Chapter 50: The Master's Past

After the lesson ended and Master Meng had been seen off, Lin Wanrong let out a long sigh of relief. Pulling Lin Jinyan aside, she said, "You scared me to death. The Master kept such a cold expression that I was terrified she would scold me; I didn't even dare to breathe loudly."

Lin Jinyan smiled and said, "The Master is always like that. She is actually a very good person."

Lin Wanrong nodded. "Even though she looks intimidating, she didn't reprimand me or look down on my lack of knowledge; she was very patient in teaching me. The Master looks to be of a certain age—has she never married? If she had, how would her husband's family have allowed her to come out and work as a teacher?"

Lin Jinyan couldn't help but burst into laughter; after all, children were naturally curious. The two of them sat down in the pavilion, where Yutong and Manao brought out some refreshments.

After taking a sip of water, Lin Jinyan spoke up, "Master Meng should be in her twenties now. She is the youngest daughter of Censor Qin, and the Qin family has been a long-time family friend of our Lin family. She was married once before, but she obtained a divorce."

Lin Wanrong's eyes widened. "A divorce? How did it happen? And if her surname is Qin, why is she called Master Meng?"

Manao, who was refilling their hot water, smiled and explained, "Master Meng is twenty-six this year. When she married ten years ago, I wasn't even as old as the two young ladies. At the time, she married the *Tanhua* (the third highest scorer in the imperial examinations), which was celebrated as a beautiful match. You must know that Master Meng was the most famous talented woman in Tai'an City back then; even the current Emperor has praised her erudition. However, less than six months after the marriage, the *Tanhua's* first wife from his hometown came to Tai'an. She went to the Governor's mansion to beat the drum and file a formal grievance, accusing the *Tanhua* of abandoning his wife to remarry. When Censor Qin heard of this, he was so incensed that he went before the imperial court to file a formal petition. Master Meng and the *Tanhua* eventually divorced, and she returned to her maiden home. Since Master Meng has been married, addressing her by her surname would be somewhat awkward; to avoid such embarrassment, people refer to her by her given name, Meng."

Lin Wanrong pressed further, "What happened to that *Tanhua* later?"

Manao replied, "He was sentenced to receive strokes of the board, stripped of his official titles, expelled from his place of origin, and barred from ever holding office again."

Lin Wanrong frowned. "Was he just let off like that?"

Manao said, "I heard he was originally sentenced to exile, but Master Meng, considering his elderly parents-in-law, pleaded for mercy on his behalf."

Hearing this, Lin Wanrong sighed. "That man was so greedy for wealth and status that he abandoned his first wife; he isn't pitiful at all. It is the Master who has been harmed by him for a lifetime, yet she was still kind enough to plead for him."

As Lin Jinyan ate her pastries, she thought back to her previous life when the Lin and Gu families had fallen into ruin. The elderly Censor Qin had knelt before the imperial court to plead for both families, only being carried home after he had fainted from kneeling.

Later, she had been confined to a side hall, and she didn't know what had become of the Qin family, though she assumed things hadn't gone well.

She kept all of this in her heart; she would surely repay those who were good to her a hundredfold.

As the sisters chatted intimately, Lin Wanrong seemed much more lively than before, asking many questions about matters both inside and outside the manor.

There were many things Lin Jinyan did not know, but Manao seemed to know all the gossip from every household, allowing Lin Jinyan to learn quite a bit as well.

After letting Lin Wanrong finish her lunch, she returned to the West Courtyard.

Lin Jinyan instructed someone to call Nanny Gu to the study. After Nanny Gu had paid her respects, Lin Jinyan dismissed the maid and asked, "Nanny, where is the inventory list of my mother's dowry?"

Nanny Gu replied, "There are two lists in total. One is with the Gu family, and the other was taken by the Young Mistress when she married; I have that one with me now."

Lin Jinyan nodded. "Bring it to me later. I want to take a look."

Nanny Gu said, "Yes. I accompanied the Young Mistress to inspect all those places before she married. If you need to go, I will accompany you."

Lin Jinyan smiled. "It would be even better with you accompanying me."

After speaking, Nanny Gu returned to Sui'an Courtyard to retrieve the dowry list and brought it over.

(End of Chapter)