Chapter 13: This Young Man Is Extraordinary—He Will Surely Achieve Great Things

The matron beside her handed the medicine to Lady Lin. Upon seeing Lin Ze, Lady Lin frowned, “Ze, shouldn’t you be at the academy at this hour?”

“Greetings, Lady Lin.” The physician carrying the medicine box bowed respectfully.

Lady Lin said to Lin Ze, “The household doctor has already examined me. My health requires prolonged medication and care. You needn’t worry about this. What matters most is that you focus on your studies and become a scholar as soon as possible.”

Lin Ze stubbornly looked at Lady Lin. “Mother, let the physician examine the medicine.”

“What nonsense are you up to now?” Lady Lin's brows knitted tightly.

The matron hurriedly interjected, “Madam, the young master is only worried about you. The medicine hasn’t done much good—there’s no harm in letting the physician take a look.”

Lady Lin handed the medicine to the physician, who sniffed at it carefully. “This medicine is indeed for nourishing the body.”

“Now can you go back and study properly?” Lady Lin took the medicine back, preparing to drink it.

Lin Ze relaxed considerably, thinking that if there were no issues, all would be well. If his father truly intended to harm his mother, he could never accept it, though he was already deeply disappointed in his father.

Suddenly, Lin Ze remembered something. “Physician, please check the incense.”

Lady Lin set the medicine heavily on the table. “Ze, what exactly are you trying to do?”

“Mother, just let the physician take a look. Once he’s done, I’ll return to the academy!” Lin Ze insisted, and Lady Lin waved her hand, granting permission.

After examining the incense, the physician’s expression turned hesitant, as if he had discovered something grave.

Lin Ze hurriedly asked, “Physician, what is it? Please, tell us!”

The physician hesitated before speaking, “The incense does indeed aid sleep, but…”

“But what?”

“But if this medicine and incense are used together over a long period, the person taking the medicine will grow weaker and weaker, until their vitality is completely drained. Not even the gods could save them.”

Lady Lin rose in disbelief, touching the medicine on the table. It crashed to the floor and shattered. “What?”

She stepped back several times, tears springing to her eyes. The matron’s eyes reddened with anger and she supported Lady Lin. “They’ve gone too far!”

Lin Ze felt as if his heart were being torn apart. His father truly intended to kill his mother. If not for Brother Li’s warning, would he have lost his mother forever?

Lin Ze slipped the physician some silver. “Please, pretend you were never here today.”

The physician nodded quickly, pocketed the silver, and slipped out the back door.

Lady Lin embraced Lin Ze. “Ze… Ze, how could your father be so cruel? I even allowed Concubine Li to enter the household—how could he still treat me like this?”

Lin Ze’s tears flowed. From this day on, he would never again call that man his father.

“Mother, it’s alright. It’s alright. You still have me—I’ll protect you,” Lin Ze said firmly.

After crying for a while, Lady Lin came to her senses. She had long ceased to love this man, but never imagined he could be so ruthless. Perhaps he had never loved her at all. Fortunately, she still had a son.

Lady Lin wiped her tears. “Ze, how did you suspect they would use such methods to harm me?” She knew her son’s temperament well.

“It was a friend from the academy…” Lin Ze recounted Li Su’s words to Lady Lin. “He seems to be able to predict things!”

Lady Lin paused. Her foolish son—was it possible that the friend simply had a clever mind? Indeed, he was extraordinarily smart, deducing the truth from scant information. This youth was remarkable; he would certainly accomplish great things in the future.

“You must thank him well. He’s the savior of both of us.”

Lin Ze nodded earnestly. From now on, Li Su was like a second parent to him!

“Mother…”

“Don’t worry. If they dare act, I’ll retaliate. I won’t let them get away with this. Leave this matter to me. I’ve finally understood—their claim of placing Lin Xi under my name was only to legitimize taking my dowry once I died! What a cunning plan.” Lady Lin was not foolish, merely blinded by her hopes for her husband and past affections.

Lin Ze clenched his fists, wishing he could storm in and thrash that family, but he knew now was not the time for impulsiveness.

“Go to the academy as usual. Don’t let them suspect anything,” Lady Lin had made her decision.

Lin Ze nodded. He no longer had any expectations for his father—his heart had completely died.

But how should he thank Brother Li?

…

Lin Ze returned to the academy, his face still pale. When class ended, he immediately approached Li Su. “Brother Li, you were right. From today onward, you are my second parent. If you command me to walk through fire or climb mountains, I will obey!”

Li Su paused before responding, “I appreciate your sincerity, but I won’t ask you to walk through fire or climb mountains.”

Lin Ze was deeply moved. “Brother Li!” He wanted to hug Li Su, but Li Su held him back with a hand. “What will you do next?”

Ren Shuhua and Qin Ming, hearing Lin Ze's words, immediately realized that Li Su was indeed right—a true genius! Their suspicions were confirmed, and they gazed at Li Su with admiration.

Lin Ze hung his head. “My mother told me not to interfere, she would handle it herself. I don’t know what to do. Brother Li, do you have any advice?” He looked at Li Su with hopeful eyes.

“My advice? My advice is to study hard. As long as you rise high enough, everything else will fall into place.” Li Su himself intended to take this path, and he hoped to bring his friends along as well.

If they truly entered officialdom someday, with its intrigues and schemes, having a few friends rise alongside him would be useful, even if he might not need their help.

Li Su was thinking far ahead, though he was not yet even a scholar.

“Alright!” Lin Ze believed Li Su could not be wrong.

From today onward, he would strive with all his might, study diligently, and make it so his worthless father would not dare cause trouble or bully his mother again.

It was precisely because he had been lacking in ambition that they dared to mistreat his mother.

Through this ordeal, Lin Ze had grown much.

Lin Ze added, “We’ll go to the poetry gathering this time. I’m not afraid of Lin Xi.” He no longer cared for the Lin family’s reputation.

Previously, he had always been told to show deference to Lin Xi in public, because the better Lin Xi did, the better the Lin family would be, and their future depended on Lin Xi.

Now, he no longer cared. He would not show Lin Xi any courtesy.

Ren Shuhua and Qin Ming became excited as well. Qin Ming said, “By the way, Ze, Su is already good friends with us, so there’s no need to call him Brother Li—just call him Su, as we do.”

Lin Ze blinked in surprise. “Really? And now you tell me?”

“Su, will you join us at the poetry gathering?” Ren Shuhua asked expectantly. If Su came, they had nothing to fear from Lin Xi.

Their main weakness was their clumsy tongues, while Lin Xi was glib; Lin Ze might be at a disadvantage in debate, even when he was in the right.