Song Qingchao stood before the gate,
tilting her head to look at the two large characters "Lin Fu" written on the plaque.
She finally understood what it meant to be a local tyrant.
The plaque, the main gate, were all trimmed with gold, and the wood used was golden sycamore.
It was simply extravagant, a clear display of wealth.
Song Qingchao even wondered if a thief might come in the middle of the night to pry off a few gold pieces from the gate.
After admiring it for a while, Song Qingchao walked forward.
The guards at the gate immediately stopped her, "Who! Who dares trespass in Lin Fu!"
Song Qingchao glanced at the two of them and didn't bother to argue.
She took two steps back, "This humble girl is Song Qingchao, a friend of Miss Lin, and I've come specifically to visit. Please announce my arrival."
The guards looked her up and down with suspicion, "Our young lady has no friends. Please leave."
"No friends?" Song Qingchao chuckled, then met their scrutinizing gazes with a relaxed demeanor, "Is this young lady doing that poorly?"
"How dare you!" one of the guards suddenly shouted, pointing his finger at Song Qingchao's nose, "Who are you calling that?"
The other guard chimed in, "How dare you mention our young lady like that!?"
Then he raised his cudgel, intending to drive Song Qingchao away.
With a few quick pivots of her feet, Song Qingchao nimbly dodged the attacks of the two guards, even tricking them into falling to the ground due to their own momentum.
Song Qingchao stood gracefully to the side, untouched.
The two guards, supporting each other, got back on their feet indignantly, glaring at Song Qingchao, "You just wait!"
Song Qingchao didn't react much, merely nodding, "I have important matters to see Master Lin. Please trouble yourselves to announce me."
After she spoke, the two guards hobbled through the imposing mansion gate.
As expected, Song Qingchao didn't have to wait long. Soon, a group of house servants holding cudgels emerged from the mansion.
"I just want to see Master Lin. Is a grand display like this necessary?"
Song Qingchao remained unfazed but furrowed her brows.
The lead guard pointed at Song Qingchao, "Brothers! Attack!"
And so, a group of them moved in unison.
"This is quite a situation. Let me say this first, I didn't make the first move!"
"Go to hell!"
Several men roared and charged at Song Qingchao.
Song Qingchao remained calm, her eyes fixed on their ankles and elbow joints, constantly tracking their movements.
She merely moved the tips of her feet, her waist swaying gently in coordination with her steps.
Each movement precisely evaded the fierce attacks.
After a barrage of seemingly random cudgel swings, only the tips of her waist-length hair were grazed.
Song Qingchao finally spun around and stood on the steps before the main gate. She held Bai You'an's fan and, with a "snap," opened it, covering the lower half of her face.
"See, what did I tell you?"
The men lying on the ground were still unwilling, propping themselves up with their cudgels and charging at Song Qingchao again.
Holding the fan, Song Qingchao pushed one away to her left and kicked another down to her right.
This time, she didn't even move her position.
If she couldn't even handle these insignificant pawns, how could she live up to the teachings of her younger brother and uncles, let alone stage a rebellion?
Finally, she flicked the fan in her hand, sweeping across the fallen men, and then curved her lips, "Call me Grandma, and perhaps I'll consider hitting you a few times less."
Song Qingchao then flipped her wrist, holding the fan in her palm, "Never mind, I don't like weaklings. You should go find Master Lin for me."
Her words were soft and gentle, not at all like her swift fighting style.
That's right, she did it on purpose.
She lowered her eyelids, "Why are you retreating?"
Saying this, Song Qingchao walked down a few steps, "Miss Lin and I are truly friends."
Her words were very earnest, and the men lying on the ground changed their expressions, their eyes filled with fear.
Now Song Qingchao was certain that these people weren't afraid of her.
Therefore, there could only be one outcome.
The person she was looking for had arrived.
So she turned gracefully, her goose-yellow warm linen ch'i-p'ao creating a swirl as she turned.
Bright but not gaudy, delicate but not seductive.
"You must be Master Lin?" Although she spoke tentatively, her tone was entirely certain.
A man of imposing presence stood on the porch.
He appeared to be around fifty years old, with a majestic build and broad shoulders.
"May I ask what business you have with Wanwan?"
His voice was also steady, and he didn't look like a shrewd merchant at all.
If Song Qingchao were to guess, she might have thought he was a general at first glance.
He looked like someone easily fooled.
After assessing him, Song Qingchao performed a proper courtesy, "This humble girl is Song Qingchao. I have come today to discuss some matters with Master Lin. And it is not a lie that I am Miss Lin's friend." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
She turned and pointed at the scattered house servants, "This, I did not do it intentionally. Master Lin, being so magnanimous, should not mind, right?"
"It's nothing." He waved his hand, disregarding Song Qingchao's actions just now.
Now it was Song Qingchao's turn to be bewildered. She thought he would at least reprimand her.
"Please," Master Lin made a gesture of invitation, then slightly moved aside, signaling Song Qingchao to enter with him.
"Thank you, Master Lin."
Song Qingchao followed him in, neither obsequious nor overbearing.
Before entering, Song Qingchao thought the mansion would merely be large and luxurious, but she never expected the extravagance to be even greater than that of a marquis's estate.
Every scene, every object, was meticulously crafted.
Song Qingchao admired the scenery, "Master Lin's garden is well-tended and pleasing."
"Is that so?" Master Lin smiled unexpectedly, "Wanwan likes it."
"I see."
Wanwan likes it.
These simple four words revealed Master Lin's doting affection for Lin Tingwan.
Throughout their walk, Master Lin's conversation revolved around Lin Tingwan.
He said Lin Tingwan liked flowers, so flowers were everywhere, and they even hired the best gardeners.
He also said Lin Tingwan liked to play in the water, so a large pool was built in her main courtyard, with fresh water changed daily.
Master Lin's doting on Lin Tingwan was so profound that even Song Qingchao couldn't help but marvel.
Even Princess Li Yanzhu, who enjoyed considerable favor, was a dignified princess, but she likely did not experience as much as Lin Tingwan.
"Miss Song?"
Master Lin called her, bringing her back to her senses.
"Please, go ahead."
Song Qingchao politely replied "Thank you" and then entered the main hall without hesitation.
As soon as she stepped inside, Master Lin waved everyone away and then closed the door tightly.
Song Qingchao's slightly raised lips fell. "What does Master Lin mean by this?"
"What do I mean?" Master Lin glanced at her, then walked to the head seat, tidied his robes, and sat down directly. "Wanwan is very important to me. Therefore, if Miss Song wants to talk about Wanwan's past, you must forgive my impoliteness."
Upon hearing this, Song Qingchao smiled, then naturally sat on the first chair to the left. "Master Lin, please rest assured. This humble girl merely wishes to do business with you."
"What kind of business?" Master Lin couldn't help but look at Song Qingchao with a frown.
He truly didn't take such a young girl seriously.
If it weren't for his concern for Wanwan, he would never have invited her into his mansion.
After all, Wanwan had said that no one was allowed to enter or leave the mansion.
He, as her father, had to set an example.
Song Qingchao lowered her head and took out the token in her hand, placing it on the table with a "clink." "It's a business with ten thousand benefits and one gain."