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If the Emperor were to find out, he wouldn't know what the consequences would be, but right now, Lin Shoutong would definitely be furious! All the painstaking plans were made to keep the Emperor in the dark!
Lin Yuan let out a bitter laugh.
"Alright," Mei Shuang stood up and smiled lightly, "it's not a big deal. Lin Tian'er won't leak anything... I'll go check on the children."
Watching the slender figure enter the main hall, Lin Yuan felt frustrated and wanted to hit his own head. He had intended for Lin Shoutong to share in the joy of success, but it had backfired.
Mei Shuang entered the main hall where a group of children were diligently writing.
Each child had a textbook that Mei Shuang had compiled herself, complete with illustrations, which were much more vivid than the dry texts of old scholars.
When the teacher walked in, the children quickly submitted their assignments. Mei Shuang smiled and gently said, "Today is February 2nd, the Dragon Raises Its Head, also known as the Flower Festival, so today I will give you an early holiday..."
The children’s eyes lit up with excitement as they tidied up their things and bid farewell to their teacher. As they rushed out, they heard her soft reminder from behind, "Remember to tell me what you did today when you come back tomorrow..."
Once the children left, the main hall suddenly felt spacious and empty.
Mei Shuang sat at the desk, looking at the neat little desks in front of her, stacked high with assignments, along with doodles and crooked handwriting. A faint smile appeared on her lips.
From the moment she arrived here, she had fallen in love with this tranquil paradise and enjoyed this simple life. She thought she would spend her remaining days here peacefully, but little did she know that such tranquility would soon be shattered...
With a deep sigh, Lin Yuan remained unaware that even if Lin Tian'er could keep a secret, it didn't guarantee she wouldn't leave any traces.
Her biggest mistake in falling into the water was that there was no body found; time was limited, and there was no way to plan for a substitute. So even though those who witnessed it knew she was swept away by the river's current, some people might not believe it.
To be honest, this was her first time doing something so significant. At first, she couldn't help but feel anxious. After all, if her hastily devised plan were to be exposed, not only would all her efforts go to waste, but she would also bear the blame for disobeying orders. What worried her most was dragging others down with her; that would be a capital offense.
After hesitating by the riverside for a long time and having resigned herself to giving up, suddenly a storm brewed by the river as if heaven itself wanted to assist her. Moreover, Lin Yuan was waiting for her fall from afar. So she gritted her teeth and pretended to fall ill before unexpectedly "falling" into the water...
At that moment, her act was convincing, but deep down she felt uneasy.
However, after such a long time of calm days, she gradually forgot about what had happened initially. Without any psychological burden, life went on peacefully and smoothly.
Little did she expect that Lin Yuan would make a careless mistake...
Thinking about it this way, Mei Shuang suddenly felt a bit restless. She looked up just in time to see a blue figure flash by outside the window; Lin Yuan was coming.
She pretended to organize her assignments and casually said, "The weather is nice today. Let's go out for a walk..."
Through the window, Lin Yuan noticed Mei Shuang lost in thought, his brows slightly furrowed with concern. He felt both heartbroken and guilty, thinking to himself, "It's all my fault for being careless..."
Mei Shuang put down the neatly organized assignment book and stood up. "Since it has come to this, with you being so actively involved in Jiangnan, Lin Tian'er will surely have doubts. It's only a matter of time before she finds out..."
They walked side by side along the path in the woods.
The scenery was beautiful, with spring colors all around and a gentle breeze bathing them in the morning sunlight. However, Lin Yuan couldn't muster any enthusiasm. The large sum of banknotes he carried felt like a hot brand against his chest, causing him pain.
He had thought that by secretly giving the banknotes to Mei Shuang, he could fulfill Lin Tian'er's wishes while also helping Mei Shuang manage her affairs.
Mei Shuang taught at a school here, covering all expenses herself. From the very beginning, running a school from her own residence had been a selfless endeavor that ended up costing her money.
The villagers were honest but mostly poor. Many children couldn't afford to attend school, so Mei Shuang provided free education. Beyond her own living expenses, she had to consider the food and needs of dozens of children daily. She supplied all the books and stationery herself, not to mention desks and other necessities. In winter, fearing the children would freeze, she even had to buy charcoal for heating—everything required money. When Mei Shuang came out here, she had no money at all and had to cut back on her own expenses. Even the clothes she wore were made when Lin Yuan visited last year; she hadn't worn anything else all winter, which showed how tight her finances were.
Although Lin Yuan felt heartbroken seeing her situation and wanted to give her banknotes privately, Mei Shuang had refused...
Lin Yuan understood Mei Shuang's mindset. She already felt indebted to him for his previous help and naturally wouldn't accept any more gifts from him.
Her mantra was always, "I have hands and feet; why can't I support myself?"
Sighing, he came up with this plan. He never expected it would turn out like this.
Lin Yuan hesitated several times before finally mustering the courage to take out the banknotes and hand them to Mei Shuang. "You can refuse my money if you want, but you can't refuse your own money... Look at this little courtyard of yours and all those students; everything requires money. I know I was wrong, but if you keep going like this, will this school even continue operating...?"
Seeing Lin Yuan's pitiful expression made Mei Shuang think of those innocent children, softening her heart a little.
Lin Yuan was a considerate person; he must have noticed her current financial struggles and devised this plan to save face.
Feeling touched yet reflective, Mei Shuang recalled how she had boasted before: "The world is vast, but I have hands and feet; why should I worry about not being able to support myself?"
Now that she has arrived at this place, she realizes how difficult it is to make a living, far from the imagined notion of "the sea is vast for fish to leap, and the sky is high for birds to fly."
Since she no longer exists in this world, living openly would inevitably expose her. Therefore, she must remain as low-key as possible among the crowd.
She dares not stay in prosperous areas; coming to this remote place helps her hide her identity. However, life here is quite tight. She originally planned to avoid attention while opening a school to earn some money for herself, but unexpectedly, she also has to support a group of children.
To be honest, if it weren't for Lin Yuan visiting her every few days and providing her with food under the pretense of sharing meal expenses, she might have faced the risk of running out of provisions.
Feeling touched, Mei Shuang said to Lin Yuan, "This place doesn't need so much. Even if I accept it, how can I spend it? If I suddenly take this Dragon Head Silver Note to exchange it, it would be hard not to attract attention. What if I run into a robbery? My personal safety would be at stake... So just give me some small silver coins... consider it my way of contributing ideas and support for you and Lin Tian'er’s endeavors..."
Hearing that Mei Shuang was willing to accept it, Lin Yuan was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Great! This will work!" He quickly pulled out a small denomination silver note from his sleeve and handed it over.
Mei Shuang took a look and exclaimed, "One thousand taels?"
She shook her head. "Ah, you really are the son of a wealthy family; your generosity is impressive. In such a small place, where can one find such a large denomination?"
Since Mei Shuang was willing to accept it, it showed that any previous grievances had been set aside. Lin Yuan felt bolder and chuckled, "My sister always says you've seen the world. She mentioned that back then in some place you casually took out a two-thousand-tael silver note without batting an eye. Why are you scared now by a one-thousand-tael note?"
"Some place?..."
Mei Shuang was puzzled and recalled the incident at Miaochun Tower. Of course, she couldn't forget Lin Tian'er’s words about how things would have been better if Lin Yuan were around; otherwise, it would benefit other men.
"When did she say that?" Mei Shuang asked casually.
"Hehe, long ago—when she went to the capital," Lin Yuan replied.
Mei Shuang nodded. Thankfully, Lin Tian'er hadn’t mentioned anything about Miaochun Tower. From the looks of it, Lin Yuan might not even know what happened after Lin Tian'er followed her into the palace; he only knew they both went to the capital together.
She paused for a moment and glanced at Lin Yuan.
If before Lin Yuan seemed like just a rebellious teenage boy in her eyes, now he wore a blue robe and behaved politely. His face had matured significantly from its previous youthful appearance; he looked much more like a man now.
How could Mei Shuang not notice his affection for her? However, she now hoped their relationship could return to those carefree days at Lin Residence when they could talk about anything without worries—that was true happiness.
Unfortunately, it often happens that things do not go as one wishes.
Thinking back to when Lin Tian'er reprimanded Lin Yuan, she said, "The Emperor has saved her life; she has long been the Emperor's person. Get any closer, and watch your head..."
It seems this big boy is not unaware of his situation, yet he remains so fervent. Although his actions and words are no longer like before, blocking the door to prevent her from leaving, the intensity in his eyes cannot be hidden. Does he not understand? His unrequited love will ultimately lead to nothing.
Just thinking about this gives Mei Shuang a headache. She only hopes that her relationship with Lin Yuan can be as simple as possible. Fortunately, Lin Yuan has not been as obsessively vocal as he used to be; otherwise, she really wouldn't know how to handle it.
"Today is the northern traditional 'Spring Plowing Festival.' I heard that in Jiangnan it's called the 'Flower Festival.' People go to the Temple Fair to worship the Flower God. Why don't we go take a look?"
Mei Shuang tucked away the thousand-tael banknote, thinking of taking a stroll first and letting Lin Yuan change it into smaller denominations when they return.
The "Flower Festival" in Jiangnan is also a grand occasion, with Flower God Temples in various places. Early in the morning, the road leading to the Flower God Temple was bustling with people walking briskly to pay their respects to the Flower God, filled with laughter and joy.
Along the way, early spring peach and apricot blossoms were blooming in time, their delicate petals dancing lightly in the breeze. The fields were awash with blooming rapeseed flowers, creating a sea of yellow. Looking up, one could see a beautiful rural landscape interwoven with red, pink, white, and yellow colors.
Lin Yuan marveled at how early spring had arrived in Jiangnan; at this time, the north was still chilly. Here he was, enjoying the beautiful scenery all by himself.
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