Good Man Operation Guide

Chapter 151: Ancient Farmers’ Son (8)

Not only was the eldest daughter-in-law dazzled, even Mother Lin and Li Lanlan looked at Lin Shiheng’s gold jewelry with disbelief.

“This is... real gold?”

Hearing Mother Lin tremblingly ask, Lin Shiheng smiled and replied, “Mother, why would your son give you fake gold? Listen to what you’re saying.”

As he spoke, he handed over the box. Seeing Mother Lin receiving it, he explained in a casual tone that was loud enough for the eldest daughter-in-law to hear, “Today, I went to exchange the books I copied earlier for money. Coincidentally, I heard that the government office was hiring someone to calculate the year’s accounts. I helped them calculate, and the scribe was grateful to me. He gave me some silver taels and said he would visit our home another day.”

Of course, Lin Shiheng didn’t say these words just to show off. He was about to go to the imperial examination and would be away from home for a long time. The Lin family had long since split due to previous unpleasant incidents, and the eldest and second daughters-in-law were unfilial. Once he left, only the old, weak, sick, and the young Li Lanlan, who was a beautiful woman, would remain at home. It seemed unsafe no matter how you looked at it.

But he was, after all, a scholar, and coupled with his position as an accountant in the county, it was enough to make the villagers wary.

Moreover, he didn’t lie. The scribe did appreciate him. Every year, the county allocated funds for him to hire people to clear the accounts. This year, Lin Shiheng cleared all the accounts in one go, saving a large sum of money. Apart from the share given to Lin Shiheng, the remaining money naturally went into the scribe’s pocket.

In the official circles, the lower the position, the more one would look down on others. If the person who helped clear the accounts today was an ordinary person, the scribe would at most give some money without going out of his way to please. However, the speed at which the accounts were cleared and Lin Shiheng’s demeanor and actions were extraordinary. He was a scholar about to take the exam, and no one could say for sure about his future prospects. Naturally, the scribe wanted to curry favor with him while he was still just an ordinary scholar. Who knows when this seemingly ordinary scholar would become a high-ranking official in the future?

Just as Lin Shiheng instructed, if his family encountered any problems in the county while he was away, they could seek help, and he would try to solve them within his abilities. This way, he would gain a good friend who could clear a year’s worth of accounts in a single day. Why wouldn’t he do it?

Lin Shiheng’s plan worked indeed. After he mentioned that he had already established a relationship with the scribe, the eldest daughter-in-law, who had been looking at the two gold jewelry with jealousy and envy, immediately quieted down.

It wasn’t that she was no longer jealous, but rather that she was too afraid to cause trouble.

Common people treated even the smallest officials with fear. If Lin Shiheng had only made money, she might have some small thoughts. Now that she knew about his relationship with the scribe, even if she felt sour in her heart, she could only endure it.

After all, he was an official. If she angered Lin Shiheng, what would happen to her?

She entered the house dejectedly, thinking that when her husband returned, she must talk to him about this matter. They mustn't upset Mother anymore. If Mother got angry and had third brother went to the county to lodge a complaint, we wouldn't hove any ability to fight bock.

On the other hand, Mother Lin couldn’t care less about her eldest daughter-in-law. She looked fondly and tenderly at the two wooden boxes in front of her. One contained a gold bracelet, and the other held a pair of gold earrings. The bracelet had minimal patterns but was heavy and wide. In comparison, the earrings were smaller but beautifully shaped, exuding an exquisite charm.

As a woman, she naturally liked them, especially since they were given by her own son. However, she also had other considerations.

If they exchanged these pieces of jewelry for money, it would be enough for their family to live comfortably for a long time. It wasn’t easy for Shiheng to earn money, and he was about to go to the provincial capital. Every time he went there before, he complained about the poor accommodations. With this money, at least Shiheng could stay at a better inn.

Thinking about that, Mother Lin couldn’t help but caress the bracelet lovingly while feeling a bit distressed. She said, “Why did you buy these for me? I’m already old. Do I still need to dress up? This money, it’s better to keep it for yourself.”

The granddaughter-in-law saw her mother-in-law enter the house. Although she was also shocked that her third uncle could establish a relationship with an official from the county, considering that he was at least a scholar, she wasn’t that surprised.

She thought about her young son at home and looked at the shiny gold jewelry. She gritted her teeth and wore a smile, praising from behind the wall, “Grandmother, this is Third Uncle’s filial piety. Moreover, since Third Uncle could earn back these gold jewelry, he will definitely be able to earn more money in the future. I’ve said it before; Third Uncle has great abilities. Grandmother, your good fortune is still ahead.”

As the sole pillar of the family now, Lin Shiheng stepped forward to comfort his mother with gentle words, and Li Lanlan added, “That’s right, Mother. Father is in good spirits, so he’ll surely recover.”

With their son and daughter-in-law comforting her, Mother Lin felt a little better in her heart. In order to divert her attention, Lin Shiheng intentionally lowered his voice and said, “By the way, Mother, I have to leave soon. There’s something I need to explain. Come with me to the room.”

His serious expression immediately stirred Mother Lin, who was sad before, and she feared that she might delay her son’s important matter.

They went into Father Lin and Mother Lin’s room. After greeted the father lying on the bed, Lin Shiheng expressed his concerns.

“The journey to the examination site is long, and it will take many days to go back and forth. Our family still has some foundation, but with the difficult times we’re facing now, if there are really some thieves with ill intentions, Eldest Brother and Second Brother...”

He paused for a moment and didn’t directly say that these two individuals were unreliable. Instead, he chose a more tactful way of saying it, “They always sleep soundly... so I’m afraid they won’t be of much help to our side. Mother, you can wear the gold jewelry and go around the village. If someone asks, say that the money to buy the gold jewelry was earned by me working at the county office. Also, mention that I have a good relationship with the officials and scribes there. If others know that we have connections with the officials, even if they have bad intentions, they probably wouldn’t dare to come.”

Moreover, nowadays, common people treat the government with both respect and fear. Knowing officials was equivalent to having a get-out-of-jail-free card. Once the news of Lin Shiheng’s connections with the officials spreads, people in the village will inevitably curry favor with the Lin family. Whenever the Lin family needs help, they won’t have to rely on Mother Lin to seek assistance; the villagers will come rushing to lend a hand.

Lin Shiheng carefully explained the pros and cons of the situation, saying, “Buying gold jewelry is to let others know that I have the ability to earn money. Those who want to make money will be eager to help our family. Claiming a connection with the officials is to guard against those who have greedy intentions. Before I leave, I’ll visit Lan Lan’s family. Father-in-law has a pure and kind heart, and as long as I ask, he would definitely come and help us from time to time. At that time, Mother can prepare some delicious dishes to entertain him.”

Mother Lin never expected that her son had so many considerations in his mind. For a moment, she felt a bit confused and amazed by her son’s abilities.

It was Father Lin lying on the bed who looked at Lin Shiheng with bright eyes and mumbled, “Okay, you can rest assured and go take the exam. Your parents and your wife will be waiting for you at home.”

When they came out, the eldest daughter-in-law, who had just entered her house, also came out.

She had been feeling jealous just now, but she didn’t dare to offend Lin Shiheng, so she could only keep brainwashing herself.

It's nothing. Mother is already so old, what does a piece of gold jewelry matter? I should compare myself with Li Lanlan. Doesn't Li Lanlan hove nothing at all?

She had finally calmed down and was about to go back to the field to continue her work when Mother Lin, on the other hand, touched the pair of gold earrings and thought about her daughter-in-law being filial and obedient, and her father-in-law being willing to help their family.

Moreover, the earrings should have been passed down to the daughter-in-law.

The last trace of reluctance dissipated, and she directly handed the gold earrings to Li Lanlan.

“Lan Lan, you wear this. Let’s each have a piece of jewelry.”

The eldest daughter-in-law, who had just recovered from her anger: “..’

She was furious!