Against the Current - Chapter 213

Chapter 213 - Punishment (Part 1)

Wang Shi was terrified. She rushed forward to cover Lin Dongling's mouth and scolded her tearfully, "You've lost your mind! What kind of nonsense are you babbling?! You silly girl, Mother knows you were just confused..."

Lin Dongling shoved Wang Shi's hand away and cried out, "He's not like that! It's not like that! He, he, he likes me, but our family's social standing is too high, and he was afraid he couldn't measure up, so he wanted to part ways with me... It was me! I clung to him stubbornly and begged him to find a way, and only then did he suggest that someone else disguise themselves as a bandit to abduct me for a night, after which he would rescue me and send me back to the estate, all so I could become his wife—just like what's sung in The Romance of the Western Chamber... He's a good man, and he's extremely devoted to me..." With that, she choked up and burst into sobs.

With an expression as dark as iron, Old Master Lin closed his eyes and let out a long, heavy breath after a moment.

Wang Shi was dumbfounded. Lacking any eloquence to begin with and now completely panicked, she staggered and crawled to Old Master Lin's feet, kowtowing repeatedly while weeping tears of despair, "Old Master, Ling'er was just young and foolish for a moment... She's a simple-hearted child who was deceived by villains. I beg you, I beg you to spare her, to spare her just this once!"

Lin Jinting also dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face as he pleaded, "Our sister was blinded by foolishness. I beg Grandfather to spare her this once, considering her young age. Eldest Brother already gave her a severe beating, and she knows she was wrong." With that, he cast a pleading look toward Lin Jinlou.

Lin Jinlou raised an eyebrow slightly. If Xianglan had returned safe and sound, and the dozen or so brothers under his command hadn't lost their lives, he might have helped intercede for Lin Dongling. But under the present circumstances, he acted as though he saw nothing and turned to Old Master Lin, saying, "Dubin's gang killed over a dozen of my brothers, but they never expected that my concubine Xianglan would manage to escape from the room with her mother and the others, risking her life to go to the bell tower and ring the bell to summon nearby guards. He must have run into the person abducting Second Aunt's group while fleeing, and seeing that the pursuers had arrived, simply decided to play the loyal hero. He knew this matter would eventually come to light, so he simply fled."

Before he could finish, a voice sounded from the entrance: "Yo! What's going on here? It's neither a festival nor a holiday, yet everyone's kneeling and kowtowing like this." Lin Changmin walked in, smelling heavily of alcohol and speaking in a carefree manner. He was of medium height, slightly plump, with a round face, dark complexion, and wore a semi-new damask silk straight-cut robe secured with a matching sash, devoid of any extravagance. He had been drinking with colleagues outside and enjoying himself immensely when word was sent from home ordering his return. The gatekeeper had intercepted him the moment he arrived, leaving him no time to change clothes or wash up before hurrying straight to the Old Master's courtyard.

Lowering his gaze, Lin Changmin saw Lin Dongling half-sitting on the floor, her hair disheveled, her face bruised and purple, her nose smeared with blood, and her lips swollen to a frightful degree—a truly ghastly sight. He was so shocked that half his drunken stupor instantly vanished, and he sprang up, shouting, "My child! How did you end up looking like this?! Who bullied you? I'll tear them limb from limb!"

Feeling deeply aggrieved, Lin Dongling's face twisted into a grimace as she prepared to wail.

Old Master Lin said coldly, "To fail to teach one's children is the father's fault. Come here and kneel down!"

Lin Dongling instantly choked back her tears, not daring to cry further. Being adept at reading the room, Lin Changmin took one look at Wang Shi's tear-streaked face and his father's furious expression, and realized instantly that Lin Dongling had stirred up trouble. While inwardly cursing this unruly daughter, he plastered a smile on his face, dropping to his knees as he spoke, "Father, please don't be angry. If you get so worked up right at the year's end and harm your health, it will be the fault of us children and grandchildren." He then glanced at Lin Dongling and asked, "Was it this naughty child again, stirring up trouble and upsetting you, Father?"

Lin Jinlou raised an eyebrow slightly. His second uncle might not be good for much, but he certainly possessed an exceptionally smooth and silver tongue.

With a heavy sigh, Old Master Lin slowly said, "What she has done cannot be brushed aside with a simple word like 'naughty'." Unable to continue, he let out another long sigh, slowly closed his eyes, and breathed heavily through gritted teeth.

Rolling his eyes, Lin Changmin caught sight of Xuezhan lifting the curtain to serve tea. He quickly stood up, intercepted the tea tray, waved Xuezhan away, checked the color of the brew beneath the lid, and carefully offered it forward with an ingratiating, warm smile. "Father, this is ginseng tea for calming the mind and soothing the nerves. Have a sip first to moisten your throat, Father..."

Snapping his eyes open, Old Master Lin snatched the teacup right out of Lin Changmin's hands, hurled it against the floor to smash it to pieces, and pointed a trembling finger at Lin Dongling as he shouted harshly, "As a young lady of a respectable household, she lacked self-respect and carried on a secret affair with a personal guard—that is shameless depravity! She allowed herself to be deceived and brought smallpox into the estate, disregarding the lives of her parents and family members, and causing seven or eight deaths—that is a malicious and venomous intent! She lured her mother, aunt, and sister to a temple, nearly sending them to their graves while more than a dozen accompanying guards lost their lives—that is unfilial and unrighteous! It is our family's misfortune to have raised such a rebellious, beastly daughter; the Lin family nearly went down to ruin because of you!"

Every single word struck like a knife, any one of them enough to drive Lin Dongling to take her own life. She stood frozen in shock. She had originally thought Dubin's night raid on the temple was intended to accomplish their good union, never imagining that such terrifying secrets lay behind it. Though frightened upon hearing it now, she comforted herself with the thought that since her family had all returned safely, her grandfather wouldn't be too angry with her—at most, he would give her a whipping and confine her to her quarters for a period of kneeling and reflection, much like before. Never had she expected Old Master Lin to fly into such a thunderous rage.

Unable to hold back her tears, Wang Shi covered her mouth tightly with her handkerchief.

Stunned and covered in cold sweat, Lin Changmin stammered frantically, "What is the meaning of this? How is that possible?! Could there be some mistake?" Looking around, he saw only Wang Shi and Lin Jinting kowtowing side by side, while Lin Dongling hung her head like a frost-bitten eggplant. His heart sank, but forcing a smile, he tried to smooth things over. "Ling'er is still young... She's usually a filial and sensible child who must have been tricked... Could there be some misunderstanding?"

With an ash-pale complexion, Old Master Lin retorted, "What misunderstanding could there possibly be now that things have reached this point? Both human and material evidence are present."

"Then... then even so, they shouldn't have beaten Ling'er into such a state. She is someone about to be betrothed, and in the future, the Marquis of Yongchang—"

Flying into a fury, Old Master Lin slammed his hand heavily on the table and shouted, "The Marquis of Yongchang? You still have the gall to mention the Marquis of Yongchang?! A proper young lady acting in such a filthy manner—I've lost all the face I had left! How could we possibly marry such a ruined, sullied creature to a marquise household? Not only will the marriage fall through, but we'll likely make an enemy of them instead!"

Panicking, Lin Changmin hurried to say, "How can that be? The official matchmaker is coming in a few days, and discussing marriage with the Marquis of Yongchang is already a settled matter... Father, the Marquis of Yongchang holds high office and heavy power, and enjoys imperial favor. If we ally with him through marriage, the benefits are too numerous to count! This match is simply too glorious; opportunities like this slip away once they're gone. Lou'er, Lou'er, you know the Marquis of Yongchang's abilities best—tell me, is Second Uncle right or not?"

Wearing a cold expression, Lin Jinlou didn't even spare Lin Changmin a sideways glance, remaining entirely motionless.

Kneeling down, Lin Changmin tugged at Old Master Lin's leg and pleaded, "Father, no matter how many faults Ling'er has, she is still a descendant of the Lin family. Since she has already made a mistake, we should all the more let her redeem herself through meritorious service. She... she is still a very clever child, and I will discipline her properly."

A sarcastic smirk tugged at the corner of Lin Jinlou's mouth. Old Master Lin kept his eyes closed, his face turning a purplish-blue. Sensing things were going poorly, Lin Changmin gritted his teeth and kowtowed again. "Though this son knows nothing of how this matter unfolded, I know that Ling'er made a massive blunder simply because she was fed rubbish and instigated by bad actors. While I was unaware of it, I cannot shirk responsibility either. But to put it another way, 'dirty linen shouldn't be washed in public'; Ling'er was momentarily confused and committed an unfilial act, but she is, after all, an inexperienced child. Father is the wisest of all—whether you beat her or punish her, it's what Ling'er deserves, and disciplining her will help her remember the lesson. Why must you lower yourself to deal with a younger generation? Now that this has happened, fortunately outsiders don't know about it. As the saying goes, 'family shame should not be spread abroad,' so we should continue to cover this matter up. After all, Ling'er is flesh and blood of this son's body, and since she was about to make a glorious match and bring the Lin family another prestigious son-in-law, I must beg Father to take the trouble to manage this and spare her." With that, he resumed his endless kowtowing.

This heartfelt plea genuinely made Lin Jinlou view him in a new light. He hadn't expected his idle, boastful second uncle to have honed such worldly, smooth eloquence. Not only was his reasoning plausible and emotionally appealing, but it also made one feel at ease, weaving a subtle argument to spare Lin Dongling's life.

Wang Shi and the others were still pleading for mercy, and upon hearing this, they hurriedly joined in kowtowing. "Indeed, we beg Father to show mercy and spare her!"

Slowly sweeping his gaze across the room, Old Master Lin said expressionlessly, "It is our family's misfortune to produce such a rebellious daughter, and it is my failure in maintaining strict household discipline. If she is not punished, how can we set things right for the future? The Lin family will surely fall!"

Lowering his gaze to look at Lin Changmin, he continued, "You idle away your days without doing honest work, knowing only to roam and carouse outside without a thought of returning home, failing to teach your children. From today onward, the family treasury will only give you ten taels of silver a month. If that is not enough, draw from your official salary! If I ever learn that you commit disgraceful acts due to a lack of silver, do not blame family law for showing no mercy."

Lin Changmin was stunned. Unlike the Eldest Branch, which enjoyed wealth and prestige, he held a nominal sinecure with no financial kickbacks and relied entirely on the family treasury's allowance. Otherwise, his paltry official salary wouldn't even suffice for a single night of lavish spending out on the town. As it turned out, Lin Changmin had long despised Wang Shi. Although Wang Shi possessed autumnal eyes, fair and supple skin, and the looks of a beauty—and the two had been as thick as thieves in the beginning—she possessed a foolish mind and often did things in a clumsy, muddled fashion. Lacking subtlety and an understanding of human nature, she repeatedly made blunders that displeased Lin Changmin. With his career stagnating and his talent for managing property lacking, whenever he ran short of silver, he would eye Wang Shi's dowry. The two frequently quarreled, ultimately turning into sworn enemies. Consequently, Lin Changmin took several women on the side—all wealthy widows who had lost their husbands. Though ordinary in appearance, Lin Changmin was exceptionally glib, skilled in sweet talk, and possessed the backing of a prominent family background. Those women convinced themselves they had found a lifelong reliance and eagerly attached themselves to him, willing to spend money to sustain him. Thus, despite taking two or three pretty concubines, he spent his days roaming outside and rarely returned home.

Just as Lin Changmin was about to plead further, he heard Old Master Lin say to Wang Shi, "Ling'er turned out this way entirely because you lacked discernment and indulged her with blind pampering. Do you admit this?"

Sobbing intermittently, Wang Shi could not utter a word.

With a darkened expression, Old Master Lin felt a pang of sympathy. Though his second daughter-in-law was somewhat muddle-headed, she was also a gentle and magnanimous woman. Lin Changmin had never treated her well, and looking at it objectively, she had suffered quite a bit of grievance as a daughter-in-law in the Lin household. Softening his stance, he sighed, "From today onward, Ting'er will move into my courtyard to live with Yuan'er. I will supervise him personally so he can focus on his studies behind closed doors."

Wang Shi's knees went weak beneath her. She understood that the Old Master was ultimately furious with her and refused to let her son stay with her any longer.

The room was dead silent, a crowd of people kneeling heavily on the floor. Old Master Lin gazed at Lin Dongling for a long time, filled with a bellyful of resentment, disappointment, and heartbreak. This was also his cherished little granddaughter; though somewhat arrogant by nature, she had once been straightforward and warm-hearted. Yet now she had become this sort of creature...

Throat working, Old Master Lin said in a raspy voice, "Tomorrow morning, announce a public mourning, saying that the Lin family's third young daughter passed away suddenly during the night. Because of her youth, the funeral will not be held on a grand scale."

The moment those words fell, the room fell as silent as a graveyard.

Suddenly, Wang Shi shrieked, "No! No!" She scrambled over to Old Master Lin's legs, crying to the point of bodily spasms as she pleaded, "Father! Father! This daughter-in-law begs you! Spare Ling'er! This daughter-in-law is willing to die in her place!"

With a numb expression, Old Master Lin said, "Old Second is right. She is, after all, a descendant of our Lin family, and naturally I cannot let her die. First, send her away to the country estate; in the future, she can assume a new name and marry someone else, and the Lin family will still provide her with a dowry."

Forcing a smile, Lin Changmin managed, "Father is always wise. No matter how many faults Ling'er has, after enduring such a ruthless beating across the face, she has suffered enough humiliation. I still beg Father to grant her a path to survival..."

With a harsh tone, Old Master Lin commanded, "Go prepare carriages and horses, and have someone quietly send her away shortly!" Leaning on his cane, he stood up and said to Lin Dongxue, "Fourth girl, follow me." With that, he cast a glance at Lin Jinlou and added, "Lou'er, you come too." He then slowly paced back into the inner chambers.

Weeping and wailing, Wang Shi scrambled wildly to clutch at the hem of Old Master Lin's robe. Turning his head, Old Master Lin said coldly, "Enough! There is no turning back on this matter. If she throws a tantrum, reward her directly with a cup of poison, or shave her head and make a nun out of her!"

Wang Shi immediately withdrew her hand, hiccuping uncontrollably as she gasped for breath through her tears, rolling her eyes backward and fainting dead away.

Left in a daze, Lin Dongling stared blankly as tears rolled down her face like peas.

Feeling as though every ounce of strength had been drained from his body, Lin Jinlou dragged his leaden legs behind his grandfather. Suddenly, a shrill, piercing wail echoed from behind as Lin Dongling shrieked desperately, "No! I won't! I won't leave the Lin family! I won't leave the Lin family!" The cry was agonizingly heart-wrenching. Old Master Lin paused slightly in his stride, but without looking back, he walked into the inner room.

Stepping forward, Lin Jinlou helped Old Master Lin settle into a rattan rocking chair, then personally brewed fragrant tea using Old Master Lin's favorite Xishi Milk small teapot and offered it to him. Trembling like chaff in the wind the moment she entered the door, Lin Dongxue dropped to her knees before Old Master Lin.

Old Master Lin picked up the Xishi teapot, took a sip from the spout, closed his eyes, and let out another long sigh as he leaned back against the rattan chair. After a long moment, he slowly asked, "Fourth girl, why didn't you tell your mother when you witnessed third girl's scandalous behavior?"

Thoroughly terrified half to death by Old Master Lin's ruthless handling of Lin Dongling, Lin Dongxue knew that from this moment on, Lin Dongling's name was struck from the Lin family records, and perhaps in a few days a mourning shed would even be erected outside the gates. From now on, she would no longer be a legitimate young lady of the Lin family, making it impossible to secure a marriage into any respectable household. If her parents and brothers still showed her mercy, she might retain a shred of familial protection; otherwise... Lin Dongxue shuddered.