The master and servant waited for a long time before the butler finally handed one hundred taels of silver to Lin Ziyou, claiming it was for travel expenses and urging them to return to their hometown immediately.
Although Lin Ziyou had never held high expectations for her father, learning that she had been abandoned at this moment still caused her immense sadness and grief, tears instantly welling up.
After a good cry, she also felt it was good to no longer face the disdainful looks from the Lin family members.
Wu Caiwei felt that two women traveling alone for over ten days might be dangerous, so she took Lin Ziyou to a clothing store and bought them two outfits, disguising themselves as men.
They also learned that a caravan would be heading to Fucheng in two days, so they stayed at an inn and set off south with them early on the third day. After all, with more people, any difficulties encountered on the road could be managed.
To travel with them, they paid fifty taels of silver and informed the head escort in advance that they were women disguised as men for ease of travel.
Perhaps the head escort had given specific instructions, as the others on the journey deliberately avoided them.
It was good to be with these seasoned caravan escorts; they knew exactly where inns and villages were. The current emperor was not particularly incompetent, and the politics were relatively clear, so they did not encounter any bandits on the road. They simply rode tirelessly, which Lin Ziyou found somewhat overwhelming.
After half a month, they finally entered Fucheng.
As soon as they passed through the city gate, they parted ways with the caravan, as the escorts had their own business and could not escort them all the way to their doorstep.
Seeing the master and servant appear before him, Scholar Zhou couldn't believe his eyes and looked at his wife, "Am I dreaming? How can I see Ziyou?"
Lin Ziyou quickly stepped forward and took his hand, "Grandpa, you're not dreaming, I'm back."
"It's good that you're back, it's good. Your father is an ungrateful wretch. I'll only feel at ease when you're by our side." In the one or two months Lin Ziyou had been away, he hadn't eaten or slept well, worrying that her father would sell her off.
Seeing the two return safely, the Zhou family members were not interested in asking what had happened in the capital. Her aunt joyfully prepared a rich lunch, all of Lin Ziyou's favorite dishes.
In the afternoon, they returned to the Lin residence. Although Lin Ziyou wished she could spend more time with her maternal grandparents, there would be plenty of time in the future.
The servants in the house had all been bought by Lin Ziyou and her mother. Having lived together for so many years, the master and servants had developed feelings for each other. Although they had left, the rooms were still kept meticulously tidy.
They were overjoyed at their mistress's return, and their work gained new vigor. However, their happy days did not last long. When the usual time arrived, Lin Ziyou realized that the Lin family had not sent any money. She initially thought that Master Lin was busy and had forgotten, so she had to dip into her hidden savings to get by for a month.
But when no money arrived in the second month either, Lin Ziyou suddenly realized that perhaps she had lost her value, and the Lin family was no longer concerned about her.
In fact, when the Lin family failed to send money in the first month, Wu Caiwei had already considered this possibility and frequently went out to inquire about businesses she could engage in.
While Lin Ziyou was still lost in sorrow, she turned around to find that Wu Caiwei had already rented a small shop specializing in ready-made clothes.
Thinking that she, who was so much older, was being cared for by someone younger than her, she felt a bit embarrassed.
Initially, Lin Ziyou was curious. She had never imagined that women could also do business. After a month, they had actually earned several dozen taels of silver. Lin Ziyou immediately felt invigorated. She realized that even without the Lin family, she could live well and suddenly felt full of confidence for the future.
Lin Ziyou diligently began to learn. With one eager to teach and the other eager to learn, their joint efforts made the business exceptionally popular. In the second month, they earned twenty taels more than in the first.
These two months had overturned Lin Ziyou's understanding of life. Dealing with customers daily, appearing in public, negotiating with suppliers – though outsiders might think she was unworthy of her status as a Lin family lady, Lin Ziyou felt that these two months were the happiest of her life, showing her that she was not as useless as she had imagined.
Scholar Zhou had been a private tutor his entire life. Although he somewhat looked down on business, he fell silent upon hearing that the Lin family had cut off their financial support. Their Zhou family was neither particularly poor nor particularly wealthy, and it was impossible for them to support so many servants for the Lin family.
Subsequently, the two opened many shops in various industries. Although their businesses prospered and attracted considerable envy, Lin Ziyou, being a Lin family lady by any account, commanded a degree of apprehension from others.
A fourth-rank official was not much in the capital, but in the provinces, even the Prefect treated them with deference.
In this year, the two could be said to walk sideways in Fucheng, earning a great fortune. The biggest change was in Lin Ziyou herself; her entire demeanor had transformed. The former Lin Ziyou was innocent, kind, a little petty, and timid. The current her was generous and forthright. If the Zhou couple hadn't witnessed her transformation step by step, they wouldn't have believed she was their niece.
However, they were gratified by this. After all, a girl with more experience and ability would be less likely to be bullied in her future marriage and would know how to resolve problems when they arose.
Of course, during this year, there were also many matchmakers who came to inquire about Lin Ziyou's marriage. Out of concern for her, the Zhou couple always sought her opinion.
Having experienced the vastness of the outside world, Lin Ziyou was not particularly satisfied with the suitors. Some were after her money, and others were after the Lin family's influence. Even so, she would consider the suitor's family background and character when choosing a partner. What left her speechless was that many men lacked her capabilities and looked down on her for appearing in public to conduct business.
Every time she encountered a man who wanted her to return to the inner chambers, she would turn away without hesitation. Who decreed that women must get married? As long as she was happy, it was worth it. She certainly didn't want to follow in her mother's footsteps and live as a widow for life.
Wu Caiwei never interfered with her decisions. In her eyes, those men were indeed not good enough for her. It was better to wait for the right person than to settle. When the right person appeared, she would not only help persuade Lin Ziyou but also create opportunities for them.
Of course, while doing business, Wu Caiwei was also searching for him. Although she didn't know his current status or where he was, after so many lifetimes, he had always accompanied her. She believed they would meet again in this lifetime.
While they lived happily here, Madam Lin, thinking of her daughter's miserable life in the palace, felt a strong sense of dissatisfaction from the stark contrast. A conspiracy against Lin Ziyou began to unfold.