Chapter Ninety-Three: The Scheming Relatives Are Arrested

After being beaten up, Bao Mingzhi finally understood the truth that one must bow one’s head beneath another’s roof.

So for the moment, he could only yield.

The Lin family kept pressing him about where Lin Sangqian lived, but he did not know her address at all.

As soon as he said he did not know, he took another blow to the face.

Bao Mingzhi felt yet another tooth go loose.

His eyes were bloodshot, his fists clenched so tightly the knuckles ached.

Just wait. None of these people would escape. Not one.

They had dared to beat Bao Mingzhi into this state; he would never let them go.

Seeing that they could not wring any more from his mouth, Lin Shengrong and the others stopped tormenting him. They set off to ask elsewhere about Lin Sangqian’s address.

Before leaving, Madam Lin Zhang even found a wooden plank and had Lin Jiantong carve a few words into it with a stone, declaring that this plot of land belonged to Madam Lin Zhang.

After they were gone, Bao Mingzhi tried to struggle to his feet, but his injuries were so severe that even the slightest movement was agony.

In the end, it was a passerby who took pity on him and helped him.

When Lin Sangqian and Lin Wenyan returned home, they told the rest of the family what had happened that day.

“Good riddance!” As soon as Liao Shuxia heard that Bao Mingzhi had been beaten, she felt immensely gratified. “That black-hearted boss had it coming. Last time he even tried to have little Doggie kidnapped. If not for Qian San taking the blame for him, he’d be rotting in prison by now!”

“Still, the Lin family was far too bold,” Lin Hongda said. “To beat someone so openly?”

“They’ve always lived in the village. Quarreling and brawling there is nothing unusual, and after holding it in for so long, it’s only natural they lost their temper and struck out,” Lin Sangqian said with a smile. “It’s just a pity they’ve kicked a steel plate this time. Bao Mingzhi is not the sort of man who will let them off.”

Prison was inevitable.

“What if Bao Mingzhi takes it out on us?” Zhao Lan’er asked uneasily. “After all, they are still related to us…”

“It has nothing to do with us. They failed to understand the situation and came to seize land on their own; we never instigated them,” Lin Sangqian said. “Don’t worry.”

“Mm, that’s good.” Zhao Lan’er nodded, the tension in her heart easing.

Of course, even if something truly did happen, she would stand with Lin Sangqian’s family through hardship and danger no matter what.

In her heart, they were already her family.

The next morning, before dawn had fully broken, knocking sounded at the door.

Lin Sangqian woke groggily from sleep and heard footsteps in the courtyard; someone must have gone to open the gate.

The one who opened it was Lin Wenyan. He had barely woken up, and as he rubbed his eyes and pulled the door open, he saw the people standing outside. He jolted awake at once. “Lord Di Qing.”

Outside the gate were not only Di Qing, but several other officials as well.

“Lord Di Qing, what brings you here at this hour?” Lin Wenyan asked, though he already knew the answer.

“It’s like this. We received a complaint. Bao Mingzhi, the proprietor of the Grand Prosperity Tavern, says your Lin family beat him severely yesterday,” Di Qing said with a frown. “We’ve already gone to look, and Shopkeeper Bao is indeed badly injured.”

He paused, then glanced back at his companions and asked in a deep voice, “Was it really you?”

“What? It wasn’t us!” Lin Wenyan deliberately wore an expression of shock. “We’re honest, proper people. How could we possibly go around beating others?”

By then, the others had also dressed and come out one after another.

“Lord Di Qing, could there be some misunderstanding?” Lin Hongda came over and said, “We didn’t even see Shopkeeper Bao yesterday.”

“Yes,” Lin Sangqian said. “Did Shopkeeper Bao say it was us who beat him?”

One of the officials behind Di Qing said, “Not exactly. He only said it was members of the Lin family; he did not specify that it was you.”

“He said there were two men and two women. Oh, right, and an old lady.”

“An old lady?” Liao Shuxia cried out on purpose. “Could it be… Mother, and Eldest Brother and Second Brother?”

Lin Sangqian looked at her and nearly laughed.

They truly were a family of born performers.

“Lord Di Qing, if it was indeed members of the Lin family, then it may have been my mother, my eldest brother and sister-in-law, and my second brother and sister-in-law,” Lin Hongda said in great detail. “But I don’t know why they would have come into conflict with Shopkeeper Bao.”

“We separated households long ago,” Lin Sangqian added. “We haven’t been in contact with them for a long time.”

Di Qing nodded, finally letting out a breath of relief.

So long as it was not this family who had done it.

From Bao Mingzhi’s condition, it was obvious he would not easily spare the person who had injured him.

“Where do those relatives of yours live?” Di Qing asked.

“Double Blessing Village.”

“Very well, I know now. But for the next few days, stay in town and do not go wandering about.”

“All right, rest assured. We won’t leave town,” Lin Hongda said with a smile.

Di Qing nodded and left with the other officials.

“Will Lin Shengrong and the others really be sent to prison?” Liao Shuxia asked.

“Yes.” Lin Sangqian smiled faintly. “Bao Mingzhi will never let them escape so easily.”

This could not be blamed on her.

She had only made Lin Shengrong and the others aware that she had bought the land.

If they had not harbored such twisted thoughts, if they had not been driven by greed, if they had not come to seize what did not belong to them, then none of this would have happened.

In the end, it was their own doing. They could not live with the consequences.

Thinking of the bullying and humiliation that those two families had once inflicted upon the original host and her kin, a dim satisfaction rose in Lin Sangqian’s heart again.

This could be counted as revenge on behalf of the original family.

It was a pity, though, that the original family of three would never see it.

...

Unable to discover Lin Sangqian’s address, Madam Lin Zhang and the others had been planning to make trouble at the plot of land in town again that very day. Unexpectedly, they were met instead by the officials.

More than a dozen officials arrived in the village, terrifying everyone there.

The village head, Luo Hongming, hurried out and respectfully asked Di Qing, “My lord, may I ask what has happened?”

“Where are the members of the Lin family?” Di Qing asked.

“Do you mean… Lin Shengrong or Lin Jiantong?”

“Both of them!” Di Qing said sternly. “They beat someone in town yesterday. The victim has already filed a complaint with the yamen, and we must bring them all back to await judgment!”

At that, Luo Hongming was struck dumb with alarm.

He never imagined that Lin the elder and Lin the second would be so brazen as to cause trouble in town.

Those in the village who usually had little friendship with the two households began to gloat, even volunteering to lead the officials to their homes.

Before Lin Shengrong and Lai Ruyu could react, they were seized and put in shackles.

The iron collars were heavy; Lai Ruyu began to wail and cry to the heavens, but no one paid her any mind.

Soon, they were brought face to face with Lin Jiantong and Li Fulan, who were suffering the same treatment.

Madam Lin Zhang did not escape either and was taken as well, though because of her age, the officials did not shackle her.

Li Fulan’s two children stood nearby, crying in terror, while Lin Shuimei’s face had gone deathly white and her hands would not stop trembling.

She had known it.

“Help! What are you doing? Is there no law, no justice left in the world?”