Why was there a problem today? She dared not ask because she didn't know what had happened during the day. Just as dawn broke, she said she was going to her mother's house, saying her mother wanted her to return to take care of her. In reality, she was going out to meet a stranger. Her childhood sweetheart had sent her a message last night, saying he needed to see her urgently, and she had gone to meet him this morning. Aunt Liu gritted her teeth inwardly. Although she didn't know how she had been discovered, she figured it must have been Lin Ning who had complained behind her back. In front of Prime Minister Lin and the Old Madam, she pretended to be aggrieved and said, "Master, Madam, you've wronged me. I manage the affairs of the household with all my heart, and every expense is done according to the rules. Lin Ning's courtyard has been uninhabited for a long time because she went out and only returned recently. Although it hasn't been repaired yet, it's still very nice. Besides, I've arranged her food, clothing, and daily necessities according to custom, and I haven't mistreated her at all."

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Lin flew into a rage. He stood up abruptly, pointed at Aunt Liu, and said, "Standard? What custom allows a legitimate daughter to live in such poverty? You're still trying to argue? From this day forward, you will immediately begin repairing Lin Ning's house, furnishing it to be befitting a legitimate daughter, and upgrading her food, clothing, and daily necessities. She must receive the treatment she deserves. If there are any further problems, don't blame me for taking away your power to manage the household!"

The old lady chimed in, "Aunt Liu, listen carefully. This matter concerns the reputation of the Lin family, and it also concerns the reputation of your Liu family. This time, you can't afford to be careless. If you want to continue managing the household affairs, you'd better handle this matter properly and not cause any more trouble."

Aunt Liu was filled with anger and resentment. She had painstakingly built her power in the household, and although the real authority lay with the Old Madam, she still handled the details, which meant she could easily make a living. She was practically the only one who mattered in the Lin household, and naturally, she would find someone to make things difficult for Lin Ning. However, seeing the unquestionable expression on Prime Minister Lin's face and the Old Madam's stern demeanor, she knew this matter was far from simple. To retain her power, she bit her lip, suppressing her anger, and forced a smile, replying, "Yes, Master, Madam, I understand. I will arrange it immediately and make sure Miss is satisfied." She then bowed again and turned to leave the main hall, her retreating figure radiating resentment and bitterness. As she walked, she pondered how to satisfy Prime Minister Lin and the Old Madam's demands while simultaneously making Lin Ning's life miserable, thus venting her anger.

As soon as "Mother" Aunt Liu stepped out, she encountered Lin Wan waiting at the door.

Aunt Liu stepped forward, saying, "Wan'er."

"You weren't at home during the day, what were you busy with?" Lin Wan asked curiously.

"Something's come up," Aunt Liu said, her eyes darting around.

"What's going on here?" Aunt Liu asked, changing the subject.

“Let’s go back and talk, Mother,” Lin Wan said, helping her walk back.

After hearing Lin Wan's embellished explanation, Aunt Liu's hatred for her intensified. But for now, she could only suppress her anger and focus on repairing Lin Ning's house.

The birthday banquet for the Crown Prince's mother, Consort Xi, is approaching. They need to restore their image and prepare a birthday gift for the Consort, which they take very seriously, as the gift is extremely valuable and time-consuming. Therefore, she thought it best to avoid conflict with Lin Ning for the time being, as there were still important matters to attend to.

When Lin Ning learned that Prime Minister Lin and her grandmother had ordered Aunt Liu to repair her house and improve her treatment, she secretly sneered. This outcome was pretty much what she had expected. She knew that Aunt Liu was definitely unwilling, but dared not disobey the order. She couldn't let this good opportunity slip by easily. This time, she was determined to make Aunt Liu pay a hefty price and get justice for all the grievances she had suffered in the past.

A few days later, despite her reluctance, Aunt Liu had no choice but to send people to begin repairing Lin Ning's courtyard. Lin Ning sat to the side, seemingly leisurely watching the craftsmen come and go, but in her mind she was carefully considering every detail.

Lin Ning first called over the foreman in charge of the repairs and said softly, "I don't expect this courtyard to be too luxurious, but it is, after all, the place where the legitimate daughter should live, so it has to be done with some care. Look at these walls, they have to be built with the best blue bricks, and the gaps have to be filled with fine white mortar. It must be done perfectly, flat and smooth, and there can be no carelessness."

The foreman nodded repeatedly in agreement. Lin Ning continued, "And the roof tiles, they must be thick and of uniform color. If there are any defective tiles mixed in, I can spot them at a glance." The foreman hurriedly replied, "Don't worry, Miss, we will do our best and would never dare to cut corners."

Lin Ning smiled slightly and continued, "I'm thinking of paving the corridor in this courtyard with carved stone slabs. As for the patterns, I'll choose auspicious designs, like flowers blooming and wealth, so that walking on the corridor will be pleasing to the eye, won't it?" The foreman wiped the sweat from his forehead, secretly sighing that this young lady had quite a lot of demands, but he quickly agreed.

Lin Ning was particularly particular about the arrangement of the room.

She said to the maid sent by Aunt Liu, "Go tell Aunt Liu that the furniture in my room, the tables and chairs, must be made of rosewood, with exquisite and delicate carvings. We need to hire the most famous craftsmen in the capital to make them. As for the bed, it should naturally be made of golden nanmu wood, which is both sturdy and exudes nobility. And the bedding should be made of silk from Jiangnan, and the cotton filling should be of the highest quality, soft and warm."

The maidservant looked troubled upon hearing this and went back to tell Aunt Liu everything Lin Ning had requested. Aunt Liu was furious, but there was nothing she could do. After all, she didn't want any unnecessary trouble at this stage, as everything was for Wan'er's position as Crown Princess. She could only grit her teeth and order her people to comply, her heart bleeding as she thought about how Lin Ning really knew how to take advantage of the situation to make exorbitant demands, and how much silver this would cost.

At the same time, Lin Ning made a list of all the maids and servants who usually mocked and deliberately made things difficult for her, and handed it to Aunt Liu, saying, "Aunt, these servants have caused me a lot of trouble. Now that I am the legitimate daughter, my treatment cannot be that the servants are disrespectful to me. I must deal with them. Those who deserve to be beaten should be beaten, and those who deserve to be sold should be sold. They cannot be let off lightly."

Looking at the long list, Aunt Liu felt even more resentful. These were all her spies, and now they were going to be uprooted. However, she was afraid that Lin Ning would complain to the old lady, so she could only follow her wishes and punish those unruly servants one by one. Once Wan'er's big matter was over, as long as she was in this house, she could easily manipulate her. Then she could plant more spies for her. It was just that those who had been there earlier suffered. Some maids were beaten until they cried for their parents, and some servants were directly taken to the brokerage and sold. Although it was meant to make an example of them, all the servants in the Lin family were terrified and dared not underestimate Lin Ning anymore.

After all this commotion, Aunt Liu really lost a lot of money. She originally wanted to just get by, but Lin Ning took everything seriously, so she could only swallow her anger and resentment. She was secretly furious but helpless, hoping to get through this ordeal as soon as possible and find another opportunity to take revenge on Lin Ning.

Under Lin Ning's strict requirements and Aunt Liu's reluctant but not daring to disobey her, the originally dilapidated and remote courtyard gradually took on a brand-new look and underwent a tremendous transformation.

The craftsmen worked day and night, meticulously crafting the courtyard according to Lin Ning's detailed requirements. The once mottled walls were now firmly built with new blue bricks, gleaming with a rustic yet grand luster under the sunlight. Each brick seemed to tell the story of the courtyard's current extraordinary nature. The gaps filled with white mortar were as fine as hair, neat and uniform, pleasing to the eye.

On the roof, rows of thick, evenly colored tiles are neatly arranged, like a magnificent crown adorning the courtyard. On rainy days, raindrops hitting the tiles make a crisp, melodious sound, as if playing a beautiful melody. There's no longer any worry about leaks that used to make the house damp and messy.

Stepping into the courtyard, the carved stone-paved corridor is truly a sight to behold. Auspicious patterns, symbolizing wealth and prosperity, are carved with lifelike detail by the artisans, almost as if they have come to life. Strolling along the corridor is like walking through an art gallery, each step revealing a unique refinement and charm. The house itself is even more breathtaking. Pushing open the vermilion door, the interior is a world apart from its former self. A table and chairs crafted from rosewood sit in the center, their exquisite carvings showcasing the artisans' superb skills and seemingly telling ancient stories. The table and chairs exude a subtle sandalwood fragrance, filling the entire house with an elegant atmosphere.

The bed, made of golden nanmu wood, is the focal point of the entire room. Its sturdy frame exudes a noble air, while the bed canopy, crafted from the finest brocade and embroidered with exquisite floral and bird patterns, cascades down, creating a warm yet luxurious atmosphere. The bedding is soft and warm, made entirely of silk imported from Jiangnan, filled with the finest cotton; lying on it feels like being gently enveloped by clouds.

The room is decorated with various exquisite ornaments, including a translucent jade ruyi, symbolizing good fortune; and delicate blue-and-white porcelain vases filled with seasonal flowers, adding vitality and elegance to the room. Several paintings and calligraphy works by famous artists also hang on the walls, making the entire space more culturally rich and refined.

The originally cramped space has been expanded several times over after the renovation, and the layout is now more rational and ingenious. The various functional areas are clearly divided, including a bedroom for Lin Ning to rest, a small hall for reading, writing, tea drinking, and flower appreciation, and a walk-in closet for storing clothes and jewelry. It's as if a new mansion has been built on the original site.

Standing in the newly renovated courtyard, Lin Ning was filled with emotion. The grievances suffered by the original owner of this body seemed to gradually dissipate with the transformation. But in Zhang Yin's heart, this was far from enough. Here, she still frequently dreamt of Lin Ning. Although Lin Ning had the blessing of rebirth, she was still killed by them. The face Lin Ning saw before her death was always so blurry, so her intuition told her that this was only the beginning.

When Aunt Liu learned that the courtyard had ended up like this, she was heartbroken and stamped her feet. The money spent felt like it was cutting into her flesh, but she could only swallow her anger. After all, this was a task assigned by Prime Minister Lin and the Old Madam. Now she could only hope that nothing else went wrong so that she could ease the "pain" caused by this huge loss.