Chapter 17: Compromising

Lin Haihai sat in the living room. She looked at Yang Hanlun with a touch of guilt. Why is one of his eyes black? The several bumps on his head aren't the doings of the kids, were they? That hand looked perfectly fine; why is it wrapped in gauze? And why did he limp his way over just now? Did he perhaps offend too many people and receive retribution? She thought that was probably the case!

 

"That, oh, by the way, I brought you some gifts! Xiao Ju, bring them here! " Lin Haihai spoke first, though it sounded somewhat awkward. Xiao Ju reluctantly came forward with the Lotus Plumule (Lotus Seed Heart) and Chicken Bone Herb. After placing them on the table, she spoke with extreme embarrassment, "Please accept it, Your Highness!" Then, she quickly returned to her position behind Lin Haihai and stayed motionless.

 

"Yes, please accept it! As the saying goes, it’s not the gift that counts, but the thought behind it. It's all good stuff! Really." Lin Haihai smiled. Fearing his rejection, she made the guarantee with gusto. 

 

Yang Hanlun stared at Lin Haihai. What is this woman up to? Her face looks guilty, is she afraid of my revenge? She’s finally scared!

 

"Thank you for the gift. I'll take it. If there’s nothing else, please leave!" Yang Hanlun’s voice didn’t show any trace of emotion. Knowing that she had come to apologize, he showed a magnanimous attitude. However, this gift was indeed... Yang Hanlun had no idea whether he ought to laugh or to get angry.

 

"His Highness accepted it! Awesome, who said that the prince is a narrow-minded person? A grand councillor’s heart is big enough to pole a boat in, while the prince’s heart is so big that you can fly an airplane in it!" Lin Haihai said happily.

 

“What nonsense are you blabbering? I took the gifts. Please go back. However, the scores between us won't be settled so easily! I will settle the scores for what happened during the day!" Yang Hanlun put his foot down.

 

"Yes, you should!" Lin Haihai nodded. It’s okay as long as he keeps giving me my allowance every month. She knew that she needed to give good stuff as gifts. The problem was that she only had enough money to cover her expenses, while the money in the bank couldn’t be touched. That's her rainy day fund, it could save lives at desperate times! It's certainly not for buying gifts! She had to make do with it. Yang Hailun, being a prince, lacked nothing, so he probably didn’t value these!

 

"Then, speak, how should we settle it?" Yang Hanlun narrowed his eyes and looked at her with a piercing gaze!

 

"Whatever you say!" Lin Haihai also replied in a straight-forward manner.

 

"Alright, in that case, send General Chen to me!" They’d settle the scores later, the current problem was rescuing General Chen.

 

"That won't do!" This is regarding the patient's safety. I cannot compromise!

 

"Then there’s no need for further discussion! Steward, see her off!" Yang Hanlun was expressionless.

 

"Then, are you still giving me an allowance every month?" Lin Haihai inquired cautiously. Yang Hanlun nearly fell off his seat. "So, you are apologizing to me because you are afraid I'll stop giving you your allowance?"

 

"Of course, I didn't do anything wrong. You wanted to snatch my patient, how could I just stand by and watch? It was simply an overreaction!" Lin Haihai felt a little guilty. In fact, there wasn't much for her to feel guilty over. It was an emergency situation that called for special measures. 

 

“Steward, throw her out!” Yang Hanlun saw that there was no room for discussion with Lin Haihai, and immediately turned hostile.

 

“Then, are you still giving me my monthly allowance?” Lin Haihai asked again. This is the most important issue! 

 

“Don’t expect to get even a copper coin from me!” Yang Hanlun gnashed his teeth in anger.

 

Lin Haihai got anxious. “Isn’t that the money to cover my living expenses?”

 

“I’m not required to provide for your living expenses anymore. You’ve taken the divorce papers and you’re no longer a member of my household. If it wasn’t for preserving your reputation, I would have made this matter public much earlier!”

 

“But…” Lin Haihai still wanted to speak, but Yang Hailun interrupted her. “If you want money, send General Chen to me at once. Otherwise, this is the end of our conversation!” Yang Hailun loathed this greedy woman and didn’t want to see her even for a minute. All women in the world were social-climbers and materialistic. Of course, she is the exception. Thinking about Chen Birou warmed the cockles of Yang Hanlun’s heart. Fortunately, she’s not that kind of person! 

 

Seems like I can't feign ignorance anymore. This will affect the hospital's operation. Since he has presented his conditions, why can't I try to work around it!

 

“How about this? I’ll send General Chen to you in three days. Consider it as I owe you a favor. If you need my help in the future, I will try my best to help you as long as it doesn't violate the law and morality!" Lin Haihai thought of a compromising solution.

 

“No! Even if you were to send him over right now, I will still not give you a thousand taels! " Yang Hailun was worried that in three days, General Chen would be in a perilous condition. He suffered such a serious injury and was then treated by a quack doctor, how could he survive three more days?

 

“So you’re saying, even if I bring General Chen here now, you still won’t give me the money?”

 

“What are you planning to do with so much money? You have that many patients every day. You make a lot of money, but you still care about a thousand taels? You're truly a profiteer’s daughter, you reek of copper coins!” Yang Hanlun sneered. 

 

“No one will complain about having too much money!” Lin Haihai glanced at him scornfully. 

 

“Hmph! It’s your heart that’s lacking!” Yang Hanlun discovered that the woman before him had a beautiful exterior, but was ugly and dull on the inside! Fortunately, I got rid of her with some money.

 

"By the way, why were you looking for me today?" Lin Haihai asked absent-mindedly.

 

I'd almost forgotten! Yang Hanlun smacked his forehead. How could I've forgotten such an important thing!

 

"To talk business with you." Yang Hanlun got straight to the point.

 

"What business?"

 

"I can continue giving you money every month, but you have to promise me two things." There was a scheming glint in Yang Hanlun's beautiful eyes.

 

“If it has nothing to do with General Chen, anything else can be discussed!" Lin Haihai was interested.

 

"It's the Imperial Mother’s fiftieth birthday next month. She still doesn’t know that I have already divorced you and has asked for your presence. She has also stipulated that every princess consort and concubine should put up a performance!"

 

"Performance? I have no artistic cell in my body! " Lin Haihai was depressed.

 

"That's not a problem. Just prepare any random program. Anyway, that's not the point. The point is that I want you to personally suggest to Imperial Mother to let me take Birou in!" Yang Hanlun told Lin Haihai outrightly.

 

"Birou, the young miss of Chen family? You want me to talk to your mother on your behalf. Why won't you say it yourself?" Lin Haihai was puzzled.

 

"I did, but she said you'd just joined the household and she wanted me to wait two more years because she was afraid you'd feel awful!" Yang Hanlun showed an expression that conveyed the message, ‘You are the main culprit’.

 

"I see!” Empress Dowager is a really kind old lady!

 

"So, you like this Miss Chen very much, huh?" Lin Haihai asked in a gossipy manner.

 

“Mind your own business!” Yang Hanlun blushed.

 

It was a good thing to help lovers unite and Lin Haihai could think of no reason to disagree!

 

"Also, you can't lay your hands on General Chen anymore. Tomorrow, I will have the imperial physician to treat him. You are only in charge of providing the ward and medicine!" Yang Hanlun told her solemnly.

 

"That’s fine, as long as you don't move him away, you can do whatever you like!"

 

"You agreed so readily? You don't have any plans, do you? " Yang Hanlun looked unconvinced.

 

"No, as long as you send the money on time in the future and guarantee that no matter what happens, you won’t stop the monthly remittance of one thousand taels to the best of your ability.” Lin Haihai quickly replied, fearing that he would renege.

 

Yang Hanlun looked at her with contempt. "I can assure you that, will you feel at ease now?"

 

Lin Haihai was relieved of the big rock weighing her heart down and stretched her waist. She suddenly felt very sleepy. Xiao Ju and Liu'er saw her disrespectful postures and felt ashamed for her sake.

 

"Xiao Ju, let's go. I’m extremely sleepy. We have to get up early tomorrow!" Lin Haihai stood up and yawned at the same time.

 

“It’s almost dawn. Head back and get some rest before getting up to open the hospital!” Xiao Ju helped Lin Haihai up. 

 

“What, it’s already dawn. Let’s open the hospital. I’m not going to sleep. Let’s hurry back! That, Your Highness, I’m leaving! Goodbye!” She rushed out like a gust of wind.

 

“Elder Sister, wait for me! Go back to sleep, you haven’t slept for three days straight!” Xiao Ju and Liu'er chased after Lin Haihai. 

 

Yang Hanlun shook his head. Sure enough, she’s a miser. In order to make money, she was reluctant to even sleep. Although Yang Hanlun looked down on Lin Haihai, he couldn’t help admiring her. He wouldn’t be able to endure three days without sleep!

 


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