The Night Watcher of Great Jing - Chapter 59

Lin Zhu stared, then unconsciously turned his head away.

Zhao Li’s body formed scars easily.

Despite Matron Wan’s meticulous care and the use of priceless Jade Complexion Ointment like a facial mask, a long, pale-red scar remained on her cheek.

Without all those upheavals, she would have reached the age when marriage discussions should begin.

A daughter who ought to have been cherished in the palm of her family’s hand instead carried such a scar on her face.

The blemish marred a young woman who had originally been exceptionally beautiful.

And it had all been caused by her own birth mother.

Then Lin Zhu thought of himself.

At their first meeting, all he had considered was how disappointing the child was and how inferior she seemed to Yaoguang.

No matter how shamelessly he deceived himself, Lin Zhu knew the truth.

He had not liked the child who had been exchanged at birth. From the beginning, they had regarded her as a problem.

And at their second meeting, what had he, her grandfather, done?

He remembered Daoist Xuanxu saying that yin energy had likely entered Zhao Li’s body, potentially shortening her life and affecting her ability to bear children.

The guilt tormenting him suddenly erupted.

Lin Zhu’s back hunched.

Shen Yan sneered at the sight.

He had once mobilized spies inside the Zhao household.

Every detail of Zhao Li’s treatment there had been placed upon his desk.

The thought of how cautiously and timidly she had once lived filled Shen Yan—who viewed her through at least eight layers of favorable filters—with intense pain.

If she had not suddenly awakened wisdom from a previous life and escaped, then this year her parents would have treated her as an unwanted burden.

They would have married her to an unsuccessful examination candidate with only a meager dowry.

Shen Yan found Lin Zhu’s dejected expression insufficient.

“The matron caring for A-Li at the Pacification Office once asked me for medicine to remove scars. Why do you think that was, Lord Lin?”

Lin Zhu looked confused.

Was it not because of the scar on her face?

Shen Yan’s lips pulled into a cold smile.

“Of course it was not only for that one mark.”

“A-Li’s body is covered in scars. Burns from heated irons. Punctures from needles…”

Lin Zhu shuddered.

“Impossible. The Zhao family is a scholarly household. They would never abuse a child.”

Shen Yan’s expression grew even darker.

“The Zhao family in the capital certainly would not. Their precious young lady Zhao Yaoguang was reportedly raised in perfect luxury. Even the water for washing her face was warm spring water transported from outside the city, and she drank morning dew collected from flowers by her maids.”

Lin Zhu opened his mouth soundlessly.

He did not understand what was wrong with that, but when he remembered Shen Yan’s previous words, his expression abruptly changed.

“Precisely. Vice Minister Zhao’s household cherished their daughter in the palm of their hand.”

“Meanwhile, at the northern frontier, A-Li crouched beside holes hacked through the ice in winters cold enough to freeze breath, washing and unpicking other people’s quilts.”

Shen Yan watched Lin Zhu’s body jolt and curved his lips.

“Her hands froze until no healthy flesh remained, all to earn thirty copper coins—not enough to buy two lengths of embroidery thread for Miss Yaoguang in the capital.”

“Even that failed to satisfy her wolfish foster parents. Her drunken foster father and brother beat and cursed her at will. Whenever her foster mother felt displeased, she inflicted another beating.”

“The touch of red-hot iron against flesh is perhaps a sensation Miss Yaoguang in the capital will never experience.”

“You useless people who failed to protect a child—what right did you have to despise her for poor handwriting? Her cracked, frostbitten hands could not handle embroidery thread or play the zither.”

Shen Yan had only intended to make Lin Zhu suffer.

But as he recited each detail, genuine anger overtook him.

“Zhao Yaoguang took everything that belonged to A-Li. A-Li suffered every hardship meant for Zhao Yaoguang. What right did any of you have to demand that A-Li be tolerant and yielding?”

By then, Lin Zhu could no longer stand steadily.

He reached out and braced himself against the wall.

Shen Yan looked down at him and snorted.

“A-Li has severed ties with Zhao Huai and Lin Jiaoniang. Lord Lin should stop trying to attach himself to her or assume the airs of an elder.”

“I have not forgotten what happened last time. One day, I will repay it.”

Shen Yan swept his sleeve and left without another glance.

Lin Zhu remained against the wall, breathing heavily.

The sudden eruption of guilt twisted his heart into a knot.

When he failed to return for a long time, his attendant came looking.

The sight of Lin Zhu in such a state frightened him, and he hurried forward to support the old man.

“Old Master, what happened?”

With one hand holding Lin Zhu and the other rubbing his chest and patting his back, the attendant asked, “Did that Shen villain say something?”

Lin Zhu weakly waved.

“Nothing.”

Though he claimed it was nothing, every word Shen Yan had spoken echoed through his mind.

His entire body seemed to wither.

He did not even have the energy to retaliate against Huang Li’s malicious glance.

During the carriage ride home, an image repeatedly filled Lin Zhu’s mind:

Zhao Yaoguang’s soft, delicate hands brewing tea and embroidering flowers.

Against it stood the tiny figure washing quilts beside an ice hole in deep snow and bitter cold.

At last, Lin Zhu could no longer endure it.

He leaned out of the carriage.

“Go to the Zhao residence.”

The mounted attendant did not know why Lin Zhu had suddenly changed his mind when they were nearly at the Lin residence.

Nevertheless, he shouted, “Turn around! The Old Master is going to the Zhao residence.”

Inside the Zhao residence, Lin Jiaoniang did not know her father was coming.

She leaned listlessly beneath a flower trellis in the courtyard.

Zhao Li’s slap had wounded her pride far more than her body.

The blow had landed not only on Lin Jiaoniang’s face, but on her dignity as a mother and as a person.

Before marriage, she had been a cherished daughter protected by her father and brothers.

After marrying, she and Zhao Huai treated each other with respect.

No one had ever laid a finger upon her, let alone slapped her.

Zhao Li’s blow left her feeling too humiliated to face anyone. She had remained in bed for a long time.

Only today had the matron beside her coaxed her into the courtyard for fresh air.

Beside Lin Jiaoniang sat a graceful young woman in a moon-white dress.

Her attire was simple and elegant. Her skin was white as jade, and even her fingernails were meticulously trimmed.

A plain jade hairpin adorned her hair, lending her an otherworldly air.

“Mother, look how beautifully the flowers are blooming. Shall I cut several branches to perfume your room?”

Zhao Yaoguang smiled gently and leaned her head affectionately against Lin Jiaoniang.

“All right. Yaoguang is so thoughtful.”

Lin Jiaoniang stroked the top of her head with satisfaction.

When had that wretch Zhao Li ever shown such consideration?

Lin Jiaoniang’s expression froze.

People were like this.

When they did not care, they truly did not care.

But once someone occupied their thoughts, whether for good or ill, the mind returned to that person without control.

Seeing Lin Jiaoniang’s expression change, Zhao Yaoguang stiffened as well.

Her mother had drifted into thought again.

When facing Yaoguang, her mother had never lost focus before.

But now…

It had begun after Zhao Li left.

Darkness flashed through Zhao Yaoguang’s eyes.

She took a small lap blanket from beside her and spread it across Lin Jiaoniang’s legs.

Lin Jiaoniang smiled, stroked her hand, and praised, “What a good girl you are, Yaoguang.”

At that moment, a servant arrived to report.

“The Old Master of the Lin family has arrived.”

Joy appeared on Lin Jiaoniang’s face.

Her mother had visited many times since she fell ill, but her father had come only once.

Her mother said his spirits had been poor recently.

Lin Jiaoniang had intended to send Yaoguang to visit her grandfather tomorrow. She had not expected him to come today.

Anticipation made her smile.

Seeing her good mood, Zhao Yaoguang supported her hand and accompanied her to greet him.

When Lin Zhu arrived, he saw a perfect scene of maternal kindness and filial devotion.