Chapter 868: Too Late

Uncle Lin stared blankly at Lin Xun, his voice laden with anguish, “Do you hate us?”

The intensity of hatred in Lin Xun’s eyes mirrored a bitterness reminiscent of two years prior, sending a shiver down Uncle Lin’s spine.

Lin Xun lowered his head, his gaze fixed on his own hands, “My hands are no longer nimble. Shouldn’t I harbor resentment? You’ve shattered my future. Since it lies in ruins, I’ll bear the burden alone. There’s no need for you to attempt to alter anything.”

“Two years ago, I made it clear that we should regard each other as strangers. I meant every word,” Lin Xun declared, cutting off any chance for Uncle Lin to interject, before swiftly departing.

Uncle Lin watched Lin Xun’s retreating figure with a pang of remorse, a deep sense of unease settling within him.

He had always assumed that Lin Xun was incapable of anger, but now he realized that it wasn’t that he lacked the capacity for it; rather, he concealed his resentment within, refusing to let anyone glimpse its depths.

When the moment arrived for them to be informed, it dawned upon them that it was already too late to fix anything.

Lin Zixun, who had initially sought out Lin Xun for a particular matter, stood outside the door, eavesdropping on the conversation within. Upon learning that Uncle Lin had broken Lin Xun’s hand, disbelief clouded his eyes.

It all made sense now. No wonder Uncle Lin had been visibly uneasy in Lin Xun’s presence, especially whenever he caught sight of Lin Xun’s right hand. Each time, he’d avert his gaze almost instinctively.

Initially, Lin Zixun attributed it to Uncle Lin’s inability to confront the truth. Yet now, it seemed more like an overwhelming sense of guilt.

To have personally fractured his own son’s hand, thus shattering his future—no wonder Lin Xun had spiraled into such a life of despair.

If his memory served him right, Lin Xun was ambidextrous, capable of writing with both his left and right hands. And remarkably, his left hand’s penmanship surpassed even that of his dominant right hand.

After taking a deep breath, Lin Zixun made a decision to refrain from further involvement in the matter.

He harbored a belief that there must be a rationale behind Lin Xun’s actions.

Could someone so intelligent truly allow themselves to descend into worthlessness?

Initially entertaining such thoughts, his encounter with Lin Xun left him perplexed.

Upon his return to Xie Family Village, Lin Zixun’s countenance was far from cheerful.

Observing Lin Zixun’s return and his somber expression, Wang Jinhe furrowed his brows slightly. “Didn’t things go smoothly?”

“Not quite. It’s just that I now comprehend why Lin Xun severed ties with the Lin Ya’s family and why he’s been seemingly lost.” Lin Zixun sighed softly, regret tingeing his tone as he spoke of Lin Xun.

“What transpired?” Wang Jinhe inquired, prompting Lin Zixun to explain the situation.

Upon hearing Lin Zixun’s account, Wang Jinhe’s expression clouded with bewilderment.

“Could people in ancient times lack common sense?” he pondered aloud. “To harm one’s own son for the sake of a daughter—how could they commit such an act?”

“It’s a source of pride to have a scholar in the family, isn’t it?” Wang Jinhe continued, his frustration evident. “If your Uncle hadn’t been suffering from cerebral thrombosis for years, perhaps he wouldn’t have resorted to such drastic measures. And I wager his health hasn’t improved much since then.”

Unable to contain his thoughts, Wang Jinhe continued, “Lin Zixun, forgive me for speaking so candidly, but am I wrong? A son with boundless potential, squandered by his own father. And now, he seeks reconciliation and expects everyone to move forward. Where in the world does such audacity stem from? It’s like offering someone candy without considering if they’re willing to accept it.”

Lin Zixun was speechless. Wang Jinhe was right; Third Uncle had indeed made a serious mistake, a gross one at that.

“I felt that Lin Xun was quite extraordinary this time I saw him, and I remember he could write with both hands, with his left hand’s handwriting even better than his right,” Lin Zixun said.

“Ah, I see. Find an opportunity to invite Lin Xun over. Holding onto the past for the sake of revenge might punish others, but it also ruins one’s own future,” Wang Jinhe shook her head.

Two years had already been wasted. Would Lin Xun truly be willing to continue like this?

Lin Zixun nodded hastily, “Madam, rest assured, I’ll find a chance to invite Lin Xun over.”

After this, Wang Jinhe didn’t continue to dwell on the matter, and as for Lin Ya’s affairs, they were also pushed to the back of her mind.

Every day, Wang Jinhe took Yuan Lin and the others to the workshop. Each time they went, she tasked Yuan Lin and the others with investigating the affairs of the workshop. After several investigations and confirmations, they finally determined who was behind it.

“They’re not from Xuan Empire,” Wang Jinhe said.

The mention of not being from Xuan Empire made Wang Jinhe think of Lu Empire. “It’s from Lu Empire?”

Yuan Lin paused for a moment, seemingly surprised that Wang Jinhe would directly guess Lu Empire. “Madam, why do you think it’s Lu Empire instead of Ling Empire?”

“The internal turmoil in Ling empire hasn’t even ended yet, so they probably wouldn’t have the time to scheme against my things. It can only be Lu Empire.”

“Lu Empire probably still has quite a few hidden stakes in Xuan Empire. Their attempt to scheme against my things is too simplistic,” Wang Jinhe said. Now that they no longer have access to high-yield grain varieties, they can’t buy food from the people. Naturally, they’ll change their strategy to cause trouble for her.

The weather in Lu Empire isn’t great, but cotton is very warm. Moreover, products made from cotton are still in high demand outside.

Who wouldn’t want such a money making method?

Lu Empire has experienced war, and afterward, they spent money to buy food to appease the people of Qi empire. It’s likely that their treasury isn’t very full anymore. When the money runs out, they’ll look for opportunities to make real money. That’s an unchanging truth.

“Madam is wise; it indeed has to do with Lu Empire. They want to steal your technology, then produce it in Lu Empire and sell it back to us at a high price,” Yuan Lin explained.

Wang Jinhe’s expression remained unchanged. “Do we look that foolish?”

“Are my mechanical creations just for show?” Wang Jinhe mercilessly mocked.

“They don’t know about our plans to replace manual labor with machinery,” Yuan Lin explained.

Upon hearing this, Wang Jinhe nodded in understanding. “I see. I thought they knew. With the blueprints only in my possession, even if they understand the principle, they won’t be able to replicate it without the core design. Even if they learn about cotton, it won’t help them.”

“Madam is wise.” Keeping these things in Madam and Young Master’s hands was indeed the right decision.

“Madam, how should we deal with people from Lu Empire?”

“What kind of business are they conducting here in our area?” Wang Jinhe didn’t directly answer Yuan Lin’s question but instead posed her own.

“It’s related to leather, fur, clothing, and jewelry, among other things,” Yuan Lin replied. These were all common yet profitable businesses.

Su Yu’s hands also had quite a few similar businesses.

“Is there a problem with taking them down?” Their shops are probably also places where Lu Empire gathers intelligence.

At first, Yuan Lin didn’t understand Wang Jinhe’s meaning, but after pondering for a while, he realized he was being too naive.

“Madam, rest assured, I’ll have someone take care of this matter.”

“Good, I’ll leave it to you. Remember to clean up the hidden stakes and surveillance to Xuan Empire. Lu Empire is as shameless as ever, peeking into people’s homes to spy on their belongings,” Wang Jinhe instructed.