Once the New Year passed, spring arrived in Wu County.
The early spring rain fell like fine threads, pattering down, and the bluestone slabs of the deep alleys held puddles of water soaking moss, making them treacherously slippery.
A rush of hurried footsteps echoed from the alley entrance, then with a "thud," a young maid in green fell to the ground. Ignoring the pain, she quickly scrambled up and ran to a small side door in the alley, urgently knocking.
"Coming, coming!" An old servant opened the door, and seeing the maid covered in mud, couldn't help but say, "Lǜ Xiù, what's this, oh, oh, slow down, slow down."
Lǜ Xiù ran past the old servant, hurrying towards the back courtyard.
"Miss."
Ling Qingyu heard Lǜ Xiù's voice, put down the medicine bowl, smoothed the corner of the quilt, glanced at her mother, who was emaciated beyond recognition, then rose from the bedside, opened the door, and shushed the maid who was rushing over. She led the maid into the side room on the left.
Her mother here looked exactly like her mother in her previous life, but before she could feel touched or adapt to this new identity, one misfortune after another struck. Within a single day of waking up in this new body, she was informed that her father and brother had died, her fiancé had broken off the engagement, and finally, because she was deemed unlucky, she was expelled from the family.
Her mother immediately vomited blood and fainted. If her uncle hadn't arrived then to take them away, her mother and she would have likely been forced to their deaths in that compound. When they left the Lin family residence, the only servants who followed were Mother Zheng's family and the young maid Lǜ Xiù.
After they arrived at this small house in the city with her uncle, and her mother's health improved, she pleaded with her uncle to file a complaint. Today was the day of the court hearing.
"Lǜ Xiù is back," Mother Zheng pushed open the door, rubbing her hands, and asked hopefully, "How was it? Did the County Magistrate punish those heartless wretches?"
"It seems they ruled in favor of my Eldest Uncle and the others," Ling Qingyu mused, then asked, "What do Mother and I have left?"
"Miss!" Lǜ Xiù finally couldn't hold back her tears, "They said that the money Master and Young Master earned from their business was funded by the clan, so all the profits should belong to the clan and be owned by the clan head, Eldest Master Lin. All the houses, shops, and estates must be transferred to Eldest Master Lin's name."
Ling Qingyu closed her eyes briefly and asked, "What about my mother's dowry?"
"Eldest Master said that the Third Young Master should be adopted as the heir of our second branch to Madam, and Madam's dowry should be given to the Third Young Master."
"A group of lawless beasts!" Mother Zheng cried out, "They're trying to force Madam and Miss to their deaths!"
"They always wanted us to die out completely." Ling Qingyu pushed open the door, looking at the lush trees, flowers, and plants in the courtyard, watered by the spring rain. Although untrimmed, these plants were still full of vitality after spring arrived.
Her father and brother had amassed immense wealth through sea transport, wealth that made people so envious it led to their demise, prompting her Eldest Uncle to act so cruelly, wiping them out just to seize her father's property, Lin Family Steward! Ling Qingyu's hands clenched into fists, her fingernails digging deep into her flesh.
"Hui Niang, Hui Niang..." A weak call came from the main house.
"Mother Zheng, please go invite Uncle over," Ling Qingyu said to Mother Zheng while walking towards the main house.
"Miss, today in court, Uncle didn't say a single word," Lǜ Xiù murmured, wiping away tears, "He just let the official rule."
Ling Qingyu paused, then gave a bitter smile. During this time, she had slowly absorbed the original owner's memories. The aunt in those memories was not a good character, always resenting her mother, her younger sister. After her maternal grandparents passed away, she only visited when she wanted money. It was already rare that her uncle, under his wife's heavy pressure, managed to step forward and take them in.
"Mother Zheng, please deliver a message to Uncle and Lin Family Steward: Legally, if my mother does not agree to adopt an heir, then her dowry will revert to my maternal family upon her death. He shouldn't even think about getting that estate. If he truly wants that estate, I have a proposal."