Jian Zhaoxing

Chapter 108 Anxious Dependence

Lin Zhiqing and Lin Yangyang, who were far away, looked at each other and quickly realized that the prison warden was blaming Chun Yi Niang's death on the word "love".

And... the situation these people described seems to be different from what Fourth Uncle said.

According to Fourth Uncle, he kept his distance from Aunt Chun and never got close to her.

But according to these tenant farmers, about half a year ago, when Fourth Uncle just got Concubine Chun, he also brought her here.

There seemed to be some sweet moments between the two.

Die for love?
Lin Zhiqing recalled the death of Aunt Chun.

Even though she didn't see Aunt Chun commit suicide with her own eyes, she could tell from the wound that Aunt Chun died very decisively.

She did not reduce the force when she crashed into the stone lion, she was determined to die.

But according to the tenant farmer, Aunt Chun might have been neglected by her fourth uncle, so she revisited the old place and even shed tears.

All this shows that Aunt Chun has feelings for her fourth uncle. Whether it is revisiting the old place or shedding tears, these two behaviors are more like the unwillingness and sadness of an abandoned woman.

Moreover, this behavior has a high degree of overlap with what is called anxious dependency in psychology.

The so-called anxious emotional dependence means that in a relationship between the sexes, all emotions are placed on the other person.

If there is a slight change in the other person's attitude, you will start to have wild thoughts and cause yourself a psychological burden.

Since she was unwilling and sad, she was probably expecting her fourth uncle to come back and renew their relationship.

Such a person, even if he is really desperate and has given up on his fourth uncle, will not retaliate against others by destroying himself in a short period of time.

Besides, Fourth Uncle didn't just start treating her like this a few days ago. Lin Zhiqing had asked Fourth Aunt and also checked Lin Congyan's overnight stay records for the past six months.

Aunt Chun was not favored.

If that’s the case, why didn’t she get sad earlier or later, but chose to die of grief during the most chaotic period of the Lin family’s situation?
From a psychological perspective, this doesn't make sense at all.

Although Lin Zhiqing knew this point of psychology, he could not use it as an excuse to exonerate his fourth uncle.

Because there is no such concept as psychology in this world.

What she wants to figure out now is the relationship status between Fourth Uncle and Aunt Chun.

At the same time, the prison warden ordered the steward to get the guest list of the villa.

Lin Zhiqing's mind was full of thoughts. She remembered that when she asked about the relationship between her fourth uncle and Aunt Chun, there was nothing wrong with the expression on her fourth uncle's face.

Could it be that the Ministry of Justice and the villa are colluding to convict Lin Congyan?

But at this moment, the expressions and movements of these tenant farmers were very natural and did not seem fake.

Lin Zhiqing rejected this idea and another possibility emerged in his mind.

Is Lin Congyan lying?
At this time, the steward also brought the guest list.

The prison warden took it and immediately opened the list to check it.

Lin Zhiqing was too far away to see the content on it.

Lin Yangyang was also scratching her head anxiously: "Sister Qing, how about I just go and grab that booklet?"

"No." Lin Zhiqing shook her head. Today, she and Lin Yangyang were not disguising themselves at all, and there were many people in the villa. If the Ministry of Justice wanted to accuse them, it would be too easy.

Lin Yangyang also knew that this would not work, but she really couldn't think of a better way. The booklet would definitely be taken away by the officials as evidence. Was she really going to watch her fourth uncle being convicted?

Lin Zhiqing frowned and stared at the prison warden, wondering what he was thinking.

She didn't react until all the people from the Ministry of Justice had left.

Lin Yangyang looked at the backs of the group of people and stamped her feet anxiously.

Lin Zhiqing took a deep breath: "Cousin, let's go back to the Lin family first."

"Just sit there and wait for death?" Lin Yangyang was puzzled. "No." Lin Zhiqing frowned. "Let's check Fourth Uncle's diary first."

"Daily records?" Lin Yangyang was stunned. "Do you doubt that Fourth Uncle has ever been here?"

It’s hard to say whether there was any affection at all. Lin Zhiqing’s inner thoughts were that, first of all, if Aunt Chun’s feelings for Fourth Uncle were really that deep, some clues could be seen in the daily record.

Secondly, why was Aunt Chun able to enter Taohuayuan using Lin Congli's name a few days ago without anyone noticing?

If she can do it, what about others?
Does this prove that the Lin Congyan on the guest list is not necessarily Lin Congyan?

In short, someone came to Taohuayuan pretending to be Lin Congyan.

With these two questions, Lin Zhiqing and Lin Yangyang quickly rushed back to the Lin family.

The daily record belongs to personnel affairs, which is under the charge of Lin Congyan.

However, due to the busy affairs of his Tongzhengshisi, some of his personnel powers were given to Lin Jiusi to manage.

Why give it to Lin Jiusi?
Back a few years ago, Lin Yangyang was careless and Lin Zhiqing was cautious.

As for Lin Shi'an, he was not a direct descendant. Lin Congli, who raised him, abided by the family rules and did not let him get close to the Lin family's affairs in order to avoid suspicion.

There was only one Lin Jiusi who could follow Lin Congyan to learn the general affairs.

He is in charge of this diary.

Lin Shian's voice was low, which didn't match his baby face:
"In the winter of the first year of Shengxing, at noon, I stayed at Chuntao Pavilion."

"In the first year of Shengxing, on the twelfth day of the first lunar month, Aunt Chun offered me lotus seed soup, but I refused it."

"In the spring of the first year of Shengxing, at the beginning of the garrison, I watched Aunt Chun playing the zither in Chuntao Pavilion."

"Except for the time when Concubine Chun first entered the mansion, these are the only recent records related to her." Lin Shian placed the booklet in front of Lin Zhiqing.

Lin Zhiqing frowned. Judging from these alone, Aunt Chun was indeed not very favored by Fourth Uncle, which was consistent with her previous understanding.

She began to look through the content related to Peach Blossom Spring.

But after looking at it for a while, he frowned.

When Fourth Uncle first got Concubine Chun, he would indeed take her to Peach Blossom Spring from time to time.

But in the past few years, my fourth uncle had only been there in early summer. Even this year, he was arrested by the Ministry of Justice before he had the chance to go there in early summer.

I only go there once a year, so I can't really be considered a regular customer.

Then why did the people at the hot spring villa record him in the book and classify him as a regular customer?

There can't be two Lin Congyan, right?
Or was it Aunt Chun who went there under his name?

This is also unlikely. Even if he is the fourth uncle, it will cost money. Concubine Chun is not favored and her monthly allowance is not much. How can she afford it?

The daily record is handed over to the master for verification every month, so there will be no mistakes. Lin Congli and Lin Jiusi have no motive to forge the daily record.

Then the problem will only occur at the hot spring villa.

But they had checked long before Lin Zhiqing and the others went there and found out that the hot spring villa was owned by a salt merchant and had nothing to do with the Lin family, and a token was required to enter and exit.

There was no need for him to deliberately plot against the Lin family in advance.

Then there is only one possibility, someone has used Lin Congyan's name and become a frequent visitor to the villa in his name!

Aunt Chun did not have the money needed to become a regular customer, nor did she have a token of trust, so she could not enter the villa in the name of Lin Congyan, so the person who replaced Lin Congyan was not Aunt Chun.

But the tenant farmers claimed to have seen her several times in Taohuayuan.

Then... Lin Zhiqing narrowed his eyes.

Aunt Chun was most likely going to Peach Blossom Spring with someone who replaced Lin Congyan's name!