The Empress Wants It All: The Empire and Me - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

She kicked Lin Yanran out and slammed the gate shut with a loud bang.

Lin Yanran rubbed her nose, which had almost been caught in the door, feeling somewhat bewildered. “If you won’t lend it, you won’t lend it. There’s no need to start swearing.”

In truth, she still had no real concept of money in this world. Ten taels of silver were enough to feed an ordinary family of three for two years. A hundred taels would make one a properly wealthy household. For a lone young Kunze like Liu Zhenzhen, practicing medicine in a rural town, how much money could she possibly earn?

Lin Yanran turned around and went to the town fortress.

This was the tallest building in Phoenix Town, roughly three stories high, with a defensive wall outside and residences inside. The walls featured bastions and beacon towers. Equivalent to a modern-day combination of a town government office and a police station?

The Old Fortress Head, Lin Dahai, was about fifty years old. His hair was half-white, and his topknot was so sloppily tied that a gust of wind made it look like a chicken’s nest. However, he was glowing with health, and his clothes were quite fine—one could tell at a glance that he lived a comfortable life.

“Uncle Lin, I have something to discuss with you.”

Lin Dahai started sighing the moment he saw her. “Yanran, your parents passed away early, and I watched you grow up. Now that you’ve taken a wife, you must act as the head of the household. Stop gambling your days away. Aren’t you ashamed of losing the entire family estate?”

Lin Yanran suddenly felt a bit formal; so this Old Fortress Head was a relative of the original owner?

“Did you come today to borrow money from me? I’m telling you, not a single copper!”

The old man started out speaking earnestly from the heart, but he changed his face faster than a person could blink, leaving Lin Yanran completely dazed.

“No money. Go, go, go.”

The old man shooed her away like a fly. Lin Yanran felt doubly hurt; she knew the original owner had a foul reputation, but she hadn’t realized she’d reached the level of a street rat that everyone wanted to beat. Thinking this way, she felt even more that Liu Zhenzhen was a good person.

“Uncle, I’m not here to borrow money. I want to ask for your help in finding people to renovate my house.”

Lin Yanran explained her purpose and indicated she could pay the wages upfront. After agreeing on thirty copper coins per person and providing one meal, the old man’s attitude did a 180-degree turn. He immediately called seven able-bodied laborers, joining the team himself.

“Let’s go.”

Lin Yanran took a look—good grief. Among the seven people, two were Lin Dahai’s sons, Lin Shan and Lin Feng; one was his daughter, Lin Cuicui; one was his nephew, Lin Jianghe; and another was Chen Xiaohua, the daughter of his wife’s brother. Then she saw the old man himself, hobbling along quite energetically with a cane.

She really wanted to ask: Old man, are you sure you aren’t just here to leech some wages?

Upon arriving home, she first went into the room to explain the situation to Youqin Mingyue to prevent her from being frightened, then she came out to direct the work. She planned to convert the woodshed into a washroom, the adjacent storage room into a latrine, and build a new woodshed, a doghouse, and a storage area in the courtyard. Additionally, the kitchen stove needed to be rebuilt. To her, food was the most important thing; while she could tolerate a dirt stove, she could not tolerate having no sink for washing vegetables or a counter for cutting them.

Among the crew, besides Lin Dahai and Lin Shan who were low-level Qianyuan, Lin Cuicui and Chen Xiaohua were female Zhongyong (Betas), and the rest were young, able-bodied male Zhongyong.

Lin Dahai directed the seven with clear division of labor: tearing down walls, mixing mud, laying bricks, plastering, and building the stove. Everyone worked hard; since the wage was fixed, finishing early meant resting early.

At noon, Lin Yanran bought twenty oily flatbreads, several meat buns, and a large pot of egg drop soup. She had been worried the meal was too simple, but to her surprise, everyone was full of praise.

After eating, Lin Dahai wiped his mouth and beckoned Lin Yanran to a corner. “They are here to work for you; giving them white flour buns is already quite good. Why did you buy so many oily flatbreads? That’s something only eaten during festivals! You spendthrift girl, truly a dog’s nest can’t keep food overnight!”

Lin Yanran was speechless. She looked at the old man’s greasy mouth and thought to herself: You just ate three of them yourself, how do you have the nerve to scold me?

Lin Dahai glared at her. “What’s with that look? You freeloaded plenty of meals at my house when you were little. Now I’ve only eaten a few of your flatbreads…” As he spoke, his eyes fixed on the red-lacquered food box in Lin Yanran’s hand. “Is that a food box from the Four Directions Inn?”

The Four Directions Inn was the only inn and restaurant at the east end of Phoenix Town.

Lin Yanran nodded. “Yes.”

Lin Dahai’s gaze immediately became warm. “Yanran, I knew you were filial. Is that food box prepared for me? Bring it over, I can still eat more.”

Lin Yanran quickly hugged the box. “Uncle Lin, this is for my wife.”

She ran into the house with the box, leaving Lin Dahai stomping his feet behind her, cursing at her back: “You unfilial girl, forgetting your uncle the moment you get a wife! You ate plenty of meat buns made by your aunt when you were small—”

Watching this through the window gap, Youqin Mingyue’s gaze narrowed. This scum specifically went to the restaurant to buy food for me?

She remembered that in her past life, Lin Yanran gambled and drank away all the family’s money. Every time she returned home drunk, she might remember to bring some leftovers if she was in a good mood; otherwise, she would leave her to fend for herself. If she hadn’t found a way to pawn her only piece of jewelry, she might not have lived long enough for the secret guards to find her. Now, to save her own life, Lin Yanran was certainly willing to pay a high price.

Lin Yanran entered the room with the food box. While laying out the dishes, she said, “You must be hungry. Since the house is being renovated today, I couldn’t cook. I bought some food from outside.”

Youqin Mingyue sat upright at the table, holding a book. Lin Yanran glanced at the cover: Notes of the Autumn Valley Hall, a medical book specifically about herbs. She must have borrowed it from Liu Zhenzhen. Restricted to this small farmhouse courtyard with no entertainment, and with the original owner being a vulgar hunter, she could only borrow medical books from Liu Zhenzhen to pass the time.

Lin Yanran made a mental note of this. she served her a bowl of rice and pushed two dishes toward her. “Eat.”

Youqin Mingyue detested her to the extreme; even her attempts to please felt like an eyesore. She said coldly, “Leave, I will eat on my own.”

Lin Yanran stood up and walked to her side. She was half a head taller than Youqin Mingyue, with a tall and athletic build. Standing suddenly before her, she immediately brought an invisible sense of pressure. Memories of being punched and kicked by her instantly revived; Youqin Mingyue stood up almost as a reflex.

However, her ankle was injured. This movement was too violent; her body swayed and she fell backward. The sensation of falling through the air brought a massive surge of fear. In the split second she fell, Lin Yanran’s anxious face entered her vision, followed by an arm descending from above to hold her tightly.

She involuntarily lunged forward and slumped into Lin Yanran’s embrace. Both were stunned for a moment.

Youqin Mingyue was the first to react, her pale face flushing with indignation. “Let go!”

Lin Yanran didn’t let go immediately. She steadied her waist, and only after making sure she was standing firmly did she gently release her. Her voice was intentionally softened: “You are too thin. Eat well, okay?”

As she spoke, she looked directly into Youqin Mingyue’s eyes. Her expression was strangely sincere, making her words sound particularly persuasive.

Youqin Mingyue froze. The eyes before her were clear, bright, and clean like a lake. The lewdness, ill intent, malice, and resentment that Lin Yanran used to show had all vanished. She even felt a sense of “treasuring” from this gentle gaze. Inevitably, doubt surged in her heart again.

Is the person before me really Lin Yanran?

She lowered her eyelids, masking all emotion.

Lin Yanran handed the chopsticks to her, her voice warm: “This is a new signature dish created by the restaurant chef. Try it, you might like it.” Just now, in order to get these two dishes fried, she had argued with the owner of the Four Directions Inn for a long time. Finally, she paid an extra ten coppers to enter the kitchen and personally “instructed” the chef.

Youqin Mingyue silently took the chopsticks and sat down. Lin Yanran quickly served herself a full bowl of rice and took some side dishes. Before leaving, she noticed Youqin Mingyue still hadn’t moved her chopsticks and couldn’t help but add another sentence.

“Eat up. Only when you’re full will you have the strength to hate me.”

Having said that, she carried her bowl back to her side room. While eating, she began to study Liu Zhenzhen’s Cooling Pill.

Watching the door curtain that was still fluttering after she left, Youqin Mingyue questioned her own judgment for the first time. She knew the old Lin Yanran—that was a total scum, a beast, filled with lust and malice, without a shred of human decency. Even if she was faking it after being reborn, she felt it would be impossible to do it so perfectly. The current Lin Yanran seemed like a completely different person.

“Only when you’re full will you have the strength to hate me.”

Regardless, that scum was right. Only by recovering as quickly as possible would she have the energy to change everything. She picked up the bowl and began to eat, bite by bite.

Soon, her gloomy eyes brightened for a fleeting moment. Today’s dishes were indeed skillfully cooked—sour, refreshing, crisp, and tender, very appetizing. Unknowingly, she ate half a bowl of rice more than usual.

Lin Yanran finished her meal quickly, put away the Cooling Pill with reluctance, and brought a medicine pot to the courtyard. Since the kitchen stove was still wet, she started a small red-clay fire stove in the corner of the yard.

“Yanran, what are you making?”

“Brewing medicine.”

“Is your wife sick?”

Two male Zhongyong immediately huddled together, whispering and pointing. “I heard Yanran beat her. Don’t be fooled by her refined looks; when she hits women, she’s ruthless.”

“Yeah, I heard that too. She broke her wife’s leg.”

“No wonder her wife hasn’t shown her face all this time.”

Lin Cuicui and Chen Xiaohua, who were working, glanced at Lin Yanran, visibly shrinking their necks and quickly moving a few steps away from her.

Lin Yanran: “…” Brothers, spreading rumors isn’t cool.

Lin Shan was fetching water. Being a Qianyuan, he was picky about his work, and others didn’t dare say anything. He dropped the bucket and huddled next to Lin Yanran, winking and asking, “Yanran, I heard your wife is as beautiful as a flower. When are you going to bring her out for us to see?”

Lin Yanran gave him a sideways glare. “Then how about you let me see your wife?”

Lin Shan looked embarrassed, but he was thick-skinned. He stayed by the stove, even licking his lips at the smell of the herbs, and said to Lin Yanran, “Yanran, do you have any leftover buns? I’m hungry, let me toast a few.”

Lin Yanran snorted coldly. Everyone else was working hard today, even Lin Dahai at his age. Only this male Qianyuan was slacking. She called out directly to Lin Dahai: “Uncle Lin, we agreed on the terms. I didn’t say I’d provide two meals. What’s up with my cousin? He clearly ate three large oily flatbreads at noon!”

Lin Dahai walked over and kicked Lin Shan. Lin Shan wasn’t afraid but sluggishly went back to the well to fetch water.

Lin Dahai glanced at Lin Yanran. “Tsk tsk, a hoodlum like you is actually brewing medicine. You’ve changed your nature; you know how to care for people now.”

Lin Yanran rolled her eyes. If you don’t know how to speak properly, old man, you can just stay quiet.

As soon as the medicine was brewed, she hurried inside with the pot. However, the further she walked, the more self-conscious she felt. In the parlor, she poured out the liquid, silently encouraging herself. Lin Yanran, you didn’t do those things. What are you afraid of? A person with a clear conscience stands firm!

She carried the medicine bowl into the room. Upon looking up, she collided with Youqin Mingyue’s sharp, peerless ink-colored eyes. Her heart skipped a beat, as if she’d done something wrong, and she averted her gaze.

The bowl was placed on the table, steaming hot and obviously too hot to drink immediately. She turned back to get the palm-leaf fan she used for the fire and began to fan it gently.

The room was silent for a while, save for the steady rhythm of the fan. The air was filled with the bitter smell of herbs and a faint, pleasant fragrance—the scent of Youqin Mingyue.

Lin Yanran kept her eyes on the medicine bowl, but her peripheral vision was secretly observing Youqin Mingyue. She sat at the table with only a simple topknot; the rest of her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, revealing her long, soft, white neck. One hand held the book, the other lightly pinched the corner of the page. Her posture was incredibly elegant.

Lin Yanran didn’t interrupt. Being able to coexist so quietly was already considered good.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she tested the bowl and found it was no longer scalding. She moved the bowl in front of Youqin Mingyue. “Drink the medicine.”

Youqin Mingyue glanced at it. “Leave it.”

Lin Yanran said, “You need to drink it while it’s warm for better efficacy.”

She stood before her, looking as though she wouldn’t leave until the medicine was drunk. Youqin Mingyue’s gaze darkened—this scum was pushing her luck again, revealing her true nature!

Lin Yanran added quickly, “If you drink it, I have a gift for you.”

As she spoke, she walked out. Youqin Mingyue was beyond annoyed. Once Lin was out, she pinched her nose, picked up the bowl, and gulped it down with her eyes closed. Her fairy-like willow brows furrowed tightly, as if she were drinking poison. Only after finishing did she realize she had been momentarily muddled—she had forgotten to test for poison.

In an instant, the lingering hatred in her heart surged again, adding another layer.