Lin Yue never made empty promises. She reached straight into her pocket and pulled out three taels of silver. The gleaming pieces of broken silver instantly sent the adults’ hearts pounding, their eyes nearly popping out of their heads!
With trembling hands, Grandfather snatched the silver from Lin Yue’s palm in a flash and bit down on it with his teeth. The familiar texture and hardness flushed his face red with excitement.
“Father, is it real silver? Let me see!”
Her cheap father somehow found the courage to snatch a piece from his father’s hand. The uncles and aunts were impatient to have a look as well, but at a sharp rebuke from Grandfather, they shrank their heads back like turtles.
“Where did you get this money?” Grandfather calmed down and asked sternly. Compared to the ridiculous notion of studying medicine, he cared far more about the money—three taels of silver was no small sum.
“Doctor Chen gave it to me...”
Lin Yue began recounting the sequence of events. She said she had found some wild pheasant eggs on the mountain, gathered a handful of grass to cushion them, and taken them to town to sell. On the way, she encountered Doctor Chen’s son returning from gathering herbs. The man’s leg had been bitten by some unknown venomous snake and turned completely black. He lacked the proper medicine to treat it, but happened to spot a herb in her basket, so she helped apply it to his wound...
Had it not been for that herb, his leg would likely have been crippled.
“Doctor Chen heard about it and said I saved his son’s life, so he gave me three taels of silver. He also said I have a knack for medicine and asked if I wanted to become a medicine apprentice at his shop.”
“Is that true?” Saving an herb gatherer was an immense favor. Excitement gleamed in Grandfather’s eyes, as though they had latched onto a wealthy benefactor.
“Yes. I helped Uncle Chen into town, and many people saw us.” Lin Yue nodded with a calm expression; this story had only been concocted today.
The four men began muttering among themselves, their faces beaming with excitement as if celebrating a joyous family milestone, looking as though they were on the verge of soaring to success.
“Doctor Chen is the only physician in town! Just one packet of medicine he prescribes costs several hundred coins!” Second Uncle said, the craving on his face laid bare.
“His family is well-off in town, living in a brick-and-tile house, so big and spacious...” Jealousy flashed in Third Uncle’s eyes, wishing he had been the one to save Doctor Chen’s son and climb into good standing with a wealthy household.
Her cheap father was even more beside himself with excitement. “What business does a girl have being a medicine apprentice? Just marry properly! Let your eldest brother go learn!”
Lin Yue did not argue. Looking completely nonchalant, she said, “Doctor Chen said if I work diligently and learn to recognize more herbs, he’ll let me gather one or two varieties for him. Adding in the apprentice wages, I can earn two taels of silver a year.”
Two taels of silver a year!
The hands Grandfather and her cheap father had resting on their laps began to tremble. Such immense wealth had suddenly dropped into their laps, leaving them at a loss, as if in a dream.
Medical skill was the Chen family’s legacy; even with adoptive kinship, the Chen family wouldn’t teach an outsider. Lin Yun was clever—it would be better to have him replace Xiaya to do odd jobs at the medicine shop and secretly learn whatever he could.
At noon the next day, people from the Chen family arrived. Grandfather, who had been working in the fields, immediately rushed home to receive them upon hearing the news.
The old physician had trouble walking, so his daughter-in-law and grandson had come instead.
Standing by, Lin Yue listened as Aunt Chen and Grandfather discussed the matter with smiling faces. When it came to Doctor Chen thinking highly of Lin Yue and wanting her to help at the medicine shop, Grandfather cut in and waved for Lin Yun to come over.
“Chen Ping’s mother, Second Girl is going to be married before long. Showing her face in public isn’t proper. Yun’er is diligent and capable, so let Lin Yun go in her place.”
Lin Yun stepped forward eagerly. Aunt Chen, who was somewhat stockily built, didn’t even spare him a glance as she smiled and refused.
“My father-in-law said that Xiaya was the one who saved Chen Ping’s father, so this good fortune must fall to her. It doesn’t matter if she marries; Xiaya’s prospective in-laws are struggling anyway, so working at the medicine shop will help supplement the household...”
Grandfather knitted his brows, the smile freezing on his face. Once married off, she would no longer belong to the Lin family, and they wouldn’t see a copper of that money.
“Chen Ping’s mother, Second Girl fell into the river a few months ago, and she isn’t quite right in the head now. Besides, what woman goes out showing her face in public? Working at the shop would reflect poorly...” Grandfather urged earnestly, enumerating Lin Yue’s various flaws while praising Lin Yun’s reliability and good sense.
“Xiaya, come here. How about letting your eldest brother go instead!”
Lin Yue had been staring down at the ground. Hearing this, she lifted her eyes toward Grandfather, meeting his oppressive, sharp gaze, then shifted her look to Lin Yun, who was three years older than her and gazing at her with an expectant face.
Lin Yue understood clearly. If she uttered a single word of refusal, Lin Yun and the others would likely harbor a grudge against her in the future, believing her objection was what prevented Lin Yun from becoming a medicine apprentice and ruined the whole family’s prospects.
“Auntie, how about letting my eldest brother go?” Lin Yue knitted her brows, looking obedient yet conflicted, deftly tossing the dilemma back.
Aunt Chen waved her hand in refusal; there was no way she would let Lin Yun come to secretly learn their craft.
“Xiaya’s grandfather, please don’t make things difficult for me. My father-in-law specifically asked for Xiaya, and I cannot make that call. If you want to switch people, go to the shop and discuss it with him.”
“Sigh, alright. I’ll speak with Doctor Chen.”
Knitting his brows, Grandfather sighed and took Lin Yue and Lin Yun to town. The three returned only as the sun set. Sitting dejectedly on the threshold, he discussed the trade-offs with Grandmother and his three sons.
On this trip to town, he had learned an important piece of news.
To avoid idle gossip, the Chen family would adopt Lin Yue as an adoptive daughter.
This made Grandfather even more reluctant to let the opportunity go, and the balance in his heart began to tip.
Lin Yue felt relieved. Grandfather hadn’t swayed Doctor Chen. Next came the Lin family’s choice: were money and face more important, or were two taels a year and the connection worth more?
Breaking off an engagement so close to the wedding date was indeed improper, but the Wu family wasn’t a good match anyway, so backing out wouldn’t have that much of an impact. Moreover, her helping at the medicine shop held many benefits for the Lin family.
As for compensating the Wu family, Lin Yue still had over three taels. If they proved unwilling, she could just give them a bit more money to avoid the nuisance of endless bickering.
She decided to add fuel to the fire.
If this still failed to move the Lin family, Lin Yue would have no choice but to try running away. She had already bought clothes for her escape, multi-layered cloth shoes, and leg wrappings, which could protect against insects and snake bites while quickening her pace. She also had detoxifying medicinal powder, a cleaver for self-defense, sulfur, fire strikers, and the like.
These were all ordinary, cheap items, essential gear for herb gatherers and hunters heading up the mountain, easy to find and unlikely to arouse suspicion.
Lin Yue went up the mountain once again in search of treasures.
The greatest benefit of transmigrating into the countryside was being able to wander freely. Because men and women alike had to work—digging up wild greens on the mountain to forage for food or cultivating crops in the fields—no one had the leisure to keep an eye on anyone.
This time, Lin Yue found nothing valuable, though she did discover black wood ear mushrooms on some rotting wood. She picked them and took them to town as a token of respect for Doctor Chen.
Upon her return, she handed Grandfather one tael of silver, claiming she had found a lingzhi and sold it for one tael. Holding the silver, Grandfather was so thrilled his eyes crinkled shut. He promptly stashed it away and grabbed a cleaver and a basket.
“Where on the mountain did you find it, Second Girl! Hurry and take Grandfather there!”
Lin Yue gave an affirmative hum and led them up the mountain, pointing out the spot where she had seen the lingzhi. But they searched until dark without finding another, leaving them no choice but to return in disappointment.
After dinner, darkness had fallen. The moon hung early in the sky, illuminating the peasant family’s earthen cottages and thatched huts, as well as the few lean, dark silhouettes sitting in the courtyard to enjoy the evening cool.
Grandfather, Grandmother, her parents, uncles, and aunts did not return to their rooms to rest as usual, but stayed in the courtyard discussing matters. Lin Yue hid by the corner of the house and eavesdropped as they debated calling off the engagement.
“Breaking off the engagement at such a crucial moment reflects poorly on our family.”
Second Aunt felt somewhat displeased thinking of her own child, so Second Uncle offered an idea.
“If we have Sanya marry over instead, we won’t need to break off the engagement...”
“But Sanya is already promised to someone...” Her cheap mother, Madame Wang, said with some concern.
They discussed it back and forth: there was nothing wrong with Sanya’s betrothal, and recklessly calling it off would look bad for the Lin family. Siya was only eight, far too young. There were no other suitable girls in the house. After more than an hour of deliberation, Grandfather finally made the final call.
“Eldest Daughter-in-law, go call off this marriage tomorrow. It can’t be delayed any longer.”
“Understood...” Madame Wang replied.
Hearing this, Lin Yue quietly slipped away.
Matters had finally been settled; her plotting had not been in vain.
Handing full decision-making power over to the Lin family prevented friction from being directed toward Doctor Chen while keeping herself out of the spotlight, leaving the Lin family to shoulder the blame in the end.
Everything had fallen into place naturally. Who would ever suspect she was the mastermind behind it all?
Such is human nature: as long as you offer enough value to others, they will charge into the fray on your behalf without you even having to ask.
Thus, in interpersonal dealings, only when bound by mutual interest do ties become all the more secure.
The next day, Madame Wang told Lin Yue about the decision. Lin Yue merely nodded with a look of indifference. Madame Wang let out a wistful sigh, then set off for Wu Family Village with her second sister-in-law, silver in hand.
Rate on N.U.
