Not only was the eldest daughter-in-law dazzled, even Mother Lin and Li Lanlan looked at Lin Shiheng’s gold jewelry with disbelief.
“This is... real gold?”
Hearing Mother Lin tremblingly ask, Lin Shiheng smiled and replied, “Mother, why would your son give you fake gold? Listen to what you’re saying.”
As he spoke, he handed over the box. Seeing Mother Lin receiving it, he explained in a casual tone that was loud enough for the eldest daughter-in-law to hear, “Today, I went to exchange the books I copied earlier for money. Coincidentally, I heard that the government office was hiring someone to calculate the year’s accounts. I helped them calculate, and the scribe was grateful to me. He gave me some silver taels and said he would visit our home another day.”
Of course, Lin Shiheng didn’t say these words just to show off. He was about to go to the imperial examination and would be away from home for a long time. The Lin family had long since split due to previous unpleasant incidents, and the eldest and second daughters-in-law were unfilial. Once he left, only the old, weak, sick, and the young Li Lanlan, who was a beautiful woman, would remain at home. It seemed unsafe no matter how you looked at it.
But he was, after all, a scholar, and coupled with his position as an accountant in the county, it was enough to make the villagers wary.
Moreover, he didn’t lie. The scribe did appreciate him. Every year, the county allocated funds for him to hire people to clear the accounts. This year, Lin Shiheng cleared all the accounts in one go, saving a large sum of money. Apart from the share given to Lin Shiheng, the remaining money naturally went into the scribe’s pocket.
In the official circles, the lower the position, the more one would look down on others. If the person who helped clear the accounts today was an ordinary person, the scribe would at most give some money without going out of his way to please. However, the speed at which the accounts were cleared and Lin Shiheng’s demeanor and actions were extraordinary. He was a scholar about to take the exam, and no one could say for sure about his future prospects. Naturally, the scribe wanted to curry favor with him while he was still just an ordinary scholar. Who knows when this seemingly ordinary scholar would become a high-ranking official in the future?
Just as Lin Shiheng instructed, if his family encountered any problems in the county while he was away, they could seek help, and he would try to solve them within his abilities. This way, he would gain a good friend who could clear a year’s worth of accounts in a single day. Why wouldn’t he do it?
Lin Shiheng’s plan worked indeed. After he mentioned that he had already established a relationship with the scribe, the eldest daughter-in-law, who had been looking at the two gold jewelry with jealousy and envy, immediately quieted down.It wasn’t that she was no longer jealous, but rather that she was too afraid to cause trouble.
Common people treated even the smallest officials with fear. If Lin Shiheng had only made money, she might have some small thoughts. Now that she knew about his relationship with the scribe, even if she felt sour in her heart, she could only endure it.
After all, he was an official. If she angered Lin Shiheng, what would happen to her?
She entered the house dejectedly, thinking that when her husband returned, she must talk to him about this matter. They mustn't upset Mother anymore. If Mother got angry and had third brother went to the county to lodge a complaint, we wouldn't hove any ability to fight bock.
On the other hand, Mother Lin couldn’t care less about her eldest daughter-in-law. She looked fondly and tenderly at the two wooden boxes in front of her. One contained a gold bracelet, and the other held a pair of gold earrings. The bracelet had minimal patterns but was heavy and wide. In comparison, the earrings were smaller but beautifully shaped, exuding an exquisite charm.
As a woman, she naturally liked them, especially since they were given by her own son. However, she also had other considerations.
If they exchanged these pieces of jewelry for money, it would be enough for their family to live comfortably for a long time. It wasn’t easy for Shiheng to earn money, and he was about to go to the provincial capital. Every time he went there before, he complained about the poor accommodations. With this money, at least Shiheng could stay at a better inn.
Thinking about that, Mother Lin couldn’t help but caress the bracelet lovingly while feeling a bit distressed. She said, “Why did you buy these for me? I’m already old. Do I still need to dress up? This money, it’s better to keep it for yourself.”
The granddaughter-in-law saw her mother-in-law enter the house. Although she was also shocked that her third uncle could establish a relationship with an official from the county, considering that he was at least a scholar, she wasn’t that surprised.
She thought about her young son at home and looked at the shiny gold jewelry. She gritted her teeth and wore a smile, praising from behind the wall, “Grandmother, this is Third Uncle’s filial piety. Moreover, since Third Uncle could earn back these gold jewelry, he will definitely be able to earn more money in the future. I’ve said it before; Third Uncle has great abilities. Grandmother, your good fortune is still ahead.”
Mother Lin had grievances against her sons and daughters-in-law, but she was fine with her grandson and granddaughter-in-law. Hearing the envious words, her heartache over her son spending money on jewelry slightly diminished.
In addition, Lin Shiheng nodded cooperatively, “That’s right, Mother. I still have money on hand. In the past, you sold the bracelet that Father gave you in order to support my education. Now that your son can earn money, naturally, I wanted to buy you a better one.”
Li Lanlan followed her husband’s lead and persuaded, “What Husband said is true. He has always told me that he studies hard and aims for success in order to support his parents in the future. Mother, quickly try it on and see if it suits you.”
Being praised by the younger generation and hearing that her son studied for their sake, Mother Lin’s excitement was beyond words. Immediately, she wore an excited smile on her face and put the gold bracelet on her wrist.
As she grew older, her hands naturally didn’t look as good. They were covered in wrinkles and age spots. However, she couldn’t tell if it was just her imagination, but when she wore the gold bracelet, it seemed to add a touch of prosperity.
Furthermore, Lin Shiheng continued to shower her with flattery.
“When I saw this bracelet, I thought it would be perfect for you, Mother. You have a good figure, more prosperous than the old ladies in the city. You should definitely wear a gold bracelet.”
“I still remember when I was young, Mother told me that the Lin family once had a pair of gold earrings, which were always passed down to the daughter-in-law. Unfortunately, later on, when Grandfather fell ill, Grandmother exchanged those earrings for money. Now that your son has bought this pair of gold earrings, it’s like making up for it.”
“The more I look at it, the more I feel that gold jewelry suits you, Mother. In the future, when your son succeeds in the imperial examination, I’ll definitely buy you more gold jewelry.”
Mother Lin was delighted by his words, and the more she looked, the more she felt that the bracelet on her wrist was perfect for her. Moreover, considering her son mentioning that he still had money, she no longer brought up the idea of returning the bracelet for money.
She lovingly touched the bracelet with a smile, “Then I’ll keep it for now. If you ever need money, just let Mother know.”
After all, gold could always be exchanged for money. If Shiheng needed money, she would gladly sell it, despite her fondness for it.
But for now, she would wear it.
Lin Shiheng simply smiled warmly, “Of course.”
“Mother, is Father still asleep? This time, I made money and specifically invited a reputable doctor. He has appointments today and can only come tomorrow. I’ll go and ask Father where he’s feeling unwell, so that when the doctor arrives tomorrow, I can tell him.”
This statement made Mother Lin even happier than receiving a hundred pieces of gold jewelry. Her husband was her life, and now that she heard their son had invited a skilled doctor, she immediately responded with joy, “He’s awake, he’s awake! Your father has been through a lot. He used to be such an active person, but now he can’t even move. He lies in bed every day, feeling drowsy and unable to get up. Just yesterday, he told me he was feeling uncomfortable...”
As she spoke, she began to wipe away her tears.
Having lived together for a lifetime, she naturally shared in her husband’s suffering. With his deteriorating health and the two sons they had raised with so much difficulty turning out to be ungrateful, if it weren’t for Shiheng being a filial son, he probably wouldn’t have wanted to live anymore.
“Stop crying, Mother. That doctor is the most skilled in the city. He will definitely be able to cure Father.”
As the sole pillar of the family now, Lin Shiheng stepped forward to comfort his mother with gentle words, and Li Lanlan added, “That’s right, Mother. Father is in good spirits, so he’ll surely recover.”
With their son and daughter-in-law comforting her, Mother Lin felt a little better in her heart. In order to divert her attention, Lin Shiheng intentionally lowered his voice and said, “By the way, Mother, I have to leave soon. There’s something I need to explain. Come with me to the room.”
His serious expression immediately stirred Mother Lin, who was sad before, and she feared that she might delay her son’s important matter.
They went into Father Lin and Mother Lin’s room. After greeted the father lying on the bed, Lin Shiheng expressed his concerns.
“The journey to the examination site is long, and it will take many days to go back and forth. Our family still has some foundation, but with the difficult times we’re facing now, if there are really some thieves with ill intentions, Eldest Brother and Second Brother...”
He paused for a moment and didn’t directly say that these two individuals were unreliable. Instead, he chose a more tactful way of saying it, “They always sleep soundly... so I’m afraid they won’t be of much help to our side. Mother, you can wear the gold jewelry and go around the village. If someone asks, say that the money to buy the gold jewelry was earned by me working at the county office. Also, mention that I have a good relationship with the officials and scribes there. If others know that we have connections with the officials, even if they have bad intentions, they probably wouldn’t dare to come.”
Moreover, nowadays, common people treat the government with both respect and fear. Knowing officials was equivalent to having a get-out-of-jail-free card. Once the news of Lin Shiheng’s connections with the officials spreads, people in the village will inevitably curry favor with the Lin family. Whenever the Lin family needs help, they won’t have to rely on Mother Lin to seek assistance; the villagers will come rushing to lend a hand.
Lin Shiheng carefully explained the pros and cons of the situation, saying, “Buying gold jewelry is to let others know that I have the ability to earn money. Those who want to make money will be eager to help our family. Claiming a connection with the officials is to guard against those who have greedy intentions. Before I leave, I’ll visit Lan Lan’s family. Father-in-law has a pure and kind heart, and as long as I ask, he would definitely come and help us from time to time. At that time, Mother can prepare some delicious dishes to entertain him.”
Mother Lin never expected that her son had so many considerations in his mind. For a moment, she felt a bit confused and amazed by her son’s abilities.
It was Father Lin lying on the bed who looked at Lin Shiheng with bright eyes and mumbled, “Okay, you can rest assured and go take the exam. Your parents and your wife will be waiting for you at home.”
When they came out, the eldest daughter-in-law, who had just entered her house, also came out.
She had been feeling jealous just now, but she didn’t dare to offend Lin Shiheng, so she could only keep brainwashing herself.
It's nothing. Mother is already so old, what does a piece of gold jewelry matter? I should compare myself with Li Lanlan. Doesn't Li Lanlan hove nothing at all?
She had finally calmed down and was about to go back to the field to continue her work when Mother Lin, on the other hand, touched the pair of gold earrings and thought about her daughter-in-law being filial and obedient, and her father-in-law being willing to help their family.
Moreover, the earrings should have been passed down to the daughter-in-law.
The last trace of reluctance dissipated, and she directly handed the gold earrings to Li Lanlan.
“Lan Lan, you wear this. Let’s each have a piece of jewelry.”
The eldest daughter-in-law, who had just recovered from her anger: “..’
She was furious!